The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-18
THE LEGISLATURE
GETS TO WORK
Bill For Compulsory School At
tendance and Resolution for
Constitutional Convention
ORGANIZATION OF THE
HOUSE is COMPLETED
The Senate Starts a Fight to
Abolish the Tax Commission
and Have Another Board OF
EQUALIZATION.

| and Have Another Board OF
Equalization.
Columbia, Jan. IA bill provid-
ing for a system Of Statewide COM
pu!sorv school attendance and ma
chineYy for the enforcement OF the
proposed law was introduced in the
house of representatives this alter
noon BY Representative Hamblln. OF
. Union County, was referred to the
committee on education.
Joint resolutions providing for
! referendum on the question OF new
constitutional convention in the gen
eral election Of 1920 were introduced
in the house today by Representative
/ Hamblin, Of Union county, and Repre-
! sentative Mower, Of Newoerry county.
The organization of the house was
completed today with the reelection
of Joseph A. Berry Of Orangeburg
county as speaker pro tempore. The
name of James E. Davis, Of BarnWel
county was introduced, but was Ia
ter withdrawn. and Mr.. Berry was re-
! elected by acc!amation.
It appears the disposition of the
house of representatives to get down
to business AS soon as is practicable.
The members, the majority Of whom
are without previous legislative expe-
rience, are now feeling thir way eau
tiously until they learn the by-paths
| Of parliamentary procedure. The first
! day OF the session is remarkable for
! the small number Of new bills intro
| duced. II has been the custom during
! the past few years for the members
to come to the general assembly with
their pockets damned with all manner
ii laws which they want to appear
no the calendar during the initial days
of the session. So far this plethora OF
measures has failed 20 appear out
there are probably many pet schemes
in the offlng.
There was much heartfelt synapa-
thy expressed by members Of the gen
eral assembly today when it was
learned that Governor-elect Robert A
Cooper is i'll at his home in Laurens
under the care Of physician Ions
distance telephone messages stated
that the governor was merely sut-
ferins from q severe cod and that
, his physician took the prccaution or
putting him 10 bed SO that he would
be in fit shape for the Inauguration,
scheduled for next Tuesday. 1t is
thought that A9r. Cooper will be en-
tirely we'll for his Inauguration.
which, however, can be postponed il
! ne is not entirely recovered and he
desires the date to be set back.
The Senate.
! Columbia Jan. 15.-The outstand-
! ing features Of the senate session to-
day were the passage to third reading
of the biz! which seeks to increase the
salaries Of all State officers and the
appearance in concrete form OF the
! fight on the tax commission by bill
. bearing six arthors-Senators Dun
can. McCoil, Moore, HARRISON, Bethea
and Basi.sn. The bill provides briefly
for the creaeion Of an equalization
board. consisting Of one member OF
each Of the fourteen judicial circuits
! in the State and Cor this beard to have
! al the power and authority Of the
: tax commission. 1t is largely a prop
! osition to return to the ola State board
! OF equalization IDEA.
The senators made quick time on
the salary Increase measure. At the
; request Of Chairman Christensen the
! bill was passed TO its ,Eird reading
! with the s,o' ?ent that If. there
should be an! mt on the measure
, it could occur on the final reading,
and with the understanding that this
could be done and that amendments
might be offered at that time. the bill
went to it's third reading. The SEN
ate committee on finance proposed an
amendment to include increases Of
salaries for the circuit solicitors and
! stenographers.
On the house side the bill was pre-
sented today for the first time and
referred TO the committee on Ways
and means, and the proceeding prob
ablv there Will be to act upon the
senate's bill. The effort is being
made to have this bill passed prior
to Tuesday. when the newly elected
State officers rae inductcG into Office.
The good roads movement is taking
definite shape and it is likely that
something concrete will develop Over
on the house side Mr. BelSer wants a
committee to digest the various sug
gestions in the hope Of working out
an acceptable plan by which some
..s...za.a.a,a.as
William D. Stephens from signing