The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-02-25
OUR LEGISLATURE LETTER.
Summary Of What Has Been Done
Levy S 12 Mills--Labor Con-
tract Law


| assembly has concluded its session
and The following summary of re-
suits may be given:
No rate law was enacted. The lien
law was nm repealed. The Carey
tothran law stands unchanged. not
being even amended. a new labor
contract law is enacted. to take the
place of the statute declared uncon-
sti!uti"nal by the courts. The immi-
grafton department stands. No in
creaScs in salaries were made. except
Tor minor officials. No compulsory
education law was enacted An in
Surancc department, with a commits
sioncr, was established. but otherwise
there was little legislation on insur-
ancc Matters The State levy is fix-
cd at five and onc-half mills, which
is one mill higher than in 1907. Two
acw judicial circuits were establish
ell and Judges therefor elected. The
appropriation of $4,000 per year for
hi"h school syst en- was continued and
the high school act 50 amended as to
cut out of IDS provisions any school
district having town of more than
1000 inhabitants.
These are the net results of the 40
days session. briefly stated, the main
points having already been covered
III this correspondence. The last
! Io Of ho !
by any sensational legislation, but the
general assembly found itself in the
unusual position Of havin" to elect
senator to the congress of the United
States unencumbered by & primary
nomination, a situation t1at has not
arisen in II years. The death of Sen
ator Laiimcr, three days before the
expected end of the session. changed
things completely. as the federal con-
! StltWtian and statutes prescribe tha.
when vacancy in tn. senate occurs
while the legislature is in session the
legislature must elect for the nneX-
nlrcd term and that thc election must
be held ON the second Tuesday after
official notification is received. Ac-
cortlm" to this law the election can
net he held before Tuesday. March
3, and when the general assembly adj
journed on Saturday night it was to
cnvenc again on Tuesday evening,
! March Bird. at which time the two
houses in separate Session will bal
lot for senator and the next day at
noon will ballot in joint assembly:
II no choice is made, they must con-
tinue in session, taIin" at least one
ballot each day. until an election is
had. II is likely that some member Of
general assembly will be chosen, al
though there is some resentment of
| the policy Of the present general as
Scmbly to select some member of the
leglslature to practically every Office
to be filled by the legislature. This
feeling found expression in an amend
mem to the insurance department bill
providing that. members of the gener-
al assembly are not eligible for the
position of insurance commissioner.
The election of commissioner will be
held on Wednesday, March 3, before
+ the joint ballot for senator. The Of
flee Of commissioner carries a salary
of $4,000, which is more than The
other State officials receive.
THE labor contract law as finally
passed, having been agreed on in free
conference committee. is practically
the bill passed by the house and was
satisfactory to the farmers in the
| house and senate.
The general assembly passed with
oni question the bill TO ctxcnd the
time for the winding up commission
to conclude the work of closing out
the disnrnsary affairs. providing that
the real estate shall bc sold for not
less than $I75000 and the members
of tn" commission shall receive fiv,
dollars per lav for their services
when actually engaged.
The legislature also provided that
The commission shall sci aside from
the disr"nsarv funds the sum Of $15.-
0n0 t" b" used by the attorney GEN
cral in prosccutin~ the eases AGAINST
the alleged @raftrrs and the attorney
general was also given the sum of
Fo.oho to rontinuc thc Southern rail
way mHr'rcr suit