The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-16
GOSSIP FROM COLUMBIA.
LAWMAKERS GETTING READY
TO ADJOURN.
Many Important Matters Will Not Be
COnsidcred-Chat About the Asv-
lum Whitewash-Bond Iss,, &C
Growing Popular.

Coi"h"id' ISp' lz'-1ne general
assembly is hurrying on to It's close
the first step in that direction wos
taken in the house Yesterday when If
was decided to cut down the speeches
to five minutes. This means that the
time for long winded arguments is
past and whoever has something to
say must say it and sit down. The
asylum matter took up more time
than any proposition before the as
sembly this session, and it was one
proposition which called for speak
ing. Not a great many members had
been able to make up their minds
what to do, certainly few except those
who could give no reason for their po-
sition except a prejudice. The argu-
ments were certainly listened to with
great deal o. interest, and many
men made up their minds in the
course of the debate
There are still a great many bills
of wide general interest on the cal
endar, the majority Of which will be
left there when the session ends, for
the majority of the house are going to
be very unwilling to stay longer than
next week, and the majority of the
senate seems to be in pretty much
the same way of thinking. The in
come tax amendment to the constitu-
ton remains to be disposed of, but
many Of the members declare that
they are not going to hold over a
single day to consider something that
their crops and business or family in
terests demand their presence at
home.
The mileage bill will probably not
take much time. What the senate
has done for that proposition will
wilt the bud in the house. For one
thing it is to be noted very strongly
that there is not the lobby in the
State House this year working to Sc
last var. In fact, there are interested
men here this year who are outspok-
en- against it. The freak that came
over to the house from the senate
that runs about over the paper and
goes back in at the same hole where
it came out, will hardly pass the
house, and Mr.. Nj. l.. Smith has not
yet shown any determination to push
the bill that he introduced.
One matter that will cause a fight
on the floor Of the house is to be
found in the proposed amendments to
the high school law. The new bill
which is sought to relieve some of
the troubles Of the old act, will be
bitterly fought by the representatives
interested in ehe towns that have
been getting aid under the bill con-
trary to its spirit and purpose, which
was the aid of the rural schools, be-
cause the State could best realize a
benefit from that sort of expenditure,
which expenditures in the towns
would not realize. The bill as intro
duced by Mr.. McColl provides that
high schools may be aided in any
towns Of the State as we'll as rural
districts where the provisions are
complied with. The committee on
education changed those provisions
materially. Last year the bill would
have been killed but for the definite
promise to restrict it to the rural dis
tricts, which purpose was defeated
horribly in the committee of free
conference, where the limit was
raised. There will be a merry fight
on it when it comes up, the towns do
not want to give up the aid they are
getting, and to defeat the bills means
that things will be left as they are.
which will give aid to many towns
that will poll large vote in the next
election, and it is the custom of yot-
ers to vote for a man who pieases
them in some particular rather than
a man who acts from a principle of
right.
The report of the inspector shows.
however, that there is a demand in
four counties for aid under the pro-
visions Of the act where it cannot be
given because the quota for the
county has been used up by the
schools In the towns, and the rural
districts must wait, or the limit must
be raised, which also, the COMMITTEES
refused to allow.
The vote on the asylum bond issue
was very much of surprise. il was
nearly three to oae, a:Q cid NJ, in
dlcate that the members Of the house
discredited the representations Of the
majority thn