Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-27
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Will Probably Remain In Session All
This Week.

MS week.
That the action Of Governor Blease
In declining to sign a large majority
Of the acts Of the general assembly,
and yet not returning them as ''ve-
toed" acts, has necessitated another
week of the legislative session Of 1912,
which should have closed on Satur-
day, February 18th, is the opinion ex-
pressed yesterday by visitor in
Greenville from the capital city who
Is in touch with the legislative, sit
uation at Columbia.
The governor has turned over to
the secretary Of state, without his
signature, large number Of the acts
Of the general assembly completed
during the past few days. He has
not returned these as vetoed acts, to
the general assembly, but will simply
allow them to become laws through
his failure to return them to the gen.
eral assembly as vetoed" The con-
|stitution provides, however, that acts
not signed by the governor, cannot
become laws until three days after
they have been transmitted to the
governor after ratification. II the
general assembly adjourns before this
three day period Is up, the constitu-
ton does not allow them to become
laws until the second day of the next
succeeding session.
That the general assembly Of the
state of South Carolina does not yet
know when 1t will adjourn 'sine die"
is the information given out in Green
Vile yesterday by visitors from the
lature did adopt the customary con-
current resolution Saturday night
calling for final adjournment on Feb
ruary 20, but after midnight, this ac-
tion was reconsidered by the house,
and so far there has been set no date
for the final adjournment Of the ses-
sion Of 1912.
The customary period of forty days
for the legislative session came to an
end week ago, but the members of
the assembly are still at work, paying
their own expenses, now for the stat
utes allow them only q fixed amount
I-$200-for the entire session. The
prolonging Of the session beyond the
customary period has been necessi>-
tated by various facts and circum--
stances which have made the session
Of 1912 one Of the most unusual In
the history Of the South Carolina leg
islature.
Late Saturday night, in the two
houses Of the general assembly, an
unexpected Interpretation Of the con-
stitution in regard to the validity Of
acts Of the assembly, was the cause OF
the adoption Of the concurrent resolu-
ton to adjourn sine die on next
Thursday.
It appears that Governor Blease
has signed only few Of the two hun
dred or more acts which have been
sent to him from the legislature re-
Gently, after ratification. The COVER
nor has vetoed only one or two of
these acts, but the large majority
have been turned over to the secre-
tary Of state without his signature,
and would become laws in due course
of time by this means. The consti-
tuition provides, however, that II the
governor does not approve an act, 1t
will become law, II not returned to
the general assembly within three
days from the time 1t Is handed to-
the chief executive. A number Of
acts were sent the governor Saturday
afternoon, and he had stated that he
would not sign q number Of these, but
would allow them to become laws
without returning them with the veto. |
An Interpretation of the constitu- |
ton, however, brought forcibly home |
the fact that should the general as
sembly adjourn before the three days
had expired, these acts. although not
vetoed, could not become laws until
the second day Of the next session. In
order to have these acts, which the |
governor would not sign, made por- |
ton Of the statutes, 1t was necessary |
to continue the legislative organiza-
tion for three days after they had
been sent to the governor. and for
this reason, the adjournment was
fixed at Thursday, it being understood |
that there would be no business of
consequence transacted during the
coming week
The withdrawal of the concurrent
resolution fixing the day Of adjourn |
the situation still "up In the air." and |
there is much speculation as to
whether or not some Of the members
may have something "up their
sleeves" 1t Is rumored in capital
corridors that the idea Of legislative |
recess until sometime next month, |
may be revived Or 1t is possible that
the general assembly merely does not
desire to tie its hands with an ad-
journment resolution so long ahead,
fearing that some unexpected situa-
ton may develop which may need
careful consideration for several days
however. that the general assembly
will wind up its 1912 session during
the latter part Of the week.
At any rate the session this week
will give the house the opportunity
to catch any vetoes which the gover-
nor may have made on acts passed at
this session. Among the bills sent
down to him Saturday, is one provid-
ing for the winding up Of the affairs
Of the old state dispensary, and for
the abolishment of the present board
nf m
governor last year held up number
Of acts during the entire session, by
vetoing them after the general assem-
bly, closed its session, and no chance
Of action on these vetoes could be
taken until the beginning of the pres
ent session.
The act provides for the abolish
ment of the dispensary commissioners
appointed by the governor during the
early part of last year. to replace the
so-called Murray board. This Blease
Messrs. w. F. Stackhouse, j. V. Wal
lace, E. M. Thomson, Thos. F. Brant-
ley and Fred H. Dominick, and 1t has
been the expectation that the COVER
nor would veto this act. Had the
assembly adjourned Saturday
night, veto on this measure would
have made 1t ineffective until next
session.
II he vetoes 1t now, however. he
must return 1t to the general assem-
bly, by Wednesday night and with |
the houses in session until that time,
will be given to pass the
act over the veto, and bring the old
tlispensary "winding-up" to an end.
There are some other important
acts which were sent to the governor
On Saturday. which necessitate the
holding Of the session for three days