The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-01-21
CAPITOL CORRESPONDENCE.

COlum Dla, >. u. Jan. lOtn, iSlt.
The legislature for 1914 start
ed it's labors Tuesday at noon,
DR.. Jos. II. Burgess of Summer
ton was sworn in as the mem
ber.elect to fill the unexpired
term of Hon. Harvey W. Mitch
um who resigned, to accept the
appointment of Dispensary Aud
itor, and from which position
Mr.. Mitchum resigned on the
18th, (yesterday,) to take, as l
am told by him,a position in the
dispensary service in Charles
ton.
The first week of legislative
bodies is usually taken up with
getting matters in shape for
real work, bnt not so this time
in this State. The moment the
gavels fell in both Houses busi-
ness was taken up, and dis posed
of as rapidly as proper consid.
Grafton would permit. The elec-
ton of the Judges was accom-
plished much quicker than was
expected, and this was a COM
mendable piece of work. There
remains the election of a State
Librarian, trustees for some Of
the colleges, insurance commits
sioner and penitentiary direc-
tors, when these are out of the
way everything will be in COM
plete readiness to get down to
the consideration of laws. There
were a number of bills on the
calendar left over from last
year, an effort was made to have
them all re-committed to their
respective committees. but those
interested wonld not have it so,
instead of saving time, in my
opinion, they will waste time by
not agreeing to the reference.
Because, when a measure has
been hanging over twelve
months the members have lost
the reasons for and against 1t,
and are not prepared to act in
teHigently, therefore, if the ar
gument could be thrashed out
before the committee, it has the
effect of expediting the work.
Several Of the hold-over bills
were sent to the grave yard,
some of these may have been
saved had their authors consent
ed to a re-commital, but as
everything happens for the best,
1t may be better so. Among the
bills that received it, in the place
where the Indian maid wore the
beads, was Senator Patterson's
bill to require the teachers of
the public schools to have the
Binet- Simons method of exami-
nation; do not ask me what is
the Binet Simons method, no
one seemed to know, not even
the author who is a doctor, all
that he could make clear was the
system is in the interest of
health, and it is in use in many
of the city schools, but Senator
Doctor Patterson was unable to
convince the senate, and his bill
received the axe.
About the most important bills
acted upon this week was that
of Senator Laney's of Chester
field relating to the changing of
school books. The presert law
permits the changing of the
school books every five years,
this has beenthe cause of serious
complaint all over the State, and
a heavy drain upon taxpayers,
especially the poorer taxpayers,
but according to the Laney bill
the change in school text books
can only be made once in ten
years, and then only with the
consent of the general assembly.
If this bill becomes a law, the
changes in the books will be very
infrequent. and many a dollar
will be saved to the people.
Notwithstanding thegood pnr-
pose OF the bill, it had a hard
fight to get it to third reading.
The senators from Darlington,
Union, and Orangeburg spoke in
favoring of killing the PROPOSE
tion, but Senator Laney aided
by Senators Ackerman, and
johnson and others, came to his
aid and saved the bill. Of course
this measure must run the gaunt-
lot Of tho other hranch if II o,o<c