The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-02-13

a Slale highway tOlIlmlSSlou nave
been made special order in the house
for this week, along with the report
OF the select committee Of five ap-
pointed to coordinate the divergent
views Of those who are urging legls-
lation along this line One OF the prln
cipal arguments for the passage or
some State highway measure at TINS
time, has been that action ls neces-
sary to take advantage Of the fedora;
appropriation which the State couln
secure under the proper act Every
body who has spoken upon the Va
ricus proposals now pending has au-
Throwing the public highways. The
best method Of securing the relie1
demanded has been the point Of diver
gence of the different propositions
submitted. and in the discussion, the
financial condition of the State, with
the necessity for holding down ap-
preparations, has played a prominent
part. 1t is probable that there will
be some State highway legislation
unless adjournment should prevent
it, in which event the whole matter
ould go over until the 1913 sess4u:
1t is almost practically assured
that the insurance legislation pro-
posed by the special commission ap-
pointed by Governor Manning to rec
ommend a revision of the insurance
code OF the State, will go through,
with certain amendments which have
been called attention to in this cor
respondence. There we're seven meas
ures proposed all of which have pass
ed the house The senate has not yel
finished with the various measures,
though most Of them have passed that
body, and the others will mall prof.
ability get through. although there
may be some minor amendments. The
whole situation arose as the result or
the withdrawal Of a number OF FIRE
insurance companies from this State,
following the passage of the Laney-
Odom bill by the 1915 session.
The house has set the stamp of Its
approval upon the proposition to re-
duce the legal rzte Of interest in this
State one per cent, making the rate
six per cent, except by contract, III
which event it may be maze seveL
per cent What the senate is going
to do, or whether the two houses
will get together upon any legal III
terest rate reduction, IS problemaI:-
cal. So late in the session, the prou-
ositicn to reduce the present Legal
interest rate may have hard sailing,
anti>may founder upon the shoals or
final adjournment, which causes the
death of 80 many measures whicn
seem to have h~ioht future before
them in the earl, days of the session.
Recurring again to the liquor qUes-
tion, which bobs up on every occa-
sion, whether in a newspaper article
or in practically every session which
either house holds, it may be stated
that the Fromberg measure to allow
Charleston to vote upon license sys
tenn for light wines and beers VA -
over to the 1913 session, d. "hlcb
time the proponent of the measure,
and those who agree with him, hope
that the situation will so have ad-
justed itself that Charleston may be
allowed, as a coast city, and as the
metropolis of the State, facing certain
conditions different from those which
prevail In other parts Of the State, to
decide for herself what Is best in re-
gard 10 the whole proposition. The
Fromberg bill, necessitating all
amendment to the constitution, would
Of course require referendum to
the people, which could not be sub
mitted until the fall of 1918; SO that
by continuing the measure until the
1918 session of the legislature no de-
lay would result if the measure should
finally get through.
The present session Of the legisia
ture has so far sat down upon all
looking towards the SUD-
stitution of additional amounts uf
light wines and beers-or any amount
what ever of wines and beer-to be
allowed the citizens OF the State
monthly in lieu of the stronger drink,
as a solution of the liquor problem
confronting South Carolina.
However, as has been stated, no
one can make 8 prediction, because
the members of the senate do not yet
seem to have made up their own
minds definitely. The only thing
which now appears certain is that
the senate will not pass "bone-dry''
measure. The two houses may. ga
together. or they may not The only
certainty in regard to the whole MAJ
ter Is its uncertainty. !
The house has given second reading
to the measure to perfect the system
OF land registration in this State, un-
der the Torrens system to meet the
requirements Of the federal farm loan
bank. soon to be established in Co. !
lumbia Upon the call Of Commits ,
sioner Watson. OF the department OF
sSoI 1r4o