The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-02-24
Established 1891.


make careful study of the situation
and if in the meanwhile something
practical can be worked out and the
people can be educated to the posi-
bilities of the rural credits system, a
beginning might be made at the next
session of the general assembly as a
result of the present agitation.
Another Forward Step.
Another step forward was made in
the extension of support for the rural
graded school by taking into the fold
schools in the towns and cities that
consent to accept children as pupils
from the rural districts. An appro-
priation of $4,000 is carried this
year for the purpose Of subsidizing
these schools.
There can be no question Of the
hold that the State warehouse sys-
tenn had upon the members of the
general assembly. Whatever Com
missioner McLaurin asked for was
granted. Whether this be tribute
to Mr.. McLaurin, as an individual, or
whether it is to his administration as
warehouse commissioner, or to the
system itself and it's possibilities, re-
mains to be developed. One thing
is certain, and that is that the ware
house system has Gotch hold on the
political situation in this State to-
day.
One of the essential constructive
measures that failed looked towards
the establishment of State highway
commission, or some other method of
harmonizing and developing the road
building of this State. The majority
of the members apparently favored
some State system, but they could
not agree upom any one method OF
handling this situation, were afraid
of the name "commission,' and had
to encounter the desire Of each coun-
ty to hold the revenue from the lSo-
posed automobile license and thereby
for the time being Statewide sys-
tenn failed. This will come in time.
Constitutional amendments had
rough skating, and all of them fell
down the first time they tried to roll
around. There were three proposed
amendments to the fundamental law
of Statewide Importance: First, the
one looking to woman suffrage; Sec
ond, one looking towards biennial
sessions, and, third, the Wolfe propo-
sition, which contemplates the grant
ing of divorces under certain condl-
tions. Neither of these three ideas
got by first base.
One Of the measures that excited
considerable debate and in which
there was the only suggestion or
filibuster, was on the bill which ex-
communicates the Southeastern Tar
iff association from South Carolina.
This action, it is suggested, is Sc
ouel to the contention of the ware
house commissioner on the matter or
fire insurance rates. This, added TO
the alleged arbitrariness of the rate
making bureau, persuaded the ma
jority of the legislators to chase the
Tariff association out of the State,
and South Carolina is for a second
time going to try some method OF
handling fire insurance rates without
a central rate-making bureau in THIS
State. Under the terms of the act as
, amended in the house the insurance
commissioner is given the right to
review all fire insurance rates, sub
ject to summary court review; mill
I mutuals and the factory insurance
association are exempted; and it is
provided that nothing contained in
the act shall be held to interfere with
any insurance placed by or through
the warehouse commissioner.
There was keen interest in the LA
bility bill, which, after an intense
contest, was approved. Under the
provisions of this act as passed, what
is known as the doctrine of contrlbu-
tory negligence as applied to railroad
EMPLOYEES was abandoned, and to
large extent the federal statute with
reference to railroad liability was &C
cepted as the statute law of South
Carolina. The opponents of the bill
secured an amendment by which 1t
was made plain that the damages to
be collected should not include what
is known as punitive damages.
At the outset of the session, it
looked as if the counties that were
not clever enough to dispose of all
of their liquor by the first of JAN
uary last were going to be left with
souvenirs. Some Of the prohibition
leaders began to urge that the coun-