The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-01
Other Matters of Interest.

the senate, to require the employment
Of competent stenographers in the en-
crossing department, has been favor
ably reported by the house committee
The house has passed to third read
ing the bill to increase the salary Of
the state pension board clerk to $1,000
per year. Miss Kate Maher is the eff
cient clerk of the board.
Mr.. Oxner of Lexington has intro
duced bill to submit constitutional
amendment providing that the gov
ernor can only exercise executive
c,emency upon recommendation of the
board of pardons, but that he may re-
fuse to pardon upon their recommen-
dation.
The house committee on medical af-
fairs has reported favorably bill to
require that each tablet Of bichloride
of mercury shall be attached to a
small piece of wood so as to prevent
same from being taken by any one
into the mouth through mistake
Uncontested Matters.
The house tried out Friday morning
for the first time the new rule setting
aside 80 minutes each legislative day
sor the consideration of uncontested
bills. The wisdom of the rule was
clearly exemplifed by the action OF
the house in giving % local measures
a second reading; the rule enables the
calendar to be cleared for action for
more important statewide measures
and will probably keep a number OF
local bills from dying on the calendar
at the end of the session There is
always a deluge of local bills at every
session
For State Highway Commission Bill.
Thus far the house mas been unable
to get together on the bill creating the
state highway commission For several
days ii has come before the house, but
each time some special order has ar
rived, interrupting the debate. After
some discussion the house agreed to
adjourn debate on the measure until
Tuesday at noon.
The bill is meeting with strong op-
position, based not on doubt as to the
value or necessity of having good
roads, but on question as to the ad-
visibility of creating commission
and employing a state highway engl-
neer. On the other hand it is con-
tended that the road system in this
state needs one head. both for the gen.
eral advancement in road construction
and for the purpose of being so or
ganized that the state may receive
federal aid. South Carolina is one OF
FIVE states without a highway COM
mission.
The bill under discussion is one
drafted by the mouse committee on
roads, bridges and ferries, and is the
product of several years of study on
the problem. There are several other
bills of a similar nature before the
house and it seems probable that 'tbl
final bill. if one is passed, will be a
composite of the bills now under con-
sideration.
Fight On State Tax Commission.
The fight to abolish the state tax
commission was begun Friday morning
in the senate when debate opened on
the Manning-Stuckey bill to repeal the
law creating this board. One speech
onlv was made, that by Mr.. Stuckey
of Lee. 1t is no fight on Governor
Manning, the speaker said. 81 have
known him intimately for years, and
believe hell be reelected in spite OF
his friends" Opposition is based on
the alleged unconstitutionality of the
law and ''the Capitalization of too
much authority" in the members OF
the tax commission. Mr.. Stuckey is
connected with bank at ,Bishopvlle
On motion of Senator Alan Johnstone
of Newberry, debate was adjourned
until Tuesday morning.
The only other bill debated Friday
in the senate was Senator Laney's bill
to prevent fire insurance companies OF
this state from entering into any com
pact or combination to fix rates. The
bill is designed to promote competition
the author claiming that the rates are
fixed by the Southeastern Underwrit'
ers' association, which he character
ized as trust. Debate was adjourned