The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-21
OUR LEGISLATURE LETTER.
Review of First Week-Commlttees
at Work-Will Get Busy
This Week.
Special to Herald and News.

bly, to get a start. Ihls year tne gen.
eral assembly met as late as it is pos
sible under the law for it to meet;
the meeting is set for the second
Tuesday in January, and the second
Tuesday cannot fall later than the
18th, which was the case this year.
Then Lees birthday, which is a legal
holiday, AID always observed as such,
came on Sunday and was observed on
Saturday, when the members went to
Winthrop college on trip of lnspee-
tion, so that there was not much time
for serious work last week. al
though the committees did do some
thing in the way Of discussing meas
ures that had been referred to them.
This being the second session OF the
assembly, there was no time wasted
in organization, and as there is only
one election in which there is to be
a contest there will be nothing more
to divert the attention Of the house
and senate when the elections are
disposed of, which will probably be
done on Wednesday.
On the first day of the session,
there was nothing done except to
swear in the new members, elected
to fill vacancies, and to hear the read
inc of the governors message. The
senate however decided to send all
bills on it's calendar back to their re-
spective committees, so that they
can be gone over again carefully IN
the light of the developments OF the
last u months. The house on We'd
nesday took up "only uneontested
matters,'' that is only such measures
as no one would object to, and IN that
wav got to third reading, a number
of bills introduced and unacted on
last session, while others that are
now out of date were withdrawn by
their authors. The ergrosslng depart
ment has been kept busy enough
with the new bills, but has been able
to keep pace with its work. There
are no new bills Of a startling nature
50 far. there being tne usual number
reouiat .ailroads and amending
the labor laws and repeating the
lien law, and so on.
Mr.. Nash has begun to fight for
his prohibition bill, in which ne has
the support of many Of the old State
dispensary faction, and the measure
was brought up for the first time on
Friday. when the house by vote OF
40 to 45 declined to strike out the en-
acting words. There were 80 absen-
ices whea this vote was taken, so
that it does not necessarily follow
from this vote that the house IS IN
favor of prohibition. The question
is apt to be much more fully discuss
ed before the session is over.
It is expected that the elections
will be held on Wednesday or soon
thereafter. The withdrawal OF Hon.
T. P. Cothran from the race for as
sociate Justice Of the supreme court
ensures the reelection of. Hon. b. B.
Gary. There is fervent contest
for the position of judge Of the Sec
,ond circuit to fill the place vacated
by the resignation of Judge Jas: AID
rica. the candidates being Solicitor
Davis. Col. Robert Aldrieh and Col.
Calude E. Sawyer. There are several
trustees and directors of the State
institutions to be elected, and Miss
L. H. LaBorde, State librarian. Will
be reelected without opposition.
The two houses adjourned Friday
10 meet again on Monday night, but
this will be only a formal meeting.
and adjournment will quickly be TAX
en- until Tuesday morning. The most
IF the work during the early part OF
the session is done by the commit
tees. and it is not only not necessary
but is not advisable for the sessions
of the houses 20 last very long, as
this leaves little time for the COM
miftees to meet. The more thorough
" q bill is dieested in committee,
the better prepared will the members
be to discuss it and to explain or
attack it when the matter comes up
on the floor Of the house. The two
committees of the house which have
most work to do are the committee on
ways and means and the committee
on judiciary. These are however co2-