The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-10-02
EMERGENCY BILLS
FOR LEGISLATURE
Copies of Measures Drawn by
Stevenson and McLaurin.
ACREAGE REDUCTION BILL
And Measure to Provide Bond
Issue to- Place State on
Cash BaSiS


Columbia Special to Charleston
News and Courier. Sept. 29.-As
told exclusively in this correspond
ence this morning, four emergency
measures to relieve and tide over
the threatening conditions now fac
ing South Carolina and the South
through the closing of the European
markets have been prepared by
Senator John l.. McLaurin and
Representative w f. Stevenson,
and will be introduced i'm both bran
ches of the General Assembly when
that body gathers In eXtraordinary
session on next Tuesday n noon. Mr..
Stevenson stopped over in Colum-
bia today en- route to Texas, ana
gave copies of the four emergency
bills to the press.
The four measures provide for an
emergency cotton warehouse system
and State valuation of cotton ware
house receipts. reduction of cotton
acreage next year by limiting num-
bers of acres planted to each
head OF stock worked to eight acres,
the submitting to the people pro-
posed bond issue Of S1,50O,OO
TO the place State on cash basis and
complete State Asylum. and to fin
ance State during period of post
ponement OF taxes.
PAYMENT OF TAXES.
There is a joint resolution post
,f ..
taxes until May Is, 1915. without
penalty taxes paid after that time
up to October 10 at a penalty of 20
per cent provided that any taxpayer
who does not pay his taxes by May
may procure abatement of penal.
ty byfiling with the county auditor
auditor an affidavit that he has not
planted my cotton acreage during
1915, or if he has not planted more
than so per cent of the amount plan
ted by him in 1914
The bill to reduce acreage in cot
ton next year allows :. maximum OF
eight acres to the plough, ard makes
any excess a criminal act punish
able by fine OF not less than 100 Or
more than $500, or Imprisonment Of
not less tEan thirty days or more
than six months, or both, in the
discretion of the court. person is
allowed to plant fifteen acres to the
plough if the rows are eight feet
apart and if another crop is planted
between said rows.
WORD OF EXPLANATION.
In giving out the text Of the emer-
gency bills to relieve the present
crisis brought about by the closing
of the European cotton markets.
Representative w. f. Stevenson
gave word of expfan alton and
justification for the measures. Re
garding the proposition to vote ST.
100000 4 per cent bonds. Mr. Ste
venson said that $5OO.O of this
amount was for the purpose of plac-
ing the State on cash basis and the
other $1,O0O,OOO was to be used TO
complete the removal of the State
Asylum to State Park Out Of the
funds accruing from the sale of the
bonds Mr.. Stevenson said money
would be available for inancing the
State during the period of the
postponement Of payment of taxes
and lift from this generation the
burden of the completion Of the
State Asylum TO house the insane
His idea is that out Of the $1,000.
600 the amount already advanced
by the State towards the purchase
and building already done at State
Park, amounting to about $25O.GOO
is to be repaid to the state treasury.
Provision for financing the coun-
ties during the period of the post
ponement of payment Of taxes will
have to be made, but the bill can
not be formulated until the needs OF
the various counties are found out
from the members after they gather
for the legislative session" said
Mr.. Stevenson, land this may be
postponed until the regular session
OF the general assembly i'm Jan
uary."
VIEWS ON CURTAILMENT
Mr. Stevenson, i'm sending TO the
press the text Of his bill to restrict
the cotton acreage planted next
year, said his reason for arriving at
acreage reduction through his meas
Stop That First Fall Cough.