Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-02-09
wA1HAILA, CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY O. 1910
MATTERs IN STATE SENATE.
Mr.. Earle Discusses the Tillman Case
at Lengtll--His Views.


Columbia, s. c., Feb. Special:
Both branches Of the General Assem-
bly, adjourned over for salesday, and
met to-day at IL m, as has been the
custom for many years.
1t is probable that the session will
end ON February 18th If the supply
bills can be put through. The Ways
and Means Committee OF the House
has Just reported these bills, and
they will have to be thrashed over
in both Houses, which will take con-
siderable time. The total appropria-
tions amount to over $1,900,O0O.
Whether or not it will get through
with this amount is not yet certain.
The making up Of the appropriation
bill requires the hearing from every
department of the government, and
Of the colleges and other Institutions
In this estimate they only put in $2O,-
600 for common schools. There will
be strenuous effort made to lower
many of the appropriations and
raise that for common schools and
pensions.
The bill to give all Confederate SOL
diers pension was defeated by a
very close vote. The supporters of
this idea are increasing, and will
probably be in the majority by the
next session. 1t would not require
much to pay them, and 1t would be
some evidence Of appreciation.
The compulsory education bill was
defeated in the House by very much
larger majority than ever before.
When legislators consider the facts
and conditions as they exist, they see
that compulsory law could not pos
sibly help matters.
A matter that has attracted con-
siderable attention in the newspapers
Is the controversy that Is now in the
hands OF the Supreme Court between
Senator Tillman and his daughter-in-
law over the two children of hers and
her husband. Ben Tillman, Jr. In
response to clamor from the rela-
tives and friends Of the mother and
the enemies Of Senator Tillman a bill
was introduced to change statute
which allows the father to commit
the custody Of his children to another
by deed or will. This statute has
dred years in this State, and was the
common law before the statute in
every civilized country, and means
simply that the father has the first
right to the custody Of the children.
If the father be dead the mother then
succeeds to this right. But for the
prominence of the parties to this
controversy there would have been no
effort at shifting the head of the fam
lily, and all OF us would have Dlodded
along as has been the custom since
the mind OF man runneth to the con-
trary. II the Supreme Court sticks
TO It's former doctrine in constituting
TINS statute there Is no need of any
change, since 1t has been uniformly
held that while the father has the
1rst right OF possession Of the chill
dren, he may forfeit that right, and
the courts will award the children to
those naturally best situated and to
the best interests Of the children,
The Judgment Of the court is depend
ent upon the facts and must be es-
tablished by the testimony in each
case. The vibrations OF the symba-
thetic chords in every human breast
are too liable to warp the better
Judgment. There must have been a
strong public sentiment for such a
law or 1t would never have been en-
acted, and, too, it must have served
good purpose, or a popular clamor
would have long since wiped 1t away.
BUT the inwardness of this is shifting
the head OF the family from the man
to the woman, which is contrary to
nature and the law since the organi-
zation or society. TO give the woman
me veto power over the man is SIM
ply to make her supreme. If he can
not DO a thing without her consent
II Is paramount to making her the
mead OF the family. Hardships will
arise In some cases, no matter what
the law Is. and for that reason the
courts invariably look to the inter-
est of the children and decree ac-
cordfngly. There IS no woman that
makes her home happy one but
whom is supreme in it. The preva-
lence Of suffragettes, and many other
'ettes and esses are the potent fac
tors In most Of our social troubles
and discontent
The railroad mileage bill has so
far weathered the storm, but has not
been strong enough to get through
the Senate. We will probably vote
on 1t to-day, but its fate Is very
doubtful
My oil bill was ignominiously kill
cd in the House by the adoption of
an unfaVorable report without even
an opportunity Of melancholy wall.
But by some very energetic work I
succeeded In resurrecting It's body
before 1T had lain in the rubbish
fourteen days and placed 1t on the
doubtful road of the living.
we nope to get our game season
shortened In our county, but we are
mixed up again with these Audubon