The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-26
news FROM LEGISLATURE.
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
WORKING HARD.
The Appropriation Bill Almost Ready
TO be RepOrted-State-W Wide Pro-
hibition Bill May Become a Law.

means committee Of the house will
probably turn in the appropriation
bill by the middle Of next we+r
which will be very considerable
achievement. This committee has
been working hard and faithfully,
every legislative day from 4 to or
o'clock and the bill would be report
ed earlier but for the trip to Char
lesion. From all that can be gather
ed from the leaks that come through
the key hole Of the door, ii is learn
ed that the appropriation budget this
year will be about the same as last.
possible a little smaller. There VIII
he several matters cut off from the
bill rs passed last year, the item for
Winthrop's rev dining hall and other
improvements, but to match these
Will be appropriations for the Cita-
del, the rebuilding Of the negro col
lege, and other matters, which will
maintain the average. The State levy
will be the same, no provision being
| made to get the State on a cash basis.
In this connection it is Interesting
to note the propositions that are be-
Ing made to get taxes equalized in the
State. There is the proposition of the
comptroller general for the appoint
ment OF State commission to equal
ize the taxes, and several other bills
In the same line presented by men,
bers Of the house independently. 1t
is the very evident desire of the men,
bers of the legislature to get property
in the State equalized, the differences
In taxes are apparent to any one who
gives little study, and the greatest
difficulty that assessors meet with is
In the feeling of the taxpayer that
everybody except himself is lodging
taxes. The comptroller general will
urge the publicity feature of the as
sessments, giving a list Of the tax
payers in each community with the
property and value that they return
He urges that this will make every
| man a member Of the board of equal
ization. Something will be done along
this line If the General Assembly has
time to do it after getting rid of the
liquor question.
That brings us to another matter.
the matter Of the Statewide bill. 1t
looks very much as If that bill is 60
Ing through. A number Of represen-
tatfves and sen rs from the coun-
ties that went dry last sumner are get
ting the idea that If they do not
stand for prohibition their counties
will repudiate them in the coming
election, and there is a great deal of
the dog in the manger sentiment to
be seen, dry cou nties do not like the
looks Of the dispensary profits in wet
counties. There will be several votes
lost to the local option men by rea-
son Of the election last summer.
though it is fact that the represen-
tatives Of the newly dry counties are
penses Of their counties without levy
ing an exorbitant tax. One county
will have to increase its tax levy ten
and half mills to make up the loss
In most instances the representatives
will just not stand for the tax which
they know will bring them into bad
favor at home, but will levy a lower
| rate and let the county fight with a
deficit The prohibition situation has
caused more men to declare that
they would never again enter the
race for the house than any matter
that has ever come up before the
General Assembly, and the indica-
| tions are for the greatest confusion
in the affairs of the counties in the
State.
The Statewide men are very much
encouraged over the prospects and If
the men who oppose it want to stave
off the arbitrary action Of the Gen.
| eral Assembly they need to get very
| busy all at once
In this connection it will be Of in
terest to note that Mr.. Doar of
Georgetown has a bill which levies
| a tax on all imported liquors in the
| State, and makes the railroads and
| express company the agents Of the
| State for the collecting of that tax.
1t will be an inspection tax, which is
/ supposed to provide that the people
| of South Carolina shall not be hum
bugged with counterfeit liquor, but