The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-27

MlISSRS. EPPS AND NOISE I'M.
PRESSED BY HARMONY OF
SESSION.
personnel OF Generally Assembly Ex-
Ccllent and General Spirit to Accom-.
plish Legislation of Public Benefit
Seemed to PrevaiI-EHort to Aid
Manning Administered tiOn-Dr. Dick
Not Yet Back.
From The Daily Item, Feb. 23.

Iolt Inc Dally Item, FEB. 23.
Messrs. r. d. Epps, senator from
Sumter County, and d. ID. Noise, rep
resentative from this county, returned
from Columbia yesterday, following
the adjournment of the general as
sembly, the former in the morning and
the latter on the afternoon train.
Both, when seen this morning, ap-
peared we'll pleased with the work
done by the general assembly during
its recent session and much elated es-
pecially at the amount of construc-
tive legislation. DR.. Geo. w. Dick,
formerly chairman of the ways and
means comtmitee, but who resigned as
representative late Saturday night
has not yet returned. from Columbia
Mr.. A. X. Sanders, the other member
or the Sumter county delegation, lives
at Hagood and could not be seen.
Both Senator Epps and Representa-
tive Noise were impressed by the ex-
tent to which harmony prevailed
throughout the whole session, and the
feeling which seemed generally to per-
wade the entire body that something
must be done for the benefit of the
State and to improve conditions
among the people. Both also mention
ed the fact that everybody seemed
anxious to aid the Manning admins
tration in any way possible
This is Mr.. Noises first trip to CO.
iumbia as representative of the
people Of Sumter county. When seen
this morning and asked for his i'm
pressions of the session, he spoke of q
number of matters which interested
him. matters which for the most part
referred to the work of the session.
He referred to the personnel of the
house. which he considered excellent,
there being many among it's members
who were hard workers and anxious
to accomplish things for the improve
| ment Of conditions in the State.
There were also several brainy men,
he said, men who had already accom-
plished worthwhile objects, who were
giving their best energies to the State.
He referred to a number of counties,
among them Kershaw, Orangeburg,
Greenville and Spartanburg, which
had sent especially strong delegations.
While he was new at the business, he
he thought that this legislature had
achieved greater amount of con-
structive legislation than any session
in number Of years, as many of the
old members had stated.
| Mr.. Noise referred to the passage of
the tax corinission bill, as a measure
or great public interest and benefit.
BY the operation Of this law the taxes
in the various counties will be placed
on the same proportionate basis
throughout the State, a condition
which has not existed hitherto. AT the
same time this act does not conflict
with the present county tax commits
sion. A board Of appeals was cre-
ated to which appeals could be taken
from the commission. The benefits of
the asylum bill could be readily seen
and such legislation was necessary, as
indicated by DR.. Herring's report.
Mr.. Noise stated that the Torrens land
system bill had been passed by the
house, but not by the senate. There
were several defects in this bill. how
ever, which he hoped to remedy
through other bills, which he would
introduce next year, if someone else
aid not do so, and he hoped this bill
would be put through with the mac
curacies eliminated.
There was no objection to the Con-
federate pension bill which had in
creased the appropriation for Con-
tederate pensions from $25O.OOO to
$5oO,OOO, a measure which he had ad-
vocated. The appropriation had also
peen increased for the public schools
by $4,000. The compulsory school
attendance bill with the local option
feature, an administration measure.
mad been passed. He had advocated
this measure previous to his election.
lie did not see where compulsory ed
ucation was needed in Sumter county
as he believed that all parents here
had their children in school, but he
understood that in some other coun-
ties such Il law was needed and one Of
the surest ways to improve conditions
was to eliminate illiteracy.
The commission Of charities and
corrections was another important
measure. This commission is merely
an advisory body. but it can accom-
dish mIIch thrnnnhnnt