The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-01-22
Compulsory Education
Coming UP Early
MILEAGE QUESTION
RECEIVES ATTENTION
Although 1t Seems as IL Everything
Is Going Along Smoothly, Probably
that the Fires are only Getting Hot
ter Underneath Ready to Burst
FuriOusly Forth.


week of the session of the General
Assembly is practically over. The
sum total Of the work the first week
is the completion Of the organization,
and that is considerable. AS a matter
of fact, more substantial progress has
been made in getting good start than
is usual and this is largely accounted
for by the custom of continuing eff
fective men in important places, such
as Speaker Smith, Clerk Hoyt and
Clerk Mann, and the various heads of
the important committees
When the House meets again on
Tuesday morning it will find that, al
though 1t marks the weekend OF the
session, there will be two third reading
bills ready for action, one Of the
two being Of the utmost Importance to
Charleston in the matter of providing
additional funds for the graded schools.
1t is very plain that there is a dis
tinct effort being made to suppress any
outbreak of feeling or partisan politics.
1t is emphatically an armed truce, be-
cause the feeling is there, at least on
opinion, however, is that, unless it be-
comes absolutely necessary to stir the
smouldering fires, the best interests of
the State will be served by tabooing
politicts and attending to the work that
is in hand. Whether this will be possi-
bic is about as uncertain as whether
it will rain on the last day of the ses-
soin, because some folks dote on eX-
element and strife, or at least think
it the finest soil in which to cultivate
votes.
Regulation of the primary, compul-
sorry education and the 2-cent milage
proposition promise to be uppermost.
Members are talking and thinking con-
siderably about these topics and some
thing is likely to be done in view O
the agitation.
AS to the Tightening Of the primary
system, something Is likely to be done,
so general is the recognition of the i'm
portance Of action. The real point to
be watched is whether or not the effort
will be to avoid real action by passing
statute that will be beautiful in Ian
guage, but meaningless in time OF
necessity. 1t Will be easy enough to
pass an Act of well sounding intention,
but publicity of the club rolls to be
used in the elections, would perhaps,
make good start without restricting
the vote. OF course, the effort will be
made to restrict the primary to the
registered voters, but it will not be
adopted. This will come in time, but
not yet.
On the matter of compulsory educa-
tion there are two propositions being
te of, the one by Senator Hall and
the other by Representative McCravy.
The Hall plan has been published and
provides for general system. Mr.. Nc
Gravy will propose compulsory sys-
tenn that will be patterned after the
dispensary local option system, leaving
it to each individual county, by vote
II 1t wants compulsory education with
in its borders and If 1t SO elects, then
to provide the machinery for Its en-
forcement.
In the matter OF the 2-cent milage
bill, strange as 1t may seem, the or
ganized fight against it will come from
the labor organizations. on the ground
that 1t is easy enough for the other
fellow to vote for cheaper passenger
rates without providing the means to
increase or hold UP their wages and to
them 1t Is simply matter of mathe-
mates. Mr.. Miller, of Richland, who
was elected distinctly as representa-
tive OF organized labor, Che Is a high
class linotype operator) Is open In his
opposition to the Scent proposition.
There will hardly be any dispensary
legislation. or course, under this head
is not included the report OF the inves-
tigating committee. 1t Is alreadwy un-
derstood that there Will be fight ov-
er this, particularly on the Senate
(Continued on Page Four)