The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-01-17
GENERALlASSEMDLY MEETS.
DIR. &. II. WYCHE OF NEWBE5RY
COUNTY ELECTED SPEAKER
PRO TEN.
Little Work Done on Opening Day of
SessiOn-Next Thursday Fixed as
Time to- Begin Numerous Elections
Senate Unchanged During Hcar-
Eight New Members of House.

Sembly OF South Carolina met touay al
high noon. 1t is the second session
OF the assembly, and of course, the
preliminary organization was disposed
of last year. Because o: the election
of Mr.. Richard ). Whaley to congress
it became necessary TO select another
member as Speaker Pro Tenn, and this
honor was conferred on DR.. c. I.
Wvche a longtime and sensible leg
islator from Newberry county
In the opening days Of the session
very little is to be accomplished as the
members are anxious to 'size up the
situation" and get the LAY of the
land" the session today on that ac-
count in both branches was very
brief. An effort was made TO place
the all important measure with ref
erence to a permanent policy as 10
the state Hospital for the Insane on
the Calendar as a special order The
house, however, insisted that they
wished TO think over the matter be-
fore seriously taking it up. This is
a symptom OF the general condition
The house today passed concur
rent resolution fixing Thursday of this
week as the day on which to begin the
numerous elections that are timed Tor
the present session. This resolution,
when il went TO the senate, was re-
ferred to the judiciary committee with
2 view Of ascertaining whether all of
the positions that were TO be filled at
this session were included in the reso-
luton. The general idea is 10 dispose
of the elections just as soon as possible
and this attitude seems 70 have been
recognized on the outside as there was
considerable volunteer delegation
here today from among the friends oil
Judge George w. Gage urging his cleo
ton TO the position made vacant on
the Supreme Court bench by Judge
Woods. The delegation claims that
they have sufficient pledges to secure
the election Of their tOwnsman.
On the senate side there is no
change in the personnel OF the body
because Of designations, deaths or
change of position. Mention was made
of the serious illness of Mr.. Henry
Mullins. the senator from Marion
and earnest prayer was offered that he
be restored to good health and soon
be privileged TO return TO Columbia.
on the. house side there are eight
changes and these new faces were on
the floor: Messrs. j. II. Burgess, OF
Clarendon: Moultrie ]. Clement and
A. w. Todd, of Charleston; ]. L. Bolt
of Pickens; w. c. Summers, Jr., OF
Anderson; J. F. Pate, OF Darlington
and NJ. C. Harrelson, of Marion. Many
OF the old familiar faces were to be
seen and particularly vigorous ana
aggressive looking was Citizen JOSH
ua w. Ashley, Of Anderson. The
reports at one time indicated that he
was seriously i'll, but if anything his !
illness seems to have cleared things
up because he is in the best Of trim
at this time.
Mr.. w. A. James, of BishOpville, is !
not satisfied with the heating system
and had resolution adopted provid-
ing for a committee TO look into the
heating system and do whatever is I
necessary on this line. In other |
words. he does not want the members !
to get sick on account of the heating !
system, and improper ventilation.
The first and only matter that went |
through both branches OF the general
assembly at this early moment was a !
concurrent resolution authorizing the
introduction OF bill 10 amend the
charter Of the Magnolia Cemetery |
Company of Charleston.
There was a bill introduced by Mr..
r. III. Welch Of Columbia. The pur-
pose Of this is to get II Of the hands
of the general assembly the election
OF state librarian and place il IN the
hands of committee consisting Oi
the governor. the secretary Of STAGE
and the superintendent Of education.
the idea being first to relieve the gem
eral assembly Of the opportunities Of
so many good women as wish the
place and then to leave TO com
mission the selection with the view oi
actually getting u trained or compe-
tent Librarian regardless Of personal IN
1uence or favor. There is now a
board of trustees for the state lib
rary. but the election has heretofore
been in the hands of the general as
sembly and as this has been desir-
able plum the statisticans heuf" that
there are twenty-six candidates for the
place. that this is altogether wrors