The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-02-21
AND MANY THINGS LAWMAKERS
DIDN'T DO.
Australian Ballot, Cotton Insurance
and Defense Council Among
Main Acts.

Main Acts.
Columbia, Feb. 12.-About gen.
Grafton ago the distinguished A. B.
Williams wrote sketches about the
South Carolina General Assembly for
his newspaper, the Greenville Times.
In describing a legislature that had
then just adjourned, he called it the
"June bug" legislature, and explain
ed that he used this name because the
legislature had been tied by a string
from downstairs" and that whenever
downstairs is, the governor S
Office e-wanted anything done, it pull
ed the string and that was all that
was necessary. That was in the days
of intense partisan feeling. John
Gary Evans was in the gubernatorial
chair. Things are entirely different
now. If this general assembly is en-
titled to any distinguishing name, it
would be the butterfly legislature,
because the members fit about from
flower to flower, slipping the nectar,
and going on to the next flower, en-
tirely Independent and ignorant Of the
existence of any downstairs or any
one else. If there ever was a legisla-
ture that was entirely and absolute
s " foot-loose, it was the general as
semb1y that has just adjourned.
There are three reasons for this:
First, there was no intensity of fac
Stional feeling which brought cleav-
age In the voting; second, because
Governor Manning has, in the opin-
ion of the legislators, not consulted
them sufficiently in the making OF
his appointments; and third, because
Governor Manning has been and is a
business administrator, rather than a
politician; as a politician he is a
distinct failure; as a clear-cut, hon
est type of administrator he is dis
tinct success.
Seldom Spoken OF.
There has not been sign of par
tisan feeling. Perhaps once or twice
the name of former Governor Blease
has been mentioned, and not oftener
has any one heard the name of the re-
form movement. Whenever diferen-
ces have existed they have been per-
sonal rather than factional. The
chief bone of contention was the game
warden fight, and if. there has been
]. any line Of demarcation, it has rather
been the Richardson and anti-Rich-
ardson following. This has shown
itself on several occasions and yet
absolutely nothing final was done
with reference to the much mooted
game warden issue. The veto mes
sage Of Governor Manning remains
S as unfinished business. No voting
was had as to whether the veto
should or should noh be sustained.
The Investigation with reference to
Mr. Richardson's administration re-
NAMED unreported. The nomination
ofe the incumbent game warden re-
!: mains without action, and the sum
total is that absolutely nothing decis-
siVe has been done upon the over
5whelming issue of the present ses-
sion,. and which, unfortunately, has
been almost entirely personal, and Of
which perhaps the last has not yet
S been heard.
Walking by the newspaper table
were three senators. / addressed my
self to them, asking what had been
done at this session of the general
assembly. One of them replied la
conically, Nothing The second
q held up his two hands and made a
large "naught" and added, Goose
egg" the third said that in his opin-
/ ion the most important thing had
been the establishment of the home
( for feebleminded and wayward girls,
involving at the outset an expendi-
! ture Of 100000. Handling the vice
situation, the Australian ballot law
and State insurance and cotton might
well have been added. The fact is
that the general assembly is now
! getting to be largely court for the
decision of local matters. When the
Z statutes are published it will be found
that SO per cent of the legislation
enacted, outside of the appropriation
bill, is strictly Of a local character;
and that the remaining 2 per cent
! covers what is of general and State
wide Importance.
Liquor the Third.
In one of the modern dramas, the
statement is made that there are
only two real problems in life, and