The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-02-28
CAPITOL CORRESPONDENCE.
Columbia, S. c., FEB. 26tb, 10.

The legislature Of 1912 is prac-
tically at an end and / am glad
of it. This has been a record
breaking and political capital
making Legislature, and although
l am usually quick to catch the
meaning Of things, this IS one
time I am at loss 10 understand
the full meaning CT tbe maneuv-
ers. It is the first time II my
recollection the general assem-
blv has permitted Itself to be
converted into i partisan pol'ti
cal machine. There was no
sense or reason for continued
session. bnt there was every
reason to have u short session.:
the work started of splendldly,
night SESSIONS began earlier and
continued throughout the time,
at the end of thirty five days tie
appropriation and supply bills
could have been ready for rati-
ication, but the leaders Of the
majority, would not have it so,
and of course the minority had to
submit. The people will take a
deeper interest in our politics
this year than they have been
taking in many years, and,
they are going to scan the rec
ords Of their representatives
closely; they Will know whether
or not the men Of their choosing,
acted between the interests OF
the masses, and the interests Of
aspirants for political prefer
ment, and then, when they go 10
the polls in August, if they ap-
prove of the course Of their rep
resentatlves they will vote for
them, if not, they will give their
support to some one else. / had
occasion to go over to the House
on last Saturday night, and was
amused to see so large body Of
men under the complete DONNA.
tion of one man. and he q man
who has pulled thousands Of dol
lars into his own pocket as the
result of legislation. | refer to
Mr.. w. F. Stevenson, one Of the
lawyers associated with the at
torney genera; to handle the
LIQUOR cases, and now he
secured legislation s. as 70 come
in for a share in several thousand
dollars which has been provided
for the defence of the former dis
pensary widing up commission IN
the United States courts. It looks
to me as if this Mr. Stevenson
takes advantage Of every situa-
ton to feather his own nest.
When the racing proposition was
pending that gentleman had a
resolution authorizing the attor-
ney general to Investigate the
conditions in Charleston, and to
use any unexpended balance
of funds which is about ST, 200
in his hands to employ addi.
tional counsel: this simply meant
authority to give Mr.. Steven,
son another chance at the States
money wad. Usually when q man
is found to be working for selfish
ends it has the effect Of destroy
ing his influence for leadership,
but in this case, the majority
seems to have acknowledged
their complete incapacity, and
agreed to follow Stevenson re-
gardless CT where he may take
them. I have never seen just
such condition, there have been
occasions where a leader Of a
caucus has been charged with
the carrying out of certain poll
cies, and his confrees having a
previous knowledge Of what was
to be done, followed that leader
ship, but never before have ever
witnessed the spectacle where
men ofequal standing in legisla-
tive body yielded up their indlvld-
uality to one man whose sole pur-
pose is for partisan advantage to
be used in a coming primary
election. Nh. Stevenson, the
engineer of the anti-Blease steam
roller, only has to give the word
on any question right or wrong
and his word is the law: such ser
vile subserviency is disgusting
as well as unfortunate.
The appropriation bill: the
most important measure IN any
legislative body, was returned by
the Governor with a good many
vetoes, only three Of these
vetoed items were sustained,
some twenty ODD were passed
over his disapproval. | voted to
pass several items over his veto
because L uio AiOL dSIee Will Tue
conclusions he reached TO recon-
mend the cutting out Of these
items. | stood by him in num-,
Der, for the reason that | did
agree with his conclusions, for
instance, an item which provided
for a deficit in the public printing
of some six or seven thousand
dollars, the governor called at
tention to the fact that this work
is being done under 4 specific
contract for specific amount.
and that the appropriation Act
contains a section which prohi-
bits the exceeding Of an appro
priation, the governor vetoed
this item because the deficit was