The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-03
LAST HOURS OF LEGISLATURE,
ANOTHER PAST-NIIDNIGHT SEES
SION is HELD.
Appropriation Bill Keeps General AS
sembly i'm Session Until Long Past
The Midnight HOur--AdjOurnment
Reached Early Sunday Morning.

last HlSHt the Seneral assembly began
to get ready for adjournment. All
bills save the general appropriation
were through the legislative grind.
The free conference committee was
at work, and had been working since
o'clock. 1t is a great pity that this
| most important bill should be the
very last to be acted upon. Messrs.
| Mauldin, Hardin and Sullivan, on the
| part of the senate, and Messrs. Ruck-
er. Dick and Doar. on the part of the
| house used the utmost care to get
the general appropriation bill in per-
| feet condition before it was ratified
The engrossing department is waiting
for the appropriation.
The free conference committee had
not reported on the appropriation bill
at 1 o'clock, eastern time, and 1853
| O'Clock, legislative time. The report
Is that the committee has agreed on
all items Of the bill except one as to
| the pay for the clerks and attaches
on the matter Of overtime. When the
| appropriation bill came from the
committee 1t showed a decrease of
$122.O00 from last years appropria-
ton. When finally agreed upon 1t
Will show total appropriation of
$1,631,000, or reduction of $4,000
from the Act Of 1908. The free con-
ference has inserted in the bill, in std-
dition to what was there when the
bill left the house, $4,000 for school
| extension, $4,000 for Winthrope ex-
tensions. $4,000 for a new kitchen.
$4,000 for factory inspectors, $4,000
for South Carolina University, S1O,-
600 increase for high schools. $4,000
additional for printing, $4,000 for
claims, $1,000 additional for engross-
ing department, $4,000 for silver SER
vice for battle ship, $1,000 for the
Hospital for the Insane, $1,000 addi-
tional for department of agriculture.
$1,000 for a monument for, Confeder-
ate women, $1.500 for refund for
Greenville monument, $4,000 for con-
tingent fund OF senate and $500 for
house. 500 for solicitors and $500 for
clerks. The item for $4,000 for free
school books was abandoned.
In the matter of the Confederate
Home the free conference committee
accepted the senate's position in
agreeing to continue the Home.
Twelve thousand dollars was appro-
priated for maintenance of the Home,
instead of abandoning this institution
and converting the $4,000 into the
general pension appropriation.
The general assembly which has
just closed In some respect presente d
some remarkable features. There was
little general legislation, although an
unusually large number of local acts
were passed. The senate and house
weree in session AZ days, which was a
week longer than usual and there was
filibuster that broke all previous
records over the prohibition bill in
the house and another on the same
measure in the senate
The general assembly passed a
compromise prohibition measure
which will hardly change existing
conditions. although a few Of the
counties may vote out the dispen-
saries. There is no doubt but that
at the next session another effort will
be made to pass the Statewide bill.
The general assembly passed Mr..
K. p. Smiths bill requiring corpora
tions to make public to the stockhold-
ers the exact financial condition. 1t
also passed Senator Mauldin's bill
forbidding any corporation from de-
claring dividends not actually earned.
It repealed the lien law after a very
hard fight in the senate.
1t killed the railroad rate law.
which would have made the legal
passenger rate in the State 1-2 cents
per mile.
1t increased considerably the ap-
propriations for the common schools
and passed some important amend
ments to the present high school law.
1t passed the Brice act, making 10
hours the legal day in textile estab-
lishments. This act does not apply in
cases Of lost time.
1t changed and enlarged Commits.
siOner Watson's department, elimi-
mating the immigration feature and
creating a department of factory in
spection with the right to appoint two
inspectors.
1t passed law making the passage
of a worthless check q misdemeanor.