The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-01-25
51lrN'g|y''1EEsTIa az ''1Ei aATINiG COMMITTEE.
4 Has Been Organized With Senator
4 Christensen as Chairman.
Columbia Cor. Herald and News.

! Lees Lees appointed under the resolution Of
IlS1lssseenlator Christensen of the former
8eommittee> which has been probing
INTO things for the past two years,
has been organized for business with
sSenator Christensen as chairman, and
Representative Rucker as secretary,
which is natural, inasmuch as a ma
Jority OF the committee is anti-dis-
pensary for the reason that the house,
being anti-dispensary two Of the
members of that body were appointed
from the majority faction, and one
representing each faction from the
senate. Messrs Christensen and
Rucker are both strong anti-dispen-
sary advocates. The other house men,
bers of the committee are Messrs.
Richards and Carey, the former a
recognized dispensary leader, and the
latter seeing after the constitutional
Notifications Of the dispensary bill,
for which the anti-dispensary forces
are now generally lining up. The
new committee was made necessary
by the doubt as to whether the old
committee authority under the Blcase
resolution Of two sessions back has
expired.
The new committee is appointed
for a special purpose and is to re-
port back within ten days from the
passage Of the resolution. This will
hold up oil dispensary legislation I'M
til the latter part Of this week, when
the report is expected. The commit
tee is to look into the changes brought
by Commissioner Tatum to the effect
that the present board has been over
stocking the dispensary with great
quantities Of unsaleable goods in
violation Of law and against the COM
missioners advise and repeated pro-
tests. The committee has decided to
do its investigating behind closed
doors with even the newspaper men
excluded, so nothing definite will be
known Of the committees work until
its report is handed in to the gener-
al assembly. In the meantime the
dispensary battle at the capitol will
be postponed, with general skir-
mish line thrown out by both sides.
Outside of this incident there has
been nothing Of striking Importance
!, done by either branch of the law
making body though some good steady
work mas been done in each house
and perhaps not little effective
work has been done on the streets, in
the committee rooms, in the hotel
lobbles and elsewhere on the quiet
In fact it is in these places that the
real work Of the session goes on.
The Frost resolution calling for an
inter-session joint committee to in
vcstlgate various phases Of the rail
road problem as it affects this state
is on top, as it were, for discussion
IN the house next week, being put on
the continuous" order of the day.
1t is expected that the result will be
a suspension of railroad legislation
otherwise. And in case the Frost res
olution passes it is logical to presume
that no railroad legislation will be
enacted this year-awaiting the re-
port of the committee to be appoint
ed under the terms Of resolution
Outside Of passing purely local bills
some too local for mcntion-intro-
ducing new bills and otherwise giving
vent to a hot air Spleen, the Senate
has done little since my last letter.
There have been committee reports
on some important measures, among
them bill to amend the libel law so
rs to make correction of an error
offense in libel suit-this bill be-
ing inspired by two Charleston cases
OF note and notoriety. The report
was unfavorable, and unless the Gen
cral Assembly can be made to see the
matter in a different light it will be
killed. This is where the politicians
even upon the newspapers a bit for
not telling on 'em when they leave the
city.
Among the interesting discussions
Of the past week was that on the
gambling bill introduced in the SEN
ate by Senator Chrouch. The senate
passed the bill however cutting out tho
only thing which he contended for,
that of the imprisonment, which he
desired to be not less than sixty
days. The bill as passed, by the
Senate seeks the same low no fo,,,oor