The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-02-04
LEGISLATIVE SESSION is
NOW ABOUT HALF OVER
important Legislation Pending With
Regard to Taxation, Roads, Edu-
cation and Other Matters.

I CO1OmOld, + GU. IL VIC SS~
Aassembly should be in session this
year for not longer than the custom
ary forty days, then one-half OF th'
session has been completed. During
/ the first three weeks adjournment'
have been for longer period thar
usual, due, no doubt, to the influenza
situation In the State, member OF
the house and member Of the senate
having died since the legislature con
vened.
Very few measures have been enact
ed into law, but some very important
legislation has been proposed, and
there will be plenty of time for 1t to
get through if the legislature should
be- disposed to pass it.
So far, no factional fights have de
yeloped. The deliberations have been
marked by harmony and good will
1t seems to be a foregone conclu-
sion that general compulsory educa-
tion law will be enacted. The Laney
bill has passed the senate looking to-
wards a minimum term OF seven
months for all schools, and the house
has PASSED and sent over to the senate
A measure which would require at
tendance of all children between eight
and fourteen years for at least four
months, or eighty days, each school
year. Governor Cooper is understood
to- be strongly in favor Of making such
measure as may be passed effective by
providing adequate machinery for its
enforcement.
The house has passed by substan-
tial vote the bill to abolish the State
tax commission. The house last year
voted to abolish the commission, but
the senate saved it. It is understood
that the finance committee Of the SEN
ate is against the bill by a majority Of
. 10 to 5, and the commission will prob
Aably no the abolished.
\ One Of the biggest questions with
Itch the general assembly is dealing
) IS that OF road improvement. A num-
her of measures have been introduced,
several OF them revolving around the
proposition to issue bonds to the
amount of s25.OoO,00o, to be retired by
automobile license tax. The various
roads. s.measures will be referred to. the
Joint steering committee appointed by
the two houses, which will thresh out
, the matter and present a consolida-
tion bill. What the general assembly
viii do in the matter is entirely prob
iematical.
The liquor agitation has come up
lagain in the shape OF a bill introduced
by Rep sentative H. H. Evans, of
Newberry, to permit the Importation
of a gallon a month, instead of the
present quart per month. 1t is hard
~ probable, however, that the legisla-
ture will give this much latitude in
the matter of liquor, in the face of
the prohibition wave which seems to
have swept the entire country. Mr,
Evans, however, says he is going to
press his bill to the finish, and is go
8 ing to make square fight upon it's
merits.
The legislature comes back tomor-
row for the last half Of the session.
There is a general disposition to get
through as early as possible. AS mat
ter of fact, the senate has once voted
, to postpone the session until later in
the year, but the house refused to con-
cur with the senate in the matter.
The members seem to want to get the
appropriation bill and the county sup
ply bills through just as quickly as
possible, and then adjourn, and their
, effort will be to keep the calendars SO
cleared that adjournment may hinge
only upon the time that these bills
may be disposed Of There is some
/ prospect that the session may be con,
cluded in less than the usual forty
DAYS, bat that is hardly probable.
Indications seem to point to the
election, without opposition, of For,
mer Governor John c. Sheppard, OF
Edgefeld, to succeed the late Senator
Nicholson, who was y5issss!::a o. =
ffuenza. Governor Sheppard for a
number Of years served his county in
the senate, and the late Senator Mich.
olson was his son-inlaw. There were
several candidates for the position
bnt the former governor was. urged
TO enter the race, and it seems likely
that he will have no. opposition.
The only matter of Statewide i'm
portance so far finally passed upon BY
the legislature was the enactment Of