The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-09-14
PROPERLY PROJECTING
THE ILLITERATE.
Augusta Chronicle.


Augusta Chronicle.
In the recent muddle up in Allan
ia, one pending proposition which
really deserved more kindly consid-
Grafton than it got, If the description
we hear of it and it's purpose is cor
rect. was hopelessly buried in the
wreck and may go the way of much
that is frequently overlooked in the
after-effect of big rows.
Some right wise men of the state
have advanced the suggestion that
there are already too many laws; so
many. in fact. that people get them
selves in trouble trying to keep
| straight-that It would be better IL
the state Legislature took a recess of
some years. To add the one in in
mind, however. will, or would do a
world or good to certain class OF
the people, especially in the remote
rural districts, and would keep a
certain other class of people lodging
right lively to get out of it's way.
1t was designed for the protection
OF the illiterate. and if statistics pre-
pared by the educational authorities
are to be taken, there are enough OF
them in Georgia to need this particu-
lar protection.
Judge Foster of Morgan county, pre-
pared and introduced in the house of
representatives a bill which would
require that all contracts, notes or
mortgages made in this state, after
the date of the passage of the pro-
posed act, when signed by an litter
ate, would have no legally binding
erect unless read to the signor in the
presence of witness; that witness
o attest the paper with an oath that
he had heard the paper read to the
'arty signing.
The purpose of the bill. as de
Scribed by it's author. was to cover
IN evil which few people would he
heVe could exist in state like ours.
Judge Foster recited instances with
m his knowledge wherein a certain
class OF agents inveigIe ignorant
people in the country districts. more
frequently than otherwise negro ten
ants who have begun to accumulate
a little in the way Of farm imple-
ments and livestock, to permit left
at their homes some article of little
value, or something they really don't
want, and, "just to keep a record OF
IT take receipt" which is sign.
ed by cross mark. In the mean.
time, the prospect" is drawn into a
conversation about his mule, which
the agent guesses to be so many
years old and is surprised to find II
younger mule when the proper age
is inocently told. The name is forth.
coming In the same manner, and
next time the prospect" hears from
the receipt" it is found to be a
mortgage on his mule, properly filed
in and which is about to be executed
for non-payment of a debt.
To obviate such practice, Judge
Foster drew his bill to require a wit
ness, as well as a cross mark, with
such signature on all instruments OF
the kind, when signed by anybody in
Georgia unable to read and write:
the provision for the witness carrying
with it the stipulation that the instru
ment had been read aloud and de-
scribed before being signed.
The bill is among the many pend
ing in the Legislature, and is one o
that many which should not be over.
looked when the legislature agar
meets in regular session. 1t is on,
OF the prospective laws that would
not class among the too many" +
put on the statute books of the state