The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-22
What the Legislature Did or Fail
ed TO Do.
The Sum Total of Accomplishment was
Insignificant While the Things Left
Undone Were Many.
By ". Fl. AfcCaw.

which there is danger as well as de-
light
1t. has provided for current expenses
and as q means of getting the State
hack on cash basis the statesman
like method of an increase In the levy,
v7hile.it increased the appropriations
from $l,238, 600 to about Sf,280, 600.
Bat it resolntely resisted all efforts
and entreaties to change a tax system
which allows property to go on the
books at most any old valuation with
the burden clearly on the small tax
payer, and which encourages nom
payment for three months after the
iaxes are due. It perfected the fran
chise tax law, which will yield about
$3.50, 600 annually, 1T is estimated, and
|it increasing the State levy half a
lnill, and passed law whereby chair
men Of township assessing boards
make Eve days personal convass for
new and old property; but it rejected
Mr.. d. o. Herbert's bill making the
present. Z per cent. graduated penalty
fall due on the 1st of January as 1t
did Mr.. Manring's amendment to the
supply bill substituting this gradual
ed penalty with a fat per cent. pen
atty falling due on Jan. l. 1t repeal
ed the secret feature of the income
tax law, which may result in great
er income from this source, but it de-
clined ComptrellerGenere jones'
suggestion Of state board to make
county to county canvass to get prop
erty on the books at some Uniform
valuation.
So much for the financial situation,
which was about the most important
subject this legislature had to deal
with. The number of laws South
Carolina legislators are getting up
more and more reverence for, are
holding more sacred and getting more
and more sensitive about, is. increas-
ing. This legislature refused to
change either the marriage or the dis.
peusary law, on the ground that the
one would lead to the divorce evil and
the other to the barroom iniquity. It
refused to repeal, amend or refer back
to the pople the lien law, which has
beenso the books for half a century,
whereby the small farmer has been rob-
bed with faithful regularity with dou
Bile prices for provisions and supplies
and eyorbitaBt interest rates. It
would not change the jury system, in
any particular, and thatSawfu1 thing
which is so loaded with politics, the
pension law, it touched IN only one
minor particular, and hadsa fit which
lasted to a free conference over this
one little change. The only thing in
the nature Of change in the dispen-
sary law is to be found in the act
which grants constables an increase of
so cents day and allows such ex-
penses as are approved by the chief.
There are SO men on the force and it
they average a legitimate expense of
81 for hotel fare while out on trips,
this innocent looking little raise will
amount to over $30,O 200 a year.
Among other important things this
legislature refused to do were: To es-
lstablish reformatory, to grant con-
demnation powers to private corpora
tions either for the purpose OF protect
ing water sheds or in order to devel-
ope important industries, although it
| did grant such authority individually
|. in certain definitely stated cases; it
declined to pass compulsory educa-
tion laW.
Now as to the positive legislation.
There was some Of il, and generally
spea king it is of a healthy, sound
and creditable nature. For the first
time in many years the governor has
not vetoed a measure, and OF the l95
acts there are score or more Of gen.
eral interest and Importance, the 9TH
ers being of local interest only. This
legislature did pass q good compulsory
vaccination law. whereby cities and
| towns are given authority to pass and
enforce compulsory vaccination ordl-
napces, the State board being author
lied to promulgate such laws which
shall have the force and effect Of or
dinances in cities neglecting or refus-
| ing to pass such ordinances. 1t pass
ed the bill creating two new judicial
districts, which does away with the
bad practice of appointing special
| iudges and holding extra terms; it
amended the law with reference to
new counties, which will result in
| more definite and accurate informa-
| iton being given the governor as to
| area, wealth and population it pass
l Gu bu0 - uOuGOu SoC@OCJ . O1sA3 oAAoAAS
ly amended, for the propection of in
sectiverous birds; it perfected a law
to punish giving, offering, promising
or receiving gretuities with reference
to employees which might influence
them against their employers bust
ness; it passed law which will have
healthful effect on the primary elec-
tions against bribery, heeling and 9TH
er forms of corruption, if it did get in
q freak feature forbidding any candi-
date to give or promise to give during
a campaign toward even charity ex-
cept through regular church collec.
tion it increased the only large and
rapidly growing number OF mlsde-
1 meanors with one forbidding the plac-
ing Of any kind Of explosive on rail;
lroad track except by an authorized
employe, and made breaking into a
vessel punishable as for housebreak.
ing; it declares the seduction OF any
unmarried woman by man over 16
! o,ina punishable at the discretion OF