Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-01-22

convened one week ago to-day for its
73rd annual session. With the excep-
tion of a few members of the Sen
ate and House who were detained at
home on account of the illness of
themselves or members of their fam
lilies, the old and new members of
both bodies were present.
The Senate is composed of forty
five members, one from each county
in the State, and of this number,
twenty nine are either hold-over
members, or old members reelected,
and sixteen received their commits
sions as senators for the first time.
The House is composed of one
hundred twenty four members, the
number composing the delegations Of
several counties ranging from one to
eight, according to the population of
the county. Beaufort, Calhoun, Dor
chester, Hampton and Mccormick
counties have only one representative
each, while Charleston, Spartanburg
and Anderson counties have each,
eight, seven and six representatives,
respectively.
The work of both law-making
bodies is facilitated by the standing
committees to which all bills of a
general nature are referred after be-
ing introduced. The Senate has thir-
ty-one of these committees and the
committee assignments are made
through caucus or conference of
senators usually held the night pre-
ceeding the opening of the session,
the chairmanships of these commit
tees being decided by seniority or the
term of service of the members. In
the House the committees, together
with the chairmanships, are appoint
ed by the Speaker.
Senator Nicholson is serving on
the following important committees:
Chairman of Education Committee
(Which makes him eX-officio men,
Der of the board of trustees of the
State Colleges) member of Judiciary
Committee, the Penitentiary Commit
tee and Committee Ion Police Regu-
lations.
Representative Walker is men,
Der of the Ways and Means Commit
tee, the members of which are not
permitted to serve on any ether COM
mittee.
Representative Minis is Chairman
of the Military Committee (Which
makes him ex-oficio a member of the
Board of Visitors of the CitadeD, a
member of the Banking and Insu-
rance Committee and alg smember
mittee-. se-Hfse!fhal Each member of the G1gm GG1m-
field delegation has received impor-
tant committee assignments.
While a considerable nlmber> of
new bills have been introduced up to
this time-far less than uslsl, how
ever-yet very little legiaFtior of
Importance, except the bill Foviding
for the increase in salaries of the
State officer, has been underEen.
The salaries bill which pa!ed the
House yesterday afternoon ba large
majority provides for increang the
salary of the governor from$3, 900 Il
to $4,000 and also an increasi in the
salaries of the other State officers e
from $1,000 to $2,5O0. Owinto the S
greatly increased cost of ling, o
vast majority of the men w COM Il
pose the General Assembly ere of 81
the opinion that it would be reason W
able and unjust to ask men toll posi- Sc
tions of great responsibilities the e
salaries that have been paidr the I'll
past fifteen or twenty years.'r ex- M
ample, the State Superlntemt OF
Education, who has upon hime re- ri,
sponsibility of the educatio sys- sic
tenn of the State, has been irving su
less than many of the supten-
dents of the city schools rece The Sc,
State Treasurer and Comptro Gen ha
eral have hfen receiving ldhan pls
MANY Of ;hc county treasure and sol
county ~ litors are paid. ildes VIII
havil.y to support their famihn a Ca
city upon such salaries, the mave ed
the expense of State Camp to ou,
nav from their salaries evetwo abl
years. The continuance of N a car
miserly policy would 1.-THE
States interests to suffer thrt in ouo