The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-10

1912.
the
So. lg of
the Legislature, 5with.
standing the hard work Of the
committees, and the day and
night sessions, there has been
none of the main issues disposed
OF. The referendum bill which
is of special interest to the Pro
3 gh,bisionists, is a special order
and viii be considered the early
s part OF next week. An attempt
was made to bring it up Friday
night on the plea to give it a
second reading with notice of
general amendments. but many
ssof the senators took the view
that several of the senators had
gone home with the understand
ing that this measure would go
over, ana that it would not be
fair to take it up in their absence.
After some discussion of this
phase Of the matter, the motion
was withdrawn. and properly so;
because if the Prohibitionists,
who are in the majority, had in
sisted and forced the eonsidera-
ton at that time, it could only
have resulted in a speechmaking
feast, with nothing accomplished
It is realized by many Prohl-
bitienisss that the claim of the
opposition to have the three
questions, Prohibition, Dispen,
sary, License, submitted to the
electorate is based on reason. 1t
the people are to pass on the
liquor question at all they should
bs permitted to pass upon the
whole question, and when this
RIGHT is accorded al will have to
submit to their decision. But &C
cording to the extreme Prohibi-
tionists. only the one question
should the people have the right
10 speak on, and here is where
the fight viii be waged. ] do not
think there will be any serious
opposition to the referendum if
the whole question is to be sub
mitsed, but If the majority will
not agree to this, then it is prob
able there will be a long hard
fight which may take up the
entire week, and too, there will
be an effort made to amend the
scompanion bill, which permits
the shipment into the State upon
the written permit of the clerk
OF court. I do not Believe this
bill as it stands can pass the
senate, as it must be realized
that it is repugnant to the aver
5 age man whether he be a Pro
hibitienist or what not. Very
few people are willing to subject
themselves to the humiliating
position of having to secure per;
mission to exercise a privilege,
especially when that privilege
has no Intention of an unlawful
purpose.
As I have mentioned before.
the petitions urging the members
OF the Legislature to vote for a
referendum, have not as yet
been presented so far as I have
been able to learn. I have made
inquiries regarding them, but
have been unable to find the
petitions from this county, and
I doubt seriously if majority
OF the voters of Clarendon have
signed the petitions, although
they have been in circulation
for a long time I made the in-
qairies about the petitions in
order that I may be informed
whether or not a majority OF my
constituents have requested or
instructed me with regard to this
matter, but I have heard other
senators say they have done the
same thing, but so far, if their
constituents have spoken, their
message or instruction has not
been presented to them, and
they feel that they must exer'
else their own Judgment at last.
The compulsory education bill
before the senate has been so
amended that if it passes. the
author of the measure will not
recognize it, the changes are al
together the reverse of what is
being advocated by the school
superintendent. and the asso-