The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-12

ing Method of Selecting State Bank
Examiner, Whom Governor Now
Appoints
Colur ia, Feb. 6.-The House is
doing We work. Today was de-
vote ne careful study Of several
in y 1t matters, and whether the
= tiCns will finally be enacted
y law or whether they are on the
- ut lines for the future Of the State,
hey at least received the consider
alton of the members of the House.
First in Importance, and an innova-
ton both for this State and among
the States of the Union. is the passage
by the House of the Rembert bill,
which seeks to impose a franchise tax
of 20 cents for horse power on all elec-
trio water power developed from the
streams of this State. The statement
was made that such a bill would not
be constitutional, but the House today,
as on previous occasions, took the po-
SiNiOi tiIll lIIc SOuIlS wen
wrestle with the validity of the pro-
posed tax.
The bill was materially amended
before it passed the House; first that
it should only apply where the COM
pany sells it's power; that the charge
shall be uniform, whether the power
is sold inside or outside the State, and
that the matter shall be handled by
the commissioner Of commerce, for
the present at least.
1t was stated that the expected rev.
enue from this proposed tax on the
water power of the State would raise
about 100000
There was spirited fight on the bill
and at one time it looked as if it
would fail on the House side, but
when Mr.. Moore said that he would
favor the bill with certain amend
ments the, opposition largely cfDns5as =
and the bill was ordered to its third
reading by a most decisive vote
Mr.. Rembert in the course of his
discussion stated that if this bill
should pass, this would be the first
State to impose such a tax on the use
of the natural resources of tn State
Very often when a bill starts out it
is well meaning and is intended TO ac-
complish certain purposes. Such was
the intention of the bill Of Mr.. Court
ney relative to commercie! fertilizers.
Mr.. Courtney accepted an amendment
TO the bill that had been proposed by
the committee, but before the bill
passed an amendment was adopted re-
quiring the stamping or printing of the
source Of the filler used and the
source of the ammonia. The bill is
one of that sort that is understood by
the user and the mixer Of fertilizers
and hardly SO by the layman.
The House, with but little discus
sion. adopted the Stevenson bill, which
seeks to essentially change the man.
iner and changing the law as TO the
responsibility of that officer Under
the present law the bank examiner is
appointed by the Governor at the sug-
gestion Of the executive committee Of
the State Bankers Association. Under
the proposed law the examiner is to
be selected and to be responsible to a
special board to consist of three Of the
State officers of the State, one of
whom shall be the Governor, and the
| others the State Treasurer and the
Comptroller General. The purpose Of
the bill is to have the State bank ex-
aminer directly responsible to some
one.
A bill of more than general import
ance is that of Mr.. McCravey to en-
! courage the conservation Of the
forests and trees in this State. The
bill was finally passed to its third
reading, but not until there was an
amendment adopted with reference to
the giving Of notice by land owner
relative to the burning off Of his own
field.