The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-01-15
NEWS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
The Governors Message.


Assembly of South Carolina con.
vened Tuesday for it's first war ses-
sion. In the afternoon it heard the
annual message from Gov. Richard
1. Manning, in which he urged prim.
arily~full and earnest cooperation
with the prosecution of the present
war. Until it was won no other aim
should be kept in mind.
He praised highly the work of the
State Council of Defense, saying it
was rated as one of the six best in
the nation. He related how it help
ed the food conservation campaign,
floating the liberty loan, and ether
important results, and urged the
passing of legislation giving it an
official status, and also the appro-
priation of $4,000 if needed.
Governor Manning recommended
the equipment and support of a
"Home Guard" regiment as a nee
essary precaution. In order to help
the labor situation Governor Man
ming urged the passage of laws Civ
ing the chief executive power to
suspend labor laws, when requested
by the national and state councils
of defense. Sufficient precautions
must be provided against the abuse
of this power.
Vice conditions also received con-
in Governor Manning's
and he asked that a home
for immoral girls be founded, that
vagrancy be made more definite and
triable in the Sessions Courts, that
the age of consent be raised to
eighteen years, that laws be enacted
to but owners of property used for
immoral purposes, and that the prin-
ciples of the Mann White Slave
Act be made applicable to intra-
state tropic.
Besides these war measures Gov
ernor Manning also urged the adop-
ton of the Australian ballot system
in all cities, towns, and large voting
places. Persons applying for regis
tration should present themselves in
person.
Governor Manning recommended
that the activities of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, Commerce and
Industries be defined, and that it
have only jurisdiction in the regu-
latory matters dealing with the in
spection of oil, commercial feed
stuffs, etc. All matters germane to
the production of crops, educational
work, should be left entirely to
Clemson College. This would pre-
vent duplication of effort.
The appointment of the Chief
Game Warden should be taken from
the Audubon Society, and vested in
the Board of Fisheries, who should
then be charged with enjoying the
game laws.
The office of Insurance Commits
sioner should be consolidated with
that of Bank Examiner, said the
Governor.
The Hospital for the Insane, a
school for the feebleminded, and
the State Board of Charities and
Corrections were all endorsed. Due
to the Investigations of the latter
there were about two and a half
times as many paying students at
the state schools than at any prev
ious time.
Governor Manning urged the pas
sage of an amendment to the con-
stitution for national prohibition,
but opposed it for woman's suffrage
The states should retain their power
of local government in the latter
proposition, he said.
Election Of Speaker.
Hon. T P. Cothran, of Greenville
"a native of Abbeville) received
IT votes for Speaker Of House
against II for his opponent. Hon
]. A. Berry of Orangeburg. Thl;
vote is a distinct compliment to the