The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-02-03


speedily ended by the house this
year, when the ways and means COM
mittee bill to abolish the commission,
and to substitute therefor board of
three tax assessors to be elected by
the legislature, was killed by the close
vote of 81 to 46. Last year the house
voted to abolish the commission, but
the senate refused to concur with the
house, and the commission was re-
called. This year the abolition bill
met it's death in the house. There
was spirited discussion in the house,
the proponents of the measure frank
ly stating that they were trying to get
rid of the present personnel of the
commission by legislative enactment.
Mr.. A. w. Jones, formerly cowptrol-
Ter general, is chairman of the COM
mission, and it was at him, it appear
ed from the discussion on the floor of
the house, that the fight was primar-
lily aimed.
The house has given final reading
and sent to the senate the measure
permitting Greek letter fraternities
in state institutions of higher learn
ing; changing the fiscal year by con-
stitutionai amendment and number
of other measures.
THE change of the fiscal year will
have to be submitted to the people,
if it gets through the senate. The
states fiscal year now runs from
January I to December 81, the same
as the calendar year. The legisla-
ture meets in January, and under the
present system, from the first of
January until the appropriation bill
is passed, the various departments
and institutions of the state are with
out funds. This would be obviated
with the legislature meeting in JAN
uary and making appropriations for
a fiscal year to begin on July fol-
lowing. Then, in addition, the var
ious departments and institutions
would have time to prepare their re-
ports. and the members of the legis-
lature time to study them before the
session. There are many very ex-
cellent reasons why the year should
run from July l to June 30.
For a Larger Citadel.
Mr.. Minis, of Edgetield, has intro
duced in the house, and Senator
Padgett, in the senate, measure to
appropriate s6O0.ooo for new Cit
adel, at Charleston, the money to be
replaced in the treasury from the sale
of the present site and buildings.
Last year the legislature accepted an
offer from the city of Charleston OF
200 acres of land on the Ashley
river, within the city limits, as a site
for larger Citadel, and appropriated
100000, 100000 to be available
each year for three years, for the
erection of buildings, to supplement
building fund to be derived from
the sale Of the present property. The
measure introduced this year is in
spired by the fact that it has been
found ineXpedient to sell the present
site until the new buildings are erect
ed, and the idea is to make the entire
money available now, and then, IN
stead of using the proceeds from the
sale of the present property as
building fund, to convert it into the
state treasury.
Elections By General Assembly.
The following elections have been
held by the general assembly the past
week, including the reelection, with
out opposition, of Mr.. W. A. Nc
Swain, of Newberry, as state insur-
ance commissioner, and the re-elec-
tion of Mr.. A. Hayne Hawkins OF
Prosperity, as member of the board
of directors of the penitentiary.
The joint assembly reelected with
out OPPOSITION w. A. McSwain OF
state insurance commits
sioner and Mrs. Virginia G. Moody
of Columbia as state librarian.
A. w. Reynolds and DR.. J. H. Nc
Leod were reelected without opposl-
tion as members of the board of re-
gents of the State Hospital for the
Insane.
There was also a unanimous re-
election of David R. Coker and ?. A.
Wilcox as trustees of the University
of South Carolina.
Claude Sheppard was reelected as
member of the board Of visitors of
the Citadel without opposition.
A. L. Dukes and Claude E. Sawyer