The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-03-20
HOUSE WOULD NOW
FAVOR GOOD ROADS
FORTY-ONE MEMBERS FAVOR
SPECIAL SESSION; 50 WILL
ING TO COMPROMISE

The Charleston New and Courier's
Columbia Correspondent, w. j. Cor
Mack, says in that newspaper Mon
day morning:
Should an extraordinary session
of the General Assembly be called
by Governor Cooper a measure for
system of improved highways would
be favorably voted on by a majority
of the House of Representatives.
"This statement is made after
thorough study and digest of the re-
plies of ninety-fve members of the
House of Representatives received
by J. Wilson Gibbes, clerk of the
House, in answer to QUESTIONABLE
sent out by him to the members, and
the vote on the Senate bill, which
was continued by the House.
"Of the ninety-five replies receiv-
ed by Mr.. Gibbes tonight forty-nine
of the House members are opposed
to a special session and forty-one
are in favor of it. Of the affirmative
answers eleven are conditioned on
the knowledge that a majority Of
the members would favor good roads
legislation and of the negative an
swers one is conditioned. Three
members are doubtful of the wisdom
of a special session and two men,
bers did not vote on the question.
Sixty-nine members are willing to
compromise on a highway measure,
twenty-five Of these to limited ex-
tent. Nine members are against
compromise, but two of them, al
though voting in the negative, will
wait certain points. Should there be
an extra session, thirty-six-members
are positive in their belief that
highway measure will be passed,
thirty are satisfied that there can be
no good roads legislation. Seventeen
are doubtful and twelve did not vote
on the question. Should there be a
special session, twenty-seven MEM
bers want it called for July %, seven
each for June and August and twen-
ty-two did not state preference.
"The majority of the members
heard from, seem to prefer high
way measure providing for proper
ty tax of one or more mills, the one
mill levy being the more popular; a
license tax on automobiles of fifty
cents for each horse power and an
abuting property tax, which will take
a constitutional amendment. Like
wise, a majority of the members
would be assured that each county
would receive its proportionate share
of improved highways.
"a variety Of reasons were given
for the defeat of the good roads bill
in the House, the most popular con-
ception being that it did not carry
referendum clause, and that the
counties were afraid that they would
not receive their share of improved
roads. The State Highway Commits
sion came in for considerable criti-
cism, many of the members object
ing the money accruing from the
various counties.
"On the night of Friday, February
%, when the Senate amendment came
up for discussion, debate on the
measure was adjourned until the
first day of the next session by a
vote of SIS to 43. A canvass Of this
vote shows that twenty-five members
were not voting. Of this number,
Judging some previous SoIes, SeNeH-
teen of them were friends Of good
roads measure and two, which were
opposed to highway bill, have since
become it's friends. One other man,
whose position was in doubt and who
did not vote, since has announced
that he would stand sponsor for a
good roads measure Of the fifty
five which voted against the Senate
bill, ten of them in answering the.
Gibbes questionnaire, are unqualif-
edly for a special session and will
support a good roads bill, and others
of them, while not of the opinion
that an extra session should be Held,
state they will vote for highway
measure should they be called back
to Columbia by Governor Cooper"
a 4.