The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-02-19
THE WMAKERS'
WORK REVIEWED
What Has Been Accom-
plished This Session.
LIEN LAW UNCHANGED
State Tax Levy Will be Fixed at Five
and Half Mills. Adjournment
Saturday.

NEWS anu Courler laSC sunday, re-
viewed the work of the General Assem-
bly, as follows:
The Legislative session for 1908 is
now about at an end. The final polish
remains to be put on the handiwork.
The general outline of the work has
been finished. The details Of certain
polishes have not yet been determined
upon, but the general outline and
scope of the specimen that is to go in
to the furniture collection of the work
of 1908 are fixed.
There will be State tax levy of 81
mills.
There will be no fundamental change
in the liquor situation.
All prohibition laws have been killed
There will be no repeal of tho lien
law, and there will be no change in the
present credit system.
The contract labor law will be amend
cd so as to meet the decisions of the
federal and State courts declaring the
existing statutes void.
The winding-up commission of the
dspensary will be continued in office
for sufficient time to close it's business
and the dispensary property, real es-
tate, will be sold at public auction for
not less than $75, 200.
The perennial fight on the depart
ment of agriculture and immigration
has failed, and bills looking to that end
have been killed in the Senate.
There has been disposition to deal
literally with the educational system
Realizing the growth of the State,
the demand and hunger for higher edu-
cation and the position of this State,
all the State colleges Clemson, Win
throp, the University of South Caro-
lima and the Citadel-have been given
kindly consideration and an opportunity
to grow.
The High school law has been loos-
end up bit, and is found to be work
ing satisfactorily.
The disposition, and it is decided, is
to let the voters in the communities af-
fected decide whether they want dis
pensaries or not, and the voters are to
be given opportunity of voting out dis
pensaries, where Objectionable, by
towns instead of by counties, as hereto
fore.
Aiken, Union and Colleton- and per-
haps Barnwell-are to be authorized to
hold early elections, to determine
whether these counties shall continue
their county dispensaries or join the
prohibition cou.ties.
The desir" Is to tighten up on insur-
ance companies. A bill to prohibit
prize box life insurance is to become
law. In the matter of fire insurance
there seems to be unrest, and two bills,
one about the contract and the other to
outlaw the Southeastern Tariff Asso-
citation, are the most likely Whether
either will do a particle Of real good, or
are efforts to accomplish results with
out fully going into the merits, is not
the question.
Several bills intended to better pro-
tect policy-holders in local and mutual
companies will be enacted.
In the matter of railroad legislation
there have been several bills that will
cause these corporations more or less
trouble and expense to get to the rati-
fcation stage. The Graydon fellow
servant liability bill is on the House
side. The three bills recommended by
the Legislative committee are on the
Calendars, the two major bills have un-
favorable reports on the Senate Calen-
dar, and that augurs bad luck to these
bills.
The Senate has passed bill provid-
ing for twelve political circuits two
new ones. The House has provided for
one additional circuit. This would ap-
pear to make the new circuit certain
and the chances are that the two cir
cults will be provided rather than
sacrifice one. This and other actions
indicate the spirit of liberality and
more generous legislation than has
heretofore prevailed.
The subject of biennial sessions has
hardly been mentioned, and seems to
have but little encouragement.
Calhoun county was the only new
SONiibJ IuSoCiOii VI pIOpoSiIloIl IileH-
toned. There was no opposition what
ever to this county, and the Orange
burg delegation acted very considerably
and generously to the new child.
ID The indications are that there will be
an insurance department established,
and that the State will supply ample
machinery for a good department. The
commissioner will probably be paid
So, 500.
Arrangements will be made to have
the registration lists revised and cor
rected 1t is admitted on all sides that
the registration lists are in deplor-
able condition, and that something
ought to be done to get these lists in
better shape, and that everybody
ought to be made to register, so as to
get more general and better jury lists
from which to select jurymen.
All the bills looking to State or
general system of rural police bsye
been killed
There has been no change in the pis-
tol-toting lays, There were various
suggestions Of changes, but nothing
was done TO amend the law.