The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-02-26

WILL THEY LEAVE
STATE IN MUD.

Every Office Seeker Promised
Better Highways; Now Comes
The Test.
Columbia, Feb. 22.-The eyes of
the whole State are focused on the
general assembly Of South Carolina !
now to see whether or not It We I
pass legislation during the coming !
week providing for the constructors
of permanent highways in the State
Every section of the commonwealth
is interested and the Developments OF
the last week of the session are await
ed with interest and anxiety.
This week has seen the hopes Of
the people along this line. dashed to
pieces only to be revived by later de-
velopments. Tuesday night the house
of representatives killed the !eglsla-
ton before it providing for perma-
nent highways The margin was mar
row-on the test vote there was a
majority of only one against the sood
roads legislation. AS the evening wore
on the opponents gained some
ground. The second test vote show
ed them with four in the majority.
The bin was finally killed by n mar
gin Of. about ten votes.
Wednesday morning the people OF
the State were shocked to read IN
their newspapers that there was ev-
ery probability that the present ses-
sion Of the general assembly Wouid
come to e close with absolutely no
LEGISLATION passed looking to the con-
struction of permanent highway
system in South Carolina. For months
! the topic of good roads had been
discussed all over the State. The peo-
ple had expected that the legislature
was certainly going to do something
! to give them relief.
! Members of the house picked up
Columbia paper that morning ana
say- interviews in it from leading men
| of all sections Of the State urging
that something be done. They say
that unless the State did something
( at this session it would lose over $l,-
Eg00, ,00e federal aid. The fact began
! to dawn On them that something mao
to be done
| The result Of it all is that lesisla-
ton will likely be passed during the
coming week. Sentiment in the SEN
ate is Overwhelmingly in favor OF the
| legislation. Senator Clifton OF sum
ter declares that he would be in ia
vor staying here a month If necessary
| in order. to pass this legislation. On
the floor of the senate Thursday
night and again Friday morning he
declared that it would be disgrace
and a calamity if the present ses-
sion should close with no steps TAX
en- for good roads construction.
There is bill before the senate
|that originated in the house and that
provides for the increase Of the mem
bership of the highway commission
from FIVE members to ten. 1t is
/ planned by the senators to take this
bill and so amend it as to provide a
! fund for the construction of perma-
! mont highways Just what form the
amendment will take emains to be
| seen. 1t is likely tha there will be
a special tax on automobiles Of about
| so cents the horsepow Grand levy
of one or two mills.
The sentiment voiced by Senator
Clifton that something must be done
| is typical of the senate. That body
Is agreed almost as one man that
some step must be taken. The house
mem hership seems also to realize
now something will have to be done.
81 would hate to have to so home
and face. my people and tell them
that nothing had been done at this
session to lift the State out Of the. !
mud" said one member today.
Governor Cooper expects to go be-
fore a joint session of the two houses
next week and urge that something
be done. The governor is alive to
the fact that a terrible blow will
have been dealt the progress of the
State if the session adjourns with no
action taken. He is going to urge
upon the members that they agree
upon some plan that will give the
State system Of permanent high
ways and that will keep the State
from los:ag its share Of the federal
aid.
Adjournment of the general as
sembly sine die next week depends
largely upon the good roads meas
ures. If legislation is rushed through
both houses providing for permanent
highways adjournment may be reach
ed. If the house blocks such legis-
lation the senate is expected to insist
that it. be passed and will probably
decline to adjourn until something is
done for the relief of the people.
The house has taken no action
whatever as yet on the joint resolu-
ton providing for ? constitutional
convention. The resolution has a ia
vorable report from the judiciary
committee but for some reason has
never been taken up on the floor OF
the house.
The senate passed the bill urged by
Governor Cooper providing for the
tho institution of the budget system