The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-01-30
1HP SENATE FAVORS
PRIMARY REFORM
senators Sharpe and Mars Op-
posed the Bill.
AN AGREEMENT POSSIBLE.
question Referred to Special Com
mittee, Which is to Report at
Earliest Possible Moment.

Earliest Possible Moment.
Columbia, Jan. 2S.-There is an
excellent chance of the senate's
agreeing upon bill to safeguard the
primary and to pass the bill at this
session After prolonged debate
tnis morning, during which there de-
Veloped much opposition to the Mich
olson Dill but a general agreement as
to the need of legislation of some
Kind and simply and we'll defined ~
possible, Senator Crouch, of Saluda.
with Senator Nicholson consentino
moved that the whole question be re-
lerreu 10 special committee CON
slstlng of Senators Nicholson. Nc
Laurln, Sullivan, Sharpe and Clifton
10 draft substitute measure which
would include the provisions favored
Dy the senators and exclude the nre-
VISIONS 10 which there had been oh
Jectlon The Crouch motion carried
and the special committee is to re-
port PACK to the senate at the earliest
possible moment.
Senator Nicholson said that he he.
heVcd that the whole question re-
solved itself into an elimination Of
the features of his bill upon which
the senator's could not agree. This
statement was in keeping with the
previous statements of the senator TO
the effect that his only purpose was
to get bill passed that would safe
guard the primary; that he did not
intend to insist upon the passage O
his particular bill if something better
could be Eac.
AGREEMENT POSSIBLE.
Senators Clifton and Crouch sail
they thought that it was evident from
what had been said in the debate
that an agreement could be reached.
No man need fear voting for pub
llclty, honesty and leaglity in the pri-
mary" said Senator Clifton. I'VE
want preventive bill, one that will
prevent fraud. The opportunity to
commit fraud should be prevented" u"
Senator Sharpe moved to strike out
the enacting words of the Nicholson
bill, to get it, as he said suuarely be-
fore the senate. The senator from
Lexington opposed the bill on the
ground that it would deprive num-
bers OF voters of the suffrage by COM
plcating the rules of the primary.
He said that he did not think that
there had been any great amount of
fraud committed
Senator Mars opposed the bill.
SEES NO NECESSITY.
II don't see the necessity for a
bill of this kind, said the senator
from Abbeville.
He said that the bill would have
the effect of cutting out many a good
man from voting.
Senator Young replied to these
senator's by saying that the constitu-
tion of the state did not allow every
Tom. Dick and Harry to vote. re-
gardless of qualification. He said
that the constitution did not allow
every man to vote for bond issues.
Senator Young attacked the Nichol-
son bill as being too weak 1t was
his opinion that the general laws
should be made to apply to the pri-
mary, and the senator offered an
amendment TO provide for this.
I'VE are afraid to get up and state
bare-handed and exactly what we
honestly believe to be for the best
interests of the state" cried Senator
Young, "and so long as we indulge
that cowardice so long will these con-
ditions prevail in this state"
Senator Stuckey opposed the bill,
saying that he was against enacting
any change in the existing primary
rules.
Senator McLaurin opposed the bill.
He thought it dangerous ground for
the general assembly to go upon. He
thought the general assembly should
simply provide criminal penalty for
the breaking of the rules made by
the democratic party. The restric-
tions around the general election had
been placed there because of the
negro, he said, and the white vote
should not be restricted in the pri-
mary. Senator McLaurin said that
he thought the Nicholson bill was
as good as could be drawn up, but
thought the primary provisions
should be enacted by the party and
not by the general assembly.
Senator Christensen said that there
was nothing in the party rules, or in
the constitution to prevent the pad
ding of club rolls.
Senator Sullivan said he hoped the
senators would get together and pass
short bill to correct existing evils.
Senator Applet suggested getting
together during the afternoon and
drafting a substitute bill that would
correct the evils of enrolment and
representation.
Senator Strait opposed the bill.
Senator Black opposed the bill. He
favored enforcement Of existing
laws.