The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-01-18
STATE WIDE PROHIBITION
MEASURE TO PROHIBIT IA1POR-
TATION OF LIQUOR.
important Insurance Measures Intro
duced.-Free Houses for Mill OPP
eratiyes Provided in Bill.

sion of the house of representatives,
except the introduction of new bills,
some of which were of more than Or
dinary Importance. There seems to
be the best of feeling among the
members of the lower body and the
predicted clash of partisan forces so
far has failed to materialize, but the
pessimistic ones still maintain that
the element of battle is in the COM
position of the house and will appear
when important administrative meas
ures are up for consideration.
The bills OF the insurance commits
sion are the most weighty so far pre-
sented. They consist of the measure
prepared by the Manning insurance
commission, providing for regulation
of fire rates, for the naming of the
insurance commissioner as attorney
for the companies, for graduated
license tax of insurance companies by
municipal corporations, for the re-
peal of the valid policy law, for
defining the qualifications of insur-
ance agents, for inquiring into the
origin of fires and for building code
for incorporated cities and towns.
They were introduced by Representa-
tive Noise, member of the commits
sion, following the reading of
special message from the governor
urging their passage, without amend
ments and were referred by the
speaker to the committee on banking
and insurance.
Liquor Bills.
Next in probable Importance is a
bill by w. R. Richey, Jr., of Laurens,
providing for absolute Statewide
prohibition, allowing the shipment
into South Carolina only of intoxi-
cants for sacramental and medicinal
purposes. Mr.. Richey is a minority
faction leader and his measure-has
the approval of former Governor Cole
L. Blease.
Another liquor bill presented to
the house was that of Representative
Fromberg, of the Charleston delega-
ton, submitting to a referendum of
the people the question of allowing
a high license system under old dis
pensary regulations for cities of 49,
900 inhabitants or more. This meas
ure is intended for the city Of Char
lesion and is similar to the one intro
duced in the general assembly last
year and which failed of passage.
Several bills providing for lower
rates of interest were introduced, as
was one by Representative Bradford,
of York, providing for system
through which State banks may make
loans on agricultural land in the aid
of farming.
Non-Payment of Taxes.
Representative Lilies, Of Orange
burg, introduced bill providing for
5 per cent penalty after the. first
of January of each year for non-pay-
ment of taxes as an amendment to
the present law and concurrent
resolution providing for an increase
in the travelling expenses of judges to
$1,000 per annum.
Representative Boyd, of Spartan
burg, on Thursday presented a bill
providing for the abolition of the
State warehouse system which is Gre
ating a great deal of interest, par
ticularly as Governor Manning favors
the system with certain amendments
to the present law. He recommend
ed a commission composed of three
members, of which the warehouse
commissioner should be ex-ofticlo
chairman.
Two bills providing for a State
highway commission, one by the
Chester delegation and the other by
Representative Berry, of Orangeburg,
were introduced in the house. 1t is
probable that 'lese measures will be
consolidated, the best features OF
each being retained in new bill.
Representatives Moore, of Able
Vile, and Hamblin, of Union, are the
co-authors of a bill providing for two
cent passenger rates on all railroads
in South Carolina. This is a peren-
nial measure and has the same char
acteristics as "Banquo's ghost"
New Constitution.
A joint resolution placing before
the people in a referendum during
the general election of 1918 the ques-
tion of calling new constitutional
convention was introduced in the
house Thursday by Representative
Lesesne, of Marlboro.
Other bills introduced on Thurs