The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-05-21
Frona The Union Times. March 13. 1910.

The writer had the pleasure some
time ago of visiting the farm of Hon
Lowndes Browning in Cross Keys
township. !
Years ago, Mr. Browning realized
that the one crop, all cotton, theory
of farming was delusion and a
snare, and he began raising his own
meat and corn. 1t has been "a years
since he has had to use any cotton
money to buy meatfor his plantation:
Not that he has not bought bacon all
these years, but each year ne has
sold more than enough hogs, hams
and lard to buy all the meat needed
on his place. He has very nice
bunch of short horn cattle and a
fine flock of Rambaulliet sheep. In
fact, lie lives at home.
He is president of the County
Farmers Union, and during his ad-
ministration this organization has
put Oh new life and is proving quite
beneficial to its members in the pur-
chase of fertilizers and other farm
supplies.
Mr. Browning is very much inter-
ested in the education of the rising
generation, and he takes great pride
in the consolidated school that has
been established at Sedalia, largely
through his efforts. AS an incen-
tive to agricultural development he
has given the use of several acres OF
land adjoining the school lot, on
which the school board will have an
experimental farm for three years,
profits to be used for the school.
He has served several terms in
the House of Representatives, during
the session of 1911-12 being chair
man of the Ways and Means COM
mittee, and the two appropriation
bills introduced by that committee
were only amended by the House to
the amount of $S3.75. This is a
record that has never been equaled
by ihe Ways and Means committee
of any other term. The Senate
mads few changes, and the vetoes
of thsGovernor were always oppos-
ed by a majority of the House, In
most instances, by the necessary
two-thirds majority.
Mr. Browning was the author OF
the refund,ng bill of 1912, 2,and while
this bill involved about So, ,OOO,O ,OOO.-
OO,one of the largest financial meas
ures ever handled by the State, the
House of Representatives passed 1t
without a dissenting voice, even
without an aye and nay vote. When
vetoed by the Governor, it was
passed over his veto in the House by
a vote of 70 to 10, and an equally
large majority in the Senate. This
act, if placed in operation, should
save the taxpayers of the State
around 100000 per year for
twenty years.
He was also the author of the
asylum bond issue joint resolution,
submitted to the people at the last
election. While this resolution re-
ceived majority OF the votes,it did
not receive the two-thirds vote which
the resolution called for, therefore,
did not become law. Had this been
enacted into law, it would have
proved solution of this very diff
cult problem, which is still unset
tied.
He was the author of the bill
which placed the selection OF the
Commissioner of Agriculture in the
hands of the people, thus putting
this important department OF the
Government on parity with the
other departments of the State Gov
wnment.
He was the author of a number
of other bills of benefit to the State,
but too tedious to mention here.
Mr. Browning will be in the cam
paign this summer as a candidate
for Governor, and of the numerous
candidates for this position already
announced, he is the only one who,
so far, has dared to outline a plat
form of constructive legislation for
the future. He has done this be-
cause he is very anxious for the peo-
ple to have ample time to study and
digest the changes he proposes. In
other words, he does not want this
high position because he is good
fellow" or a congenial companion,