Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-10-14

What's Being Done by
the Extraordinary Session

Assembly os South Carolina convened
in extraordinary session on Tuesday
at noon to formulate plans for financ-
ing the present cotton crop and to
pass laws reducing the cotton acre.
age next year, these emergency meas
ures Being thought necessary to re-
lieve the crisis brought about from
the closing of the European cottoA
markefs because of the great war
now Raging in the Old World. The
first day was taken up with listening
to the reading of the message from
Governor Blease, the document being
voipminous one, estimated at more
than 10000 words.
Thh Governor recommended the
postponement Of payment of taxes,
WAREHOUSE measure, reduction of cot
ton acreage and the reduction of the
legal rate of interest to six per cent.
The greater part of the message was
taken up with a review of politics Of
the past summer, the Walterboro
speech and the st Matthews speech
being sincorporated, as we'll as several
interviews from him. He made an
attack on Governor-nominate r. l.
Manning in the message.
ASspecial message aimed at those
members of the General Assembly
whosare also college trustees was re-
ceiyed in the Senate on Tuesday and
one Yesterday kicking on the local
morning papers headline over the ex-
purgated edition Of the message
which was read in the Senate on
Tuesday.
| Both Houses have voted to limit the
session5to the purposes for which it.
was called-the considering OF emer-
gency legislation, and to such local
mat5eIs as are uncontested. The
HouseShas adopted a resolution pro-
| viding for a special committee Of Il
| to consider the many proposals for
| relief legislation, and to consult with
| bankers, farmers and business men
appropriate bills to meet the emer-
gency.
The Stevenson measures.
providing for a warehouse system for
storing cotton, bond issue OF ST.
100000 to put the State on a cash
basis and complete the removal OF the
| q hn
Of taxes. have been introduced. A bill
seeking to reduce cotton acreage
through ali occupation license tax
was introduced in the Senate yester-
day by Senator Ackerman, of Collie.
ton, and another measure for this end
has been introduced in the House by
Representative c. C. Wyche, of Spar
tanburg.
Representative G. d. Fortner has
reintroduced his bills providing for a
fiat two-cent passenger rate on rail-
roads and to prevent whites from
teaching in negro schools and vi :e
versa. 1t is not expected that these
matters will be considered at this
special session.
Lieutenant Governor-nominate A.
J. Bethea was on the floor of the Sen
ate the opening day. Mr.. Bethea will
be the presiding officer of the new
Senate and is familiarizing himself
with the duties of that POSITION.
Governor-nominate R. l. Manning
was on the floor of the two Houses
to-day shaking hands. He was pre-
sented to the House and spent several
minutes on the floor of the Senate.
Under Protest.
The House as well as the Senate is
deeply in earnest in the desire to con-
fine the work of the extraordinary
session to emergency measures. I'm
der protest to-day consent was given
to consider local matters of special
interest where they are agreed upon
by the delegations and are of strictly
local Importance. Under the action
of both the House and Senate the ac-
tion Is binding that only emergency
legislation resulting from the cotton
situation and uncontested local mat
ters can be considered.
Tax Extension Dead.
The suggestions of postponing the
time for the payment of taxes are
dead. The stay-law idea will not get
very far. In the Senate the bill look
ing to the postponement OF taxes was
| Rillpd. and On tho Hnnnn cidn m