Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-02-05
Doings of the Legislature Re-
ported by The Advertisers
Editor.
written for last week.)

Columbia, Jan. 2S,-lhe WORK OIL
the legislature. has not been without
some rehabilitation and interruption
during the past week, cutting down
somewhat the volume of work. The
death of Senator B. E. Nicholson and
the prevalence of Spanish influenza
in Columbia and over the entire
State almost caused the General As
sembly to take panic and stampede
at one time. The Senate by an over
whelming majority voted to take a
recess until the second Tuesday in
July. But when the resolution came
over to the House for concurrence,
it was voted oown by almost as great
majority as the Senate adopted it.
A majority of the members of the
House, after having DR.. Hayne Of the
State board of health address them
upon the influenza situation, took the
position that there was less danger
of the legislature contracting the
disease here than there would be in
many of the home towns of the men,
bers. The theatres, moving picture
shows, schools and churches are all
open in Columbia, the situation being
not sufficiently serious to cause
quarantine of any kind. furthermore,
there is much important legislation,
such as the county supply bills, etc.,
that can not be postponed until July
without serious embarrassment, to
say the least of it. l talked with
State Treasurer Carter and Comp
troller General Osborne about the
matter and both of these officials
stated that it would be practically i'm
possible to borrow money in sufficient
amounts to run the State government
without the usual legislation provid-
ing therefor. New York banks would
not even consider an application for
E. loan unless the act fixing the levy,
upon which the loan was based, had
passed regularly.
Another probable reason why the
House did not concur in the action of
the Senate is found in the fact that
70 out of the 124 members of this
body are farmers, and it would not
suit them to leave their farm to come
to Columbia early in July. Only nine
of the forty-fve members of the SEN
ate are farmers, most of them being
lawyers.
There are three big questions to be
considered during this session and
hundreds of minor ones. The major
matters are education, good roads
and the Observation-Disclosures
tied tax question. A compulsory edu-
cation law has been introduced in the
House and will pass by comforta BILE
majority. A bill to abolish the present
tax commission and substitute there
for a similar commission composed of
fourteen men, one from each judicial
circuit, viii pass the House but may
meet its Waterloo in the Senate.
Good roaGs legislation has not yet
been taken up but bill in some form
is likely to be introduced at any ses-
sion. There is strong sentiment
here for better schools and better
roads-twc' imperative necessities if
our State IS to go forward and con-
serve the victory which our boys have
won by their blood and sacrifices. A
new day has dawned and unless we
press forward upon progressive lines
cur State will stagnate and go back
ward.
This running report has now
grown too long to mention other mat
ters of interest to our people.
More next week.
T T. Minis