Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-25
WHEN WILL THE SESSION END2
Senatorial Courtesy" Blocking Lesis
lation.
WIS and Courier, Monday:

News and Courier, Monday:
Columbia, February 23.-The long
drawn out filibuster in the senate
which has so far successfully prevent
ed the local option compulsory educa-
ton bill from coming to vote, knock
ed up the plans Of the house of repre-
sentatives for sine die adjournment
last week and made 1t necessary for
both branches to come back this week
to finish up the work Of legislation.
The house is marking time, waiting on
the senate and waiting for its action in
final adjournment.
The filibuster in the senate has held
up everything and five days have been
spent in fruit!ess discussion Of the COM
pulsory education bill. Senator Black
children" for many OF the upper branch
want to get through and go home.
1t all comes about through senatorial
courtesy, which guarantees a senator
talking as long and as often as he
wishes on any subject. Senatorial
courtesy enables one or two senator's to
block legislation indefinitely, II they
don't want ii, and by the amount of
talking which is being INDUCED in. 1t
doesn't seem as II some want the COM
pulsory education bill. They are as
sured of an endless opportunity to talk,
just simply talk. It's the open season
for talk, and one senator himself the
other day said he had never heard as
much "hot air" and gas" in his expe-
rience as had been turned loose on the
senate floor last week. Probably Tues
day night the senators may agree to
end the talkfest season, but there is no
telling. The much speaking" seems to
hn OF IN m
drawn out debate" on the compulsory
education bill.
The situation Is just this: The house
finished the appropriation bill last week
and sent 1t to the senate. The finance
committee has been at work on the bill
and will probably report 1t Tuesday
night. Until 1t Is finished by the SEN
ate, then passed on by the committee
Of free conference, and is then sent
down to Governor Blease and returned
with his approval or disapproval, there
will be no adjournment. AS stated, II
the ta!kfest Is ended, the senate may
get to work on the appropriation bill
and get through, but there Is no guar
antee that the open season for talking
will be closed this week in time to act
on the appropriation bill.
The Rittenberg bill to permit Charles
ton to regulate the sale Of whisky In
original packages is third reading bill
in the senate, and Senator Sinkler
wants to dispose Of 1t. There are sew
eral amendments pending to the bill
which, If adopted, are certain to be
fought by the house delegation, or part
Of it, and If not adopted will probably
cause the bill to be continued until
next session. A big fight will be made
by some to kill the bill anyway. Then
~ l. zh1 ;,I a
for a fiat 2-cent rate on railroads, the
magistrates bill, the bill relating to
county officers, containing the county
budgets, all are hung up waiting for
the compulsory education bill to get
out of the way.
The senate Is holding an open ses-
sion on talking, while the house Is hung
up waiting for them to finish with the
bill. If the compulsory
bill could be gotten to vote
it would quickly be disposed of, but
senatorial courtesy will enable its OPP
ponents to talk on indefinitely, and
the sine die adjournment can be delay
ed indefinitely.
More Talk or Work?
1t all depends on whether the sena-
tors will come back Tuesday night pre-
pared to do more talking, or whether
they will get down to work and finish
up the several matters before them On
that it all depends.
The net results Of the session on the
senate side, so far, Is much talk. AS
the session has heightened the talking
has increased. Practically no measures
Of statewide Importance have been
passed, but there has been no lack Of
talking. Talking is the distinct feature
Of the session Of the senate side, and
records for long continued talking have
been broken by the talkfest on the COM
pulsory education bill.
The usual forty days have expired |
and there will be no more pay for the |
members. The balance of their time |
this session they will have to give free |
TO the state. Fina! adjournment may |
be reached If the talkfest Is ended by |
The end of the week, but there is no
:elling.