The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-02
LIVELY SESSION, SOME PREDICT
General Assembly COnvenes week
From Tuesday-LaWmakers
Preparing for Session.

coming in of the new year all eyes are
turned to the date when the general
assembly of South Carolina convenes
in annual session, which is one week
from Tuesday, namely, January g..
Inst one more week and the laWmak-
ers will be gathering IN Columbia
prapared to consider for 40 days the
needs and conditions Of the people of
the State and to apply remedies such
as in their judgment they deem best.
And if most of the predictions are
verified the coming session Of the
general assembly is going to be one OF
the most important and interesting
meetings of that body that has been
held in many a year.
In anticipation of the conTening OF
the lawmakers, the State officers have
been busy preparing their annual re-
ports, covering the work Of their de-
partments for the past year and con-
tanning such recommendation as they
see fit to make. Most Of the reports
have been completed and are now IN
the hands of the printers, while others
will be ready before the time for their
presentation to the legislature.
Governors Message.
Probably the most interesting one to
the general public will he the mes
sage of the governor. and this will be
one of the first the two houses will
,. slider. The fact that the message
will cover the first year of the ad-
ministration of Governor Blease will
make it of more than usual interest to
the general public.
Other State officers, especially
Comptroller General Jones, will have
recommendations of unusual interest.
Gen. Jones will ask that the income
tax laws either be repealed or that
he be given more power to enforce
them. Then the State debt is to be
refunded this year and the comptrol-
Ter generals recommendations along
this line will be valuable.
E;o],4 on WafSon'S Office?
That a fight will be waged on the
department of agriculture, commerce
and industries is the outlook now.
The recent correspondence between
the governor and Commissioner Wat
son has revived public interest to a
marked degree, and it is rumored that
some of the legislators are in favor
of the abolition of the department.
However, it has done good work in
many respects, has many strong
friends and may weather The storm,
shorn, probably, of some OF its func-
tions. The term of Commissioner Wat
son expires in March ana his success
sor will be named hy the governor,
who has as yet given no indication of
what action he Will ':lAe and has
made no statemeC+ relative to what
course he will pursue relative to Mr..
Watson, that is, as to the probability
or. not of his being reappointed.
Whether the appropriation for the
farm demonstration work will be
touched or remain as at present de-
pends on the result of the fight, which
it seems likely will rage arc" a the
department of agriculture.
Answered in Time.
What bills will the legislature pass
over the governors veto, and what
will be the outcome of the reported
Fielder statement that he will appear
before the legislature and tell of his
charges against the governor? Will
the two houses pass over the veto OF
the governor the bill providing for the
Investigation of the former dispen-
sary winding-up commission and re-
open all the old dispensary fight?
What will be the fate of the act pro-
viding for certain cities to vote on the
question as to whether Or not they
want the commission form of govern
ment, and which the governor vetoed? !?
What percentage of the vetoed meas
ures will be passed by a two-thirds
vote and thus become laws? Such
questions remain unanswered, and
can not be answered until the legis-
.lature meets and acts on them.
Much time will be consumed in the
numerous elections which will come