The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-02-25
Will Address Joint Session in
Interest of Schools, State
Guard and Highways.
HE WILL URGE PASSAGE
Good Roads Legislation Would
BE Passed BY Senate But
House Clogs 1t and Forestalls
Action.

acts OF legislation OF high import
ance to this state, it is thought, will
be finally disposed OF this, probably
the final, week Of the general as
sembly session. They are the bill for
a system of improved highways and
the general appropriations bill
The good road measure is attract
ing the most attention because of
the federal highway fund of over
S1.OO0,00O which will accrue to
South Carolina; if a bill for perma-
nent good roads is passed
SO far legislation for permanen
highways has been obstructed by the
house of representatives. but an ef-
fort revive it will be made in the
senate this week The Belser bill
providing for the compensation OF
the members Of the state highway
commission, which has passed the
lower body and is on second reading
in the senate, will be amended by the
substitution OF a bill providing for a
permanent highway system and the
1evying of taxes for the building and
maintenance of good roads 1t is
probable that license OF so cents
a horsepower will be placed on au-
tomobiles. levy assessed against
the property abutting on the i'm
proved highways, and a smaller levy
on all the taxable property OF the
state will constitute the provisions
of the new bill. The matter will be
threshed out in conference commit
tee, the report of which both houses
will have to adopt should there be
any highway legislation this year.
1t is understood that Governor
Cooper intends TO address the gem
eral assembly this week, probably
Tuesday night. one of his expected
pleas being the enactment Of some
sort OF permanent highway legisla-
tion. The governor also, it is under
stood. will urge adequate appro-
priations for the public schools, an
appropriation for the organization
and maintenance of a national guard
Confederate veterans.
The house last week rejected the
state highway committee bill pro-
viding for system OF permanent
highways. after it had been amended
30 that the question would be sub
mitted to automobile owners Of the
state. both sexes and both races, in
. referendum. Another clog to
good roads legislation was the ac-
tfon OF the lower body Friday in
committing the bill by the committee
on roads. ferries and bridges, which
carried levy OF three mills against
the taxable property of the state. to
the ways and means committee,
which promised to report It back ex-
peditiously. 1t was the purpose of
the proponents OF a highway system
20 amend this measure with a COM
promise substitute which might bring
the divergent elements OF the house
together.
strong fight will be made this
week to pass some highway legisla-
tion. The senate seems inclined to
enact law for good roads. but there
are two opposing elements in the
house. which so far have been un-
able to get together on any sort of
scheme. The members voting
against the various bills are not all
opposed to a highway system. but
they think the matter should be sub
mitted to referendum OF the peo-
PIE.
The senate finance committee has
held a number OF hearings on the
general appropriations bill and
should be ready to report IT to the
upper body during the forepart OF
the week. II is understood that
there will be material increases I'm
the bill as sent from the house
These increases will have to be
fhreshed out in the conference COM
mittee. During the past two sessions
the senate has increased the appro-
priations over the house and the
conference committees have agreed
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