Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-02-12
OLD LAWS AND NEEDED ONES.
The Dispensary, the Schools, the Far
mers, the Criminals.

mers, the Criminals.
Columbia, Feb. 8.-Special: The
General Assembly has gone to Char
lesion to-day Saturday, making
the third day this week that the
Legislature has not convened at all.
l remember writing to you last
year to the effect that perhaps the
less time spent in session the bet
ter for the State, as it was task
to keep out bad bills, and very few
real good ones were offered. Now,
this was part in jest and part in
earnest. However, that idea seems
to grow l have heard several of
the best members so express them
selves In real earnest, but person.
ally 1t has not suited me this time.
l have a bill on the calendar (to
place all qualified electors on the
jury list) brought over from last
year. 1t should have been disposed
of by February 1st, but the work has
been so slow and interfered with by
so many days off that have doubts
IL 1t will be reached at all this ses-
sion.
l think all the work done here In
four weeks could have been done in
ten days or two weeks, If the House
had not lost so much time. Still
this House has lot placed to its
credit. The abolishing of the State
dispensary and the repeating of the
lien law are considered the most
important legislation accomplished
In this State in many year. True,
the lien law bill has not yet passed
the Senate, but there Is hardy any
doubt that 1t will pass that body.
The repeating Of the State dispen-
sary law and the investigating of its
affairs have revealed state of cor
.uption, graft and bribery hardly
surpassed by the radicals and ne
groes when they had charge of the
government.
The Legislature appropriated $1O,-
600 last year and $4,000 this year
to aid the Attorney General in prose-
cutting these former State officials for
bribery, fraud and theft, and 1t is
said that there Is sufficient evidence
on hand to put some of them in the
penitentiary. The trials will be held
in this city, and some of the best
lawyers In the State say that convic-
tions will follow IL the jurors do
their duty.
There Is a great deal of talk about
the commission that has had charge
of the closing up of the States IL
quor business. They sold off the
whiskey on hand when they took
charge, just one year ago, for $780,
600, and $730,O00 of this money
was deposited in banks controlled
by the men who composed the COM
mission. They loan out this money
at per cent, and pay 4 per cent for
1t. 1t appears that no man or any
set OF men can touch the accursed
stun without bringing shame on him
self and discredit to the State.
The Legislature refused to pass a
State prohibition bill. 1t Is very Gu
rious that State, once highly dis
tinguished for leadership in all great
measures. Of reform and progress
even to the disruption OF the Union
and the Inauguration of a terrible
war, should fall so low that her law
makers will not even follow other
States in a step upward from the
greatest curse that ever afflicted hui
manity. 1t was thought that the
Legislature had clear majority OF
SIX or eight votes for State prohibi-
ton, but the vote showed about dou-
bic that number on the other side. |
have heard that the Governor was
responsible for this, he having been
elected on local option platform. |
know nothing about that, but 1T is
a bad box to be in. Other States all
around us are going against liquor
with all their might and main, while
this State is still joined ITO her idols.
Let us have little More patience.
We are not responsible for the bad
men who gave the S1ate this thing,
and perhaps one more election will
set us in line with other States in
THIS most vital matter.
1t Is claimed that If the lien law
is abolished, farmers can give mort
cages on crops after the crops are
growing. There is hardly doubt
Of this; still the repeal of the lien
law will bring great changes in the
labor conditions OF the State, espe-
cially in the lower counties, where
there is a large negro population,
and will doubtless be Of some ad-
vantage to those farmers who desire
10 reduce the cotton acreage and con-
trol the price.
1t will be interesting to your
readers, in this connection, to know
something about the amount Of farm
crops produced by the negroes in
this State, their property and the
n0mber in attendance at school, etc.
'IR 28 out of Al counties, in 1900,
there were more negroes than white
farmers, the negroes planting a ma