The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-25

COMMENTS ON BLEAsEs NOTARY
PUBLIC PROCLAMATION.
Net Result Will Be Much Confusion,
Annoyance and Expense to Busi-
ness Men-Secretary OF State VIII
Have Much Extra work--whiskey
Constsbles tn He Removed.

said ne had voided the commissions
OF every notary public In the State.
IL took only a moment to bring home
To the lawmakers the significance of
such action. A paralyzing effect on
business generally was inevitable.
There are matters OF the highest i'm
portance which absolutely require no
tarial attestation- Without the SER
Vices OF notary no bank can protest
note or check. no title decd can be
passed. Affidavits and the like may
be probated only before certain Off
GERS. n clerk OF court for instance.
qualified to administer an oath: and
these people have. usually. enough
work In connection with their po-
sitions. without being called on to do
general notarial work. There was
much relief In the General Assem-
niy when the second Biease message
came up. saying the commissions
would be voided February 10 instead
OF January 21. THIS brought the ac-
ton Of Governor Blsase into line with
that OF Governor Tillman. sho issued
his similar proclamation some time
before u was to go into effect, the
business community thus being given
an opportunity OF preparing against
the event The first paragraph of the
Biease message and proclamation Is
Identical In terms with the first para
graph OF the Tillman proclamation.
The Blease proclamation. voiding
ON February 10 all notarial commits
sions issued prior To January FL. has
created much work for the office force
OF the Secretary OF State. In regular
course about 500 commissions Of no
tary public are issued per year and,
Of course. there will be rush of ap-
piicattons for appointment when Gov.
Blease commences issuing such COM
missions again. In the IL years since
Governor Tillman's wholesale custer,
about 1000 such commissions have
been issued. Besides there are nu-
merous notaries whose commissions
antedate 1894. There Is no legal OF
business establishment OF any i'm
portance which does not frequently
require the services of notary pub
Tic. Governor Tillman also reyok-
ed the commissions OF all the COM
misscners of deeds for South Caro-
line. In other States and abroad--and
the litigation that followed is still re-
membered.
In this instance. Governor Tillman
did not allow for the time that must
elapse before notice OF the voiding of
their commissions could reach some
OF these officers. and as a result many
of,them went ahead with their trans
action OF important legal business af-
ter their power TO do so had been re-
moved. though they did not know of
the fact.
Governor Blease has not offered to
the reporters any intimation as to his
purpose q removing summarily today
the constables and detectives appoint
ed by his predecessors under the dis
pcnsary act. IL is not known whether
Governor Blease will appoint others
I'm their places or intends doing away
with the force altogether. devolving
on the ordinary officers OF the peace
the duty OF enforcing the iiluo- laws.
There In a constant streacn Oh call
crs at the executive Offices. sorne of
these being men who have no, set
soot in those precincts since the Till
man administration. The governors
secretary. Mr.. Alexander Rowland.
and his stenographer. Miss Newman,
are kept busy all the day through
ind there Is usually a group OF visi-
tors waiting To see the governor him
self
IL is not known here as yet whether
the Introduction OF bills to alter and
consolidate the charters OF the several
corporations chartered from time to
time TO build an electric railway be-
tween Columbia and Augusta means
that serious effort Is to be made
soon To construct this road. or wheth-
er the parties seeking such legislation
propose merely to dispose or their
rights to possible builders from
the North. The measures have been
handled In the Senate by Senator
crosson. In the house by Represent
ative Wingard. both of Lexington. Mr.
Wingard put I'm Friday afternoon a
bill to amend the charter of the Au-
gusta and Columbia Railway com.
pany. so as To confirm its rorporate