Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-01-27
WORK IN SENATE AND HOUSE.
Several Bills introduced by Oconee
Delegation--The Lien Law Again.

ptAohCuy Shctt hdS DSSh u SISdI. uedl
of hard work done. In fact, we be-
lieve that the members of both sides
have come together with greater de-
termination to accomplish something
than we have ever seen. OF course
the greater part of the first three
weeks of the session Is usually con-
sumed in the preparation of mea-
Sures to be offered and in the inves-
tigation Of the merits of the measures
by the various committees. Every
bill that is offered affects somebody's
interests, and they want to be heard,
both Fro and con. There has been
such a wonderful growth in corpo-
rations in South Carolina within the
last few years that a great deal of
the legislation is aimed at correcting
evils that have grown up among
them, some of them injuriously af-
fecting the interests Of the public,
and some affecting the rights of the
corporations as between themselves.
There has been something like
fifty bills introduced seeking to cor
rect abuses by the railroads Of the
State. This has called in a large
number of railroad attorneys end
lobbyists in order to defeat this leg
islation. 1t sometimes occurs that
railroads, as between themselves, are
asking the Legislature to correct
wrongs, and every time that there is
measure proposed which seeks to
protect the masses of the people
against some unjust discrimination,
hordcS of lobbyists are right on the
ground ready to use every means to
defeat it.
Senator GraydOn, of Abbeville, has
offered bill to make fiat rate on
railroads of 2 lR cents for passengers,
and in this provides that in case
mileage books for passenger travel
are sold, that they must be accepted
on the trains by the conductors or
ticket-takers for passage. This bill
is being vigorously opposed by the
railroads and by our State Railroad
Commission. While the present
method in operation by the railroads
does not affect the masses of the peo-
pie very much, yet it is a serious in
convenience TO men who travel a
great deal on roads, and especially the
drummers. 1t sometimes occurs
that, on account Of this extra amount
of work that is put upon the station
agents, it is impossible for them to
get their work done and sell the nee
eSSary tickets for travel. It looks to
the ordinary observer like Il process
of swapping tickets that is wholly
unnecessary. The travelling men of
the State are very anxious to get this
or some similar measure through,
and they are looking after their in
terests here, and they generally get
what they demand.
Up to the present there have been
laid on our desks about $500 pages
of reports Of the different officers
and departm" nts of the State gov
eminent. Probably this is not much
over half that we will have. 1t is
the duty OF every member of the
General Assembly to examine these
reports as far as possible, but you
can see at once that it Is a physical
impossibility for them to read every
thing that Is submitted to them.
These reports at present are printed
in very elaborate form. Some of
them read almost like antiquated es-
says on various topics. | have offer
ed a bill seeking to correct this evil
and reduce the reports to concise
statement of the transactions in the
different Offices and departments.
Besides this inconvenience to the
members Of the General Assembly, 1t
cost the people of the State last year
$4,000 to do the public print .lg of
the State, when less than $4,000
was sufficient to 40 all the printing
OF the State only a few years ago
In addition to the business that goes
through these offices they undertake
to suggest to the General Assembly
lengthy documents which they call
proposed bills-most Of them in the
interest of the officers themselves
but some Of them probably necessary
for the proper conduct of the busi-
ness.
A bill has passed the Senate Strik-
ing out the forty days that have here
tofore been allowed for the registra-
tion of legal instruments This
means that a man who has a deed
must put it on record at once, or IL
| a subsequent deed should be eXecut-
| ed and put on record first it would
take precedence from the date OF its
| record, or other papers affecting
title to real estate. fifteen-day
limit is allowed for papers affecting
| title to personal property.
Two joint resolutions have been
| introduced to amend the ContSitu-
| ton so as to allow the Legislature
| to elect five Justices Of the Supreme
| Court instead of four as at present.
| These measures stand upon the cal
| endar at present with unfavorable
| majority reports, and can hardly
pass.
Mr.. Gibson's bill to levy a 81 tax
| on dogs instead Of so cents as at
present, after considerable discus
| sion, was defeated by an overwhelm-
| ing vote in the House.
Mr.. Rucker, OF Anderson, had a
| bill requiring all secret societies to
pay 81 license tax to the Clerk of
| Court. This bill was intended to
prevent the secret organizations of
negroes, which Is alleged in different
| parts Of the State are carried ON for