The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-01-19
BILLS OF INTEREST
IN THE LEGISLATURES
INSURANCE MEASURES THE
MOST IMPORTANT.
Liquor Legislation Will BE Up Also.
Free Houses and Bathtubs for
Cotton Mill Operatives.
Columbia Record)

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
composition of the house and will ap-
pear when important administrative
measures 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 in
Surance commissioner as attorney for
the companies, for graduated license
tax of insurance companies by munich
pal corporations, for the repeal of the
valid policy" law, for defining the
qualifications of insurance agents, for
lnquiring into the origin of fires and
Tor a building code for incorporated
cities and towns. They were intro
duced by Representative Noise. a
member of the commission. following
the reading of a special message from
the governor urging their passage,
without amendments and were re-
tee Of banking and insurance.
Liquor Bills
Next in probable importance is a
bill by w. r. Richey, Jr., o. Laurcns,
providing for absolute Statewide
prohibition, allowing the Shipmant
into South Carolina only of intoxi-
cants for sacramento and medicinal
purposes. Mr.. Richey is q 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 referendum Of
the people the question of allowing a
high license system under cid dispen
sary regulations for cities of 10000
inhabitants or more. This measure is
intended for the city of Charleston
and is similar to the one introduced
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 a system
through which State banks may make
loans on agricultural land IN the aid
of farming.
Non-Payment of Taxes.
Representative Lilies of Orangeburg
introduced bill providing for a 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 a concurrent res
olution providing for an increase in
the travelling expenses of judges to
$1,000 per annum.
Representative Boyd of Spartanburg
on Thursday presented bill provid-
ing for the abolition of the State
warehouse system which is creating
deal of interest, particularly as
Governor Manning favors the system
with certain amendments to the pres
ent law. He recommended a COM
mission composed of three members,
of which the warehouse commissioner
should be ex-officio 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 these measures will be
consolidated, the best features of each
being retained in new bill.
Representatives Moore of Abbeville
and Hamblin OF Union are the CO.
authors of bill providing for two
cent passenger rates on all railroads
in South Carolina. This is a perennial
measure and has the same character
llStlpS nf "Rapunn'c rhnct -
New Constitution.
A joint resolution placing before the
. people in a referendum during the
general election of 1918 the question
of calling a new constitutional con-
vention was introduced in the house
Thursday, by Representative Lesesne
of Marlboro.
Other bills introduced on Thursday
were one forbidding probate judges
marrying couples to whom they had
issued marriage licenses, another
placing license tax on "soft drinks, {"
third to require examination of driv-
ers of motor-propelled vehicles, a
fourth requiring registration of
pharmacists of other States and fifth
providing for a standard system of
textbooks in the public schools of the
State.
A joint resolution providing for a
referendum vote on the question of
: equal suffrage for women was intro
duced in the house by Representative
Horton of Spartanburg, one of the
youngest members of the general as
sembly, who is having his first year
of Legislative experience.
The South Carolina Equal Suffrage
league is maintaining an effective