The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-02-01
MANY IMPORTANT MATTE r S
COME BEFORE THE STATE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
DOINGS OF THE LEGISLATORS
Summary Of the Important Bills That
Have Been Before the State General
Assembly During the Past Week.
Columbia.

In the senate this session appeared
suddenly, when the Shepard resolu
tiOn, asking for referendum on the
question Of equal suffrage, was reach.
ed on the calendar. Motion by Sena.
tor e. G. Epps Of williamsburg to
strike out the resolving words brought
number of senators to their feet
clam0ring for chance to debate the
issue, while others were pitched on
their ears by the unexpected drive
or the eternal feminine. PROPOSE,
tion. The house was fairly evenly
divided against itself Time for de.
bate was finally fixed.
A large proportion OF the senator's
are inclined to favor the referendum
without committing themselves to
support Of the amendment in the gen.
eral election, while others argue that
the question will be overwhelmingly
de1eated, even when submitted. Minds
OF all are apparently made up. Con
sensus or opinion is that with a full
vote majority will support the meas.
sure in the upper house. MANY of
those supporting the referendum feel
bound by the resolution Of the state
Democratic convention last spring,
which committed the question of wo.
man suffrage to action by the states
and not by the national government.
Members Of the upper house are
nearing from those back home" on
the prohibition delemma. Senator
Laney OF Chesterfield placed on the
senate desk three petitions from his
constituents, asking for an "air tight"
prohibition law. These were signed
ny approximately 800 voters of Ches.
terfield.
Iaklng high rank among the new
bills which came to the senate desk
was that by Senator Stuckey of Lee
county, which would greatly enlarge
the activity Of the state board of char.
tiles and corrections. Mr.. Stuckey's
Oil would require that all state insti-
tutions confer with the board of chart
ties and corrections as to sites for
new buildings or enlargement of
buildings and also as to proposed bud
gets Of appropriations asked Of the
general assembly each session. Re.
.servation is that the powers of the
board Of charities and corrections in
these matters shall be purely advisory
A report from the board Of charities
and corrections, direct to the general
assembly, would be required.
The house of representatives did
one thing. 1t passed the Braford bond
resolution to third reading, 90 to 23,
after having defeated it by two votes
few days ago. The parliamentary
clincher was applied and the resolu-
tion is now sure to be sent to the sen
ate. The resolution takes away from
the legislature the right to bond
counties or other political subdivisions
without submitting the question to the
people, exceptions, however, past in
debtedness. When the resolution re-
ceived 81 votes Of needed 49, the op-
ponents failed to clinch the situation.
The author gained reconsideration
and the question was put on the cal.
endar. Speaking in It's favor were
Representatives Mauldin OF Green.
vile, Ford Of Fairfield, Lesesne of
Clarendon and Hamer OF Dillon. The
only member to speak against it was
Representative Cothran of Greenville.
The Bradford bond resolution which
would take away from the Legislature
the right to bond counties or other
political subdivisions without submit
ting the question to the people,
amended SO as not to apply to past in
debtedness, failed by two votes to re-
ceive a two-thirds majority Of the
house and was killed. Eighty-two rep.
resentatives voted for it with 80 me-
cessary for passage.
Representative Macfarlan Of Ches-
terfield county has introduced bill
to cancel Winthrop scholarship held
by Miss Anne Fresil Houser, on the
ground that the family lived in Ches-
terfield county only few months
and has moved away.
A majority unfavorable report has
been made by the ways and means
committee on Representative Daniels
prohibition bill which excludes from
the state alcoholic liquors and wines,
except for medical purposes. A mi.
nority favorable report was made.
Senator j. +. Williams Of Aiken I'm.
troduced bill providing travelling ex.
penses for the circuit judges.
Efforts to modify the liuuor laws
OF the state are gradually getting I'M.
der way in the general assembly. A
hearing on all liquor bills, introduced
this session, was had before the police
regulations committee when the auth.
ors Of the respective measures appear.
ed and argued the particular merits
OF each. Senator DuIaant Of Claren.
don county introduced a bill which
would prohibit the advertising ,of
liquor In South Carolina newspapers,
on posters or street cars. Sale Of