The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-30

companies, of the special insurance
commission, and others interested,
will be present.
The house is scheduled TO take up
the six per cent. interest bills on Mon-
day night.
\ number of bills providing for a
State highway commission have been
introduced. No definite action has
been taken upon any of them by eth
er body, but the friends of the idea
are trying to get together upon some
on measure and urge its passage.
In regard to appropriations, the
ways and means committee is holding
frequent hearings, which are attend
ed by representative of the various
State institutions, and others inter-
ested in the annual budget. The only
measure which has passed either body
which touches upon the question, Is
the Lies measure, passed by the house
to third reading, which would provide
$500 annually for the travelling ex-
penses Of each of the fourteen circuit
judges of the State.
Another of the measures passed by
the house is the Bradford bill which
would prevent the legislature from
imposing bond issues upon counties,
or subdivisions thereof, without a
referendum to the people, except for
past Indebtedness
The matter of appropriations and
of fixing a levy to meet them-in fac,
the entire serious financial condition
of the State; the legal interest meas
ures; the insurance bills; the liquor
bills;s the question Of woman suf-
frage; the election of warehouse COM
missioner; biennial sessions; 4-year
terms for State officers; a two-cent
passenger rate; other important meas
ures of Statewide intexsst; hundreds
of local measures affecting the various
countieS-this, in a nutshell, en-
braces the immense amount of work
which will confront the general as
sembly when it reconvenes to-
night for the fourth week of the leg
islative session. There will be an ef-
fort to get through with all this ac-
emulation of legislative matters by
the end of the sixth week. which
would make the customary forty days,
but whether it will be done or not
is problematical.
1t has been suggested for num-
Der OF years that there ought to be
some manner provided to prevent the
rush during the closing hours of the
session, when many bills are showed
through without time for the consid-
Grafton which the members would
like to give them. This method leads
to legislation by free conference COM
mittees, the reports of which are
adopted enacting provisions of laT
which have never been considered by
any but the committees, and which
always attends the last few days Of
the legislative assembly. Some gen.
tlemen in this State who have been
closely connected with its affairs for
a number OF years past, and who have
watched legislation closely, venture
the assertion that there have been
times possibly when measures were
held back in order to get legislation
through free conference committees.
When the two houses fail to agree
upon amendments to any measure
which has passed both branches, the
measure of course goes to confer
ence committee. The committee takes
it up for consideration. and if it can
agree as between the action OF the
two houses, it submits its report, and
if the report is adopted, it becomes
the law. If the committee canno:
agree, the bill dies. Where there Is
a wide divergence between the views
of the members of the conference
committee. compromise can be eff
fected by the insertion of new pro-
vision in the bill, if it is germane.
There have been occasions when mat
ters not germane presented in con-
ference reports, which were adopted,
amounting to legislation by the COM
mittee. and not by the general assem-
bly,
This is a very serious matter, which
SnOuld nave lHe Careful lNOuSHL VI tue
members of the legislature.
Again referring to the liquor prob
lem, which will probably take up
considerable time during the remain
der of this session, it is probable. as
has been pointed out in this CORES
pondence, that still another measure
may be proposed. in the nature Of a
compromise, leaving the presens law
without material change except rev.
enue would be provided for the State,
from the traffic to go to the schools.
The beer and light wines propositions,
providing for larger shipmeats Of
these articles in lieu of the stronger
drink, will receive the serious con-
sideration of the members. 1t will
be recalled that Governor Manning