The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-01-30

\ visit to our CLERK Of courts Office
convinced me that unless some proEls
ion is made to have the indexes IN ina
office put in proper shape the puoll'
interests would suffer. The books are
falling to pieces, and it will not be lons
before the written portions Will OF
greatly damaged. have introduced
bill to provide for reindeNing OF the
records so far as they relate TO rea
estate, and for this work have pro
vided $500. There seems to be some
doubt about getting this work done 10Y
$500. but I believe otherwise, and my
reasons are, that in 1882 or ), The re-
cords of that office were relndeNed Tor
the first time. Then every paper and
book was reindeNed, which included
liens, bills of sales, judgments for
money demand, and various other re.
cords. and my impression IS that the
work was done by DR.. G. Allen Hug
gins and y. \. Butler for $500. II the
records at that time, which included
everything. liens, mortgages OF per-
sonal property, etc.. could be indeNeJ
for $500. cannot see why $500 should
not be sufficient for the reindeXing now
when it is to be considered that only
such records as relate to real estate are
TO be reindexed. I believe a competent
man can 90 this work and make hana-
some wages. feel satisfied the WORK
can be done in five months easy. ana
800 q month is not to be sneeZed at by
no means. While am convinced it IS
,his work done. must have regard for
the public treasury.
The following is the text OF the bill:
Be it enacted by the General Assembly Of the
State Of South Carolina:
Section I. That the records OF Clarendon
County. so far as the same relates to
real estate, be reindcXed alphabetically and
-,xicographically. under the direction OF the
Cork OF the Court, and the sum OF five hundred
dhllarS is hereby appropriated for the purpose.
TO be paid out Of the general county funds. as
other claims agoinst the County are paid.
Sec. > That the Clerk OF the Court is author.
lied to purchase the necessary BOOKS 1or the
indexing referred to IN Sec. !: OF this ACT ana
the cost Of said books shal! also be pald 1or Out
of the general comfy fund IN addltlon 10 tAe
above appropriation.
The lien law was the most Important
measure in the House this week. What
is known as the Richards bill passed
by large majority. Messrs. Woods,
Diugle and Scarborough were among
the majority. It is now over IN. the
Senate, but if the action of the Senate
is to be Judged by what was done to
the Crouch bill, the repeal of-the lien
law will now succeed at this session.
Senator Crouch of Saluda introduced
bill to repeal the lien law. 1t was too
drastic, it chopped Off the lien business
suddenly like an Ak chops OIL the head
of chicken. gave notice that II the
enacting words were not stricken out l
should amend the bill by fixing the
time for it to go into effect December
81, 1908, so as to give those who nave
been engaged in this system time to
wind up their business, but when the
vote was taken the Senate struck out
the enacting words which of course
killed the bill. l cannot say the same
action will be taken on the Richards
bill, as I understand it does allow some
time before the law IS to go into erect.
There are two sides to this question,
and both sides have good argument:
Individually, am satisfied, to repeal
the lien law will not have the effect It's
advocates claim. believe our labor
conditions will not be improved. /
further believe it will prove to the dis
advantage of those owning lands to
rent, and as a result the lands will de-
preciate in value. 1t is reasonable to
suppose, if the.tenan0 cannot get credit
he cannot rent the land. and if he can
not rent the land, then he goes to the
highest bidder for wages. 1t is well
known taat the owners OF land cannot
afford to assume the risk OF furnishing
their tenants, and if they did, they
must give security. If they borrow
money to make these advances. they
will be required to give real estate
mortgages, and should the conditions
ever again be like the present, dlsaster
would follow The lands would be put
on the block to satisfy the demands
against them l would hail with JOY
the time when business can be done IN
this country upon cash basis, put
what troubles me, are we ready at this
time5 To repeal the lien law now,
without giving reasonable time 10
arrange the business system to suit the
new conditions will be too revolution
arv and drive into the bankruptcy
courts thousands of merchants. l voted
against striking out the enacting words
of the Crouch bill, rot because favor,
ed its provisions, but because l wanted
to keep myself in a position 70 amend
it, and failing in amending | would
have voted to kill it. When the Rich
ards bill reaches a vote in the Senate,
unless it gives a reasonable time for its
operations to begin, I cannot vote Tor
il. but shall vote for the repeal OF the
lien law if it is not to so into effect be-
fore 1909.
The coming week will be largely
taken up with liquor legislation. The
Carey bill is made special order IN
the House for Wednesday, and IN all
probability it will pass that body, un-
less the State Dispensary forces form
combination with the Prohibitionists
and pass prohibition bill. The Carey
bill provides for Local Option, as be-
tween Prohibition and County Dispen--
sarv, leaving it to the people to decide
which system of the two they will have.
Senator Smith OF Hampton intro
duced a resolution in the Senate pro.
viding for the judiciary committees OF
both houses to frame a bill looking to
the adjustment of the dispensary and
provide for local option. This resolu-
ton was adopted by the Senate, but |
am satisfied it will be killed IN the
House. In my judgment the Smith reso-
luton is misleading, because 1t has ere
ated the impression that the Senate has
shown its hand and the dlspensary IS
doomed, but I do not regard the vote
on the Smith resolution as amounting
10 a hill of beans. McGo wan OF Lau-
rens voted for the resolution and ne IS
a strong State dispensary man: Taloert
of Edgefeld voted against the resolu-
tion and he is an ardent Prohloltionlst,
Earle of Oconee voted against the res
olution and he is as yet an UNKNOWN
quantity" and so is Carpenter OF P!ck-
-, ,I-ara Cpvpr3 aSSe0t.