The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-30
LEGISLATORS START on
SECOND HALF UF SESSION
Futher Than Introduction of Bills and
Committee Hearings Nothing Has
Been DOne.-Many Measures Of
State Wide Importance Proposed.
(Jno. K. iAull) .

(Jno. K. iAulD.
Columbia, Jan. 29.-The legislature
has now been here for three weeks.
The customary duration of a session
being forty days, the present session
is now just half through. This ap-
plies only to the length of time, and
not to the work accomplished, for
none of the matters of larger import
to all the people of the State have as
yet been touched, except in the intro
duction of bills in regard to them
and committee hearings.
The work of the general assembly
has been seriously delayed as result
of the deadlock upon the election Of
warehouse commissioner. to succeed
Senator Jno. L. McLaurin, resigned.
Eleven ballots have been taken by the
joint assembly, which will ballot again
on Tuesday night at SIS o'clock.
Mr.. James A. Drake, Of Bennettsville,
former State warehouse inspector un-
der Senator McLaurin, is leading the
race with 49 votes. Mr.. Jno. j. Nc
Mahan, Of Columbia, is second, with
80 votes, and Mr. W. c. Smith, OF
Orangeburg, is third, with 81 votes.
Mr.. W. W. Bradley, of Abberille, is
fourth, with Is votes; Representative
G. L. Toole, of Aiken, is fifth, with
s votes, and Senator McLaurin, who
is still being voted for, is SIXTH with
/ vote
The race is anybody's so far, though
the advantage now seems clearly to
be with Mr. Drake.
Both branches of the general assem-
bly, will reconvene at 8 o'clock on
Monday night.
Prior to adjournment Friday, the
senate made special orders OF the
three liquor bills on its calendar, the
authors of which are Senator Hughes,
of Union; Senator D. R. Williams. of
Lancaster, and Senator Charlton Du-
Rant, of Clarendon, for Tuesday after
third reading bills. The joint reso-
luton Of Senator J. L. Sherard. OF
Anderson, providing for referen-
dunn on the question of equal suffrage
for women, was made special order
in ithe senate for Monday at $50 o.
clock. The senate has several times
postponed debate on the question Of
woman's suffrage. Appearances in
dicate that Monday night will see the
measure taken up. in dead earnest.
The DuRant quart-a-month bill
looms large on the senate calendar. 1t
has received favorable report from
the committee on police regulations,
while two other liquor measures have
been unfavorably reported. and its
passage is being urged by the super
intendent of the anti-saloon league.
if it should not be possible to get
Through an iron-clad measure. So
far there has been no alright meas
ure introduced in the upper branch.
though the house has two on its cal
endar. The air-tight. iron-clad meas
ure of Mr.. W. R. Richey, Jr. of I>au-
rens, in the house, has favoreble
report from the committee on police
regulations, while the iron-clad meas
ure of Mr.. W. L. Daniel, representa-
tive from Saluda, which would exempt
shipments for medicinal purposes,
has an unfavorable report from the
ways and means committee Mr..
Daniels measure was referred to the
ways and means committee for the
reason that it carried among it's pro-
visions an appropriation of ten thous-
and dollars, for enforcement. to be
expended in the direction of the gov
ernor
Unless debate should be further
~, %ha ha Sro rryAr1y~
are expected to begin when the Du-
Rant one-quart measure comes up
Tuesday morning. Senator DuRanl
is known as a thorough-g going prohi-
bitionists, having made many speeches
throughout the State in the interest
of the cause. His bill indicates that
in his opinion gradual reduction in
the amount of liquor allowed under
the law is better than sudden ces-
sation of it's importation. His opin-
ion is shared by some prohibitionists,
while others hold the opposite view.
The prohibition forces are going to
try to get together on some measure
at the meeting which has been called
to be held here on Tuesday night.
Mr.. w. R. Richey, Jr., of Laurens,
states that he is going> to press his
Statewide measure to the utmost.
The judiciary committee has not
Yet reported upon the measure of Col.
Joseph Fromberg, of Charleston, to
allow that city to vote upon license
system for light wines and beers. An
extensive hearing has been had BE-
fore the committee, and Col. Frcul-
berg is strongly urging his bill.
The fate OF the seven insurance bills
which have been proposed, embody-
!rs the recommendation Of the insur-
ence commission appointed by Coy
ernor Manning. is far from certain.
The measures have been reported