The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-11

y.
All has been peaceful and content
ment There have been no ugly con-
tests. no bitter feeling. no unnecessary
lighting. but on the contrary all has
gone along like a May morn.
The most interesting measure that
will find Its way on the statute books
as n result of the weeks work will be
the marriage license statute. Under
the terms of the Act all parties wish
Ing TO marry after July 1 must secure
marriage license. At the outset the
penalty Is To be imposed on the
preacher or magistrate who performs
the ceremony without the license hav-
ing first been obtained.
After awhile. and when the law has
been working for a while. the penalty
may be att he'd to the husband who
neglects toss scure the license. but it
was though oest to make start.
Strange az Il may seem there has not
been sugges,sd during the present ses-
sion, bill looking towards compui-
sorry education. nor one looking to
Statewide prohibition. or In fact any
mater J change In the liquor question.
Both OF these issues. that in previous
years have been the topic for long
and spirited discussions, have been
entirely and absolutely overlooked and
no single proposition looking to a
material change has been proposed.
unless IL be the Foltz measure on the
LIQUOR question. which does not pro-
pose direct legislation. but rather a
referendum.
The fact OF the matter Is that the
dispensary has not been mentioned ex-
cept In the Stevenson bill. which seeks
TO provide plan for the distribution
OF the salvage from the old dispensary
system and the general desire is to
have the fund expended and to be
sure that there Is not another years
delay In getting the money distribut-
ed.
There does not appear to be any
disposition TO seriously undertake a
revision Of the tax system Of the
State. All apparently admit that the
appraisements are out OF whack. but
there Is evidently no mature effort to
remedy what is recognized as a seri-
Gus evil. On the senate side there is
a bill TO provide tax commission that
Will not pass. On the house side
there Is no general proposition.
Gen. James has a bill pending which
seeks to place the bank assessme ents
under the charge OF the State board
of equalization and take these matters
out OF the hands OF the county boards.
asts the present law. There Is anoth-
er more extreme bill. which seeks to
have the Attorney General attack the
charters Of banks that are supposed
10 have been underassessed.
The house has passed the Rembert
Inheritance tax bill and sent II to the
senate, and there II will slumber for
the remainder OF this session, and
probably continue with the same fate
during the next session. 1t is some
what remarkable how members took
this all important and extreme mea-
sure on faith. and many who voted
for IL hardly had the opportunity of
reading and digesting the measure In
Its entirely. The senate. however, will
not try to act on the bill this Year.
The indications a week ago were
that the educational bill. proposed by
the special commission. would be en-
acted. The outlook now is that II Is
being chloroformed. In legislation
there are many ways OF killing a
measure without having a knockdown
and drag out fight. and the outlook Is
that the commission bill Is going 10
rest quietly on the calendar of both
the house and senate without any for
NAL action one way or another.
The house has made a record on
the general appropriation bill. This
all important measure Is now in the
hands Of the senate. having received
It's flnal house reading yesterday, ten
days prior TO the date generally agreed
upon for final adjournment. The bill
went over To- the senate without a
change or modification from the floor
OF the house. Each and every item
as agreed upon by the ways and
means committee was adopted. and
curious To say. the hardest fight was
over the water item. as affecting the
City OF Columbia.
One OF the reasons that the bill had
such a successful and easy passage