The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-03

to 8 the House Of Representatives to-
night passed the amended bill pro-
viding commission form of govern
ment.
At the night session the House took
up the Stevenson amendment to the
Act relative to the commission form
of government. The judiciary COM
mittee bill Was taken up and advo-
Gated by Mr.. Stevenson and Mr..
Wander Horst. Mr.. Rembert took
the opposing view and held that in
spite Of whatever action the judi
ciary committee took there was a
Constitution. He said the House had
done an unconstitutional thing in
expunging the Governors veto mes
sage. He said be loved to fight with
minorities but some day the minor
ity will be the majority.
"You eighty-six gentlemen who do
not think the Governor amounts to
pinch Of snuff" said Mr.. Rembert,
"are called upon to act upon the COM
mission form Of government mes
sage" The majority, he held, had
no right to pigeonhole the veto mes
sage and offer as a subterfuge the
proposed bill Of the judiciary COM
mittee providing for registration. II
the Governor vas wrong in his veto
say so, but do not overcome the veto
by a subterfuge, ne demanded. 1t
was, he felt, a mere scheme TO have
the newspapers come out and say
''the Governors veto again overrid-
den." All he wanted was the veto to
be considered and not pigeonholed and
not overcome by a subterfuge. He ask
ed the House to have the manhood
and act .courageously and manfrlly
and say what it ought to and not
sidestep.
Mr.. Stevenson said it was charged
that a subterfuge was being sought.
The measure was vetoed and Char
leston's representatives almost came
to blows over the matter. Then Mr..
Stevenson explained the situation and
the claims OF the people of Charles
ton and that a great many people
would be disfranchised by not being
registered The committee did not
approach the matter roughly and
the bill was framed after due con-
ference and careful thought.
The proposed bill allows three
months for registration and allows
all incumbent officers to serve their
terms. The idea was to let the pro-
posed bill and the vetoed bill go hand
in hand as companion bills. If this
measure becomes law it is we'll and
good; but If it does not the COM
mission bill can he killed. He stood
as much for the Constitution as any
one but he could not for his life see
the constitutional point raised.
Mr.. Dixon was fearful of the bill
and opposed restricted suffrage. Any
white man ought TO be allowed to
vote. He wanted no demarcation
except that Of color.
The House by an Overwhelming
vote refused TO XII the bill as pro-
posed by the judiciary committee.
The original bill provided chiefly
that both municipal and county reg
istration be provided for three months
prior TO any commission government
election. After the House refused to
kill this registration bill, Mr.. Steven
son proposed as an amendment the
entire bill providing for a commits
sion form of government. The
amendment was in toto the bill that
had been vetoed providing for COM
mission forms Of government and
incident elections. DR.. Sawyer and
Mr.. Doar wanted time in which to
consider the amendments, and the
House refusing to delay, they wanted
to adjourn. and this the House also
refused TO do by a vote Of ~ to rs.
The House then adopted the COM
mission form Of government bill anew
The vetoed bill was then enacted into
law as far as the House is concern
ed.
The bill enacted tonight applies to
cities of from 10000 to 10000 and
cities from $4,000 to 100000. The
bill as ordered TO its third reading
provides for three months registration
prior to any election. and that should
the commission form go into oper-
alton 1t must he at the expiration "l
the term of Office Of the incumbent