Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-26
COTTON SEED WEIGHERs.
House Passed Bill Last Tuesday With
Half of the Counties Exempted.

Hair or the Counties exempted.
Among the many bills which passed
the house last Tuesday, according to
the Columbia correspondent of the
News and Courier, was Mr.. McKeown's
bill to provide for the Weighing of
cotton seed. AS passed the bill reads:
Be 1t enacted by the general assem-
bly, of the state Of South Carolina:
Section l. That upon the petition of
at least twenty-five persons, sellers of
cotton seed on any market in this
state to the county board Of commits
sioners Of any county, for the appoint
ment Of public weighers, the said
board shall appoint for said market
la sufficient number Of persons public
weighers, as can expeditiously weigh
the cotton seed sold and delivered on
or at such market.
Section 2. A public weigher before
entering upon his duties shall give to
the county supervisor a bond in the
sum Of five hundred dollars condi-
toned for the faithful performance of
his duties as such weigher for the pro-
lection of any who may suffer from
his wrongful act, and shall subscribe
to an oath that he will truly and fair
ly weigh. and true accounts make of
such weights to any person interested
therein on demand, which bond and
oath shall be filed in the office Of the
clerk of court of the county.
Section 8. 1t shall be unlawful for
any person to buy. sell, deliver, or re-
ceive after sale, any load, lot or
amount Of cotton seed on any such
market without having the same
weighed by one Of such public weigh
ers, and producing a certificate sign
ed by such weigher as to correctness
Of the weight thereof, including the
weight Of the cart, wagon or other We
hicle containing the same, and before
the seller shall receive or collect pay
for any such seed he shall furnish to
the buyer a certificate of the correct
weight Of the cart, wagon or other
vehicle which contained such seed to
be deducted therefrom: Provided, this
section shall not apply to cotton seed
shipped from another market within
or without this state, when the same
has been previously weighed by pub
lie weigher
Section 4. Each public weigher Is
entitled to collect from the seller
cents, cents to be paid by the seller
and 3 cents to be paid by the buyer,
for each draught weighed by him.
Section 5. Any person convicted of
violating the provisions Of this shall
pay a fine of not exceeding 500 or
be imprisoned not exceeding thirty
days.
This act shall not apply to the
counties Of Fairfield, Richland, New
berry. Anderson, Cherokee, Marion,
Clarendon, Georgetown, Marlboro,
Greenwood, Berkeley, Abbeville, Will
liamsburg. York, Spartanburg, Sum-
ter, Bamberg, Saluda, Laurens, Oconee,
Union, Chesterfield. Charleston, Pick
ems, Aiken, Florence.
After the bill had been passed Mr..
Harrison suggested that as there were
so many counties exempted that the
bill had better be killed.
Mr.. McKeown explained the neces-
sity of the bill and urged that 1t was
necessary to pass such bill to prevent
fraud in the crediting of seed. Under
the present system there Is no redress.
He cited instances where farmers had
not been paid for their seed. The
Farmers Union asked for the bill, and
he explained that no county need have
the weighing done If not desired.
Mr.. Bowers said the farmers had
better leave things alone, as they were
now getting pretty fair dealing on
their seed, and they were often given
more seed than they were strictly en-
titled to.
Mr.. Jones Of Lancaster, insisted that
there was now cheating by weight. The
bill was fair, and there should be no
objection to the weighing Of cotton
seed by public weigher.
Mr.. Brice Of Chester, urged that the
bill was all right, and met the objec-
tions offered.
Mr.. Courtenay wanted to know
what about Weighing carload lots
Mr.. Jackson and Mr.. Ashley differed
jackson said he was not distrustful of
his people and never heard any COM
plant from his people. Mr.. Ashley
saw no objection to a disinterested
weigher, and insisted that the bill
should pass, that he heard complaint,
and wanted the weigher. Mr.. Watson.
Mr.. Jackson and Mr.. K. P. Smith
wanted Anderson exempted from the
bill, and Mr.. Ashley and Mr.. Scott
wanted the seed weigher for Anderson
county. Mr. Scott thought the provi-
sion for the weigher would be a good
preventive.
The amendment as to Anderson was
finally withdrawn on account OF the
division in the Anderson delegation.
It was introduced by Mr.. Jackson as
his amendment. Mr.. Ashley opposed
the amendment
The Anderson county amendment
occasioned much discussion. Messrs.
Smith, Jackson and Watson did not
want the weighers for Anderson, and
finally won.
With half the counties exempted
from the bill 1t was finally passed.