Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-17
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
House and Senate Are in Annual Ses-
sion.


The general assembly convened
last Tuesday at noon, the time fixed
by the constitution, and proceeded
to organize according to the usual
routine without undue friction. The
first business presented after the
organization was the consideration Of
the governors annual message, which
Is published in full in today's issue
Of The Enquirer.
Tho House.
Mendel Smith, of Camden, was
elected without opposition to his
fourth term as speaker Of the house.
James A. Hoyt, Of Columbia, defeat
ed ]. Wilson Gibbes, Of Columbia, for
clerk Of the house by a vote Of 106
to II. S. MCGOWAN Simkins, Of Edge
field, was reelected reading clerk Of
the house without opposition. The
Rev. ]. P. Knox, pastor Of the As
sociate Reformed Presbyterian church
Of Columbia, was elected chaplain. ].
s. Wilson, of Lancaster, defeated I.
M. Hood, Of Chester, for sergeant-at-
arms by a vote Of 112 to Z. r. s.
Whaley, Of Charleston, was named
temporary chairman by the house.
The Senate.
Organization Of the senate was eff
fected quickly by the nominations of
Wednesday nights caucus being
agreed upon unanimously. Senator
Hardin was chosen speaker pro tenn
and Clerk Mann, Reading Clerk Stokes
and Sergeant-at-Arms Schumper were
reelected. On the office of chap
lain there were two nominations, the
Rev. c. A. Freed and the Rev. e. w.
Keller, the former being successful,
26 to IA. B. Beverly Sloan Was ap-
pointed assistant clerk, and the fol-
lowing appointments were announced
by the president: Secretary to tie
president Leon M. Green; journal
clerk, G. E. Moore; bill clerk, E. A.
Perry; doorkeepers, G.. T. Hyatt, J. C.
Johnson, T. A. Scott; keeper Of the
presidents room, John Bruson; pages
Jack Mullikin, Andrew Graham;
laborers, Calhoun Butler, Albert
Nance, Ernest Hargrove.
Wednesday.
There was very little done in the
house on Wednesday, the most import
ant developments Of the day being the
reception Of two messages from the
governor, one on the subject of the
Augusta proceedings Of the dispensary
investigating committee and the other
relating to the publication Of the gov
ernor's Richmond speeches in the rec
ord. A bill was introduced by ]. P.
DeLaughter to regulate the admission
of foreign life insurance companies
into South Carolina. Mr.. Irby intro
duced bill to create a state life fund
for the granting Of life insurance and
paying annuities, and to provide for
the administration of the same, and
Mr.. Mitchem introduced a bill to pro-
vide an industrial home for destitute
children, and to provide for its main
tenance by the government. Mr.. R.
s. Whaley was nominated for the new
position Of speaker pro tenn by Joshua
w. Ashley, and was elected without
opposition.
Several new bills were introduced in
the senate; one by Senator McLaurin
to reduce the interest rate to per
cent, and one by Senator Carlisle to
allow foremen and acting foremen Of
grand juries to swear witnesses. Mr..
Nicholson introduced a bill with ref
erence to the licensing of insurance
companies.
Thursday.
On Thursday Governor Blease sent
to the house and senate his special
message in support of his recommen-
dation Of legislation to restrain the
press, etc., and erviewing incidents Of
last summers campaign, especially in
connection with Tillman's famous anti
Blease letter. This message Is pub
lished in full in today's paper, begin
ming on the first page. The house re-
ferred the message, along with the bill
which 1t accompanied to the judiciary
committee, and in the senate, Senator
Nicholson, Of Edgefield, gave notice
that he would ask for the publication
in the Journal Of statement in reply
to the governors attack.