The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-15
MUCH EXPECTED
OF LEGISLATURE
Constructive Programme Out
lined for Several Depart
ments of Government.
TAXATION THE PARA
MOUNT PROBLEM
Other Subjects for Considera-
ton are Education, Good
Roads and Public Health.

Roads ana HuOIlc aealIu.
Columbia, Jan. 11.-Much construc-
tive legislation is expected at the ses-'
sion of the general assembly which
convenes Tuesday at noon. Educa-
ton. good roads, public heath and
taxation are expected to be the topics
around which will center the great
est interest Of the session.
Both houses will be called to order
at noon Tuesday. J. Wilson Gibbes,
clerk of the last house, will call the
new house to order. If he is in the
State at the time, Lieut.. Gov. Andrew
}. Bethea will call the senate to or
der. Should he not be able to be
present, Senator LeGrand Walker, Of
Georgetown, will call that body to
order.
Thomas P. Cothran of Greenville
will be reelected speaker Of the house
and J. Wilson Gibbes clerk. There IS
contest on for reading clerk be
tween A. E. Hutchinson, the incura-
bent, and S. MCGOWAN Simpkins oe
Edgefeld, a former reading clerk. j.
S. Wilson of Lancaster will be reflect
| ed sergeant at arms without opposI.
ton and so far as is known Rev. L. E.
Virgins will be unopposed for chap
lain.
In the senate none of the old Off
Gals will be opposed for reelection and
that body will organize very quickly.
The governors message will proba-
bly, be read on Tuesday Immediately
after the organization of the Two
houses.
There seems to be little cooni to
doubt that ;. strict compulsory eeiU-
cation law will be passed at this ses-
sion. 1t is understood that Gov. Man
ming is going to ask for it in his an
nual message and it is known .hat
Gov. Cooper in his inaugural is going
to stress the necessity of such legis-
latien. Mr.. Cooper is going to ask
the passage CT law without any
/ loopholes in it, one that will compel
every child to attend school.
Mr. Cooper has other educational
legislation that he is going to ask.
1t seems pretty generally agcced
around Columbia that the good roads
the central good roads campaign
committee following a conference
with the State highway commission
on Wednesday will be put through By
the general assembly.
/ This committee is asking for legs
lation paving the way Off a big bond
issue in 1920 to construct a permanent
State highway system.
The legislature is asked this year
to change the State highway commits
sion so that it shall be composed Of
one representative from each congress
sional district and the three senior
professors of civil engineering in the
State colleges, the Citadel, the Univer
sity of South Carolina and Clemson
| College.
This commission would be given the
power to appoint and fix the compen-
sation of its engineers and employees
and the power to lay out, construct.
regulate and maintain system Of
State highways connecting every
county in South Carolina; such high
ways to be SO constructed and surfac-
ed as to take care Of the traffic which
The commission would further be
instructed to investigate the cost Of
the construction of such a system of
highways and to report to the next
session Of the legislature what State
bonds would be necessary therefor,
and the estimated annual license tax
necessary for the retirement thereof,
after providing for proper mainte-
nance Of the said highway.
The general assembly will also be
asked to raise the annual license tax
beginning with 1921 on motor
vehicles to s100 per horsepower
| for automobile ard motorcycles
and $500 per horsepower for
motor trucks, and the license for
dealers to $50 for each make of car
handled, and to fix the license Of
trailers at SO; all of which shall be
turned over 20 the State highway COM
! mission for the construction of
bridges on the proposed highway sys-
facing of such portions of State high
way as may be practicable in con-
junction with any federal aid which
may be provided for roads in this
State.
The people CT South Carolina are
awake as never before to the neces-
sity Of good roads and it is believed
here that the good roads committee is
going 10 get all that it asks for
\ lively row is expected at this ses-
sca on the tax commission. An ef-
fort will undoubtedly be made to
abolish it but the friends of the sys-
tenn are going to put up mighty
strong fight against it.
On the question Of taxation Gov
Cooper is going to recommend the
adoption of the Virginia budget sys-