The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-02-20

sent it to the senate, and the lower
body is now engaged in the consider
alton Of the appropriation bill. 1t
begins to look very much as if the
legislature will run into March.
The good roads measure as it pass
ed the house and went to the senate
this morning, would levy tax of two
mills upon the property of the state,
this tax to be expended upon perma-
nent roads in the counties where it is
raised, the roads to be built under the
direction and supervision of the state
highway commission, with such fed
eral aid as may be available. Then
there is a license tax upon motor
vehicles, eighty per cent. of which
goes to the respective counties
where it is raised, for maintenance of
the permanent roads which are to be
built. Twenty per cent. of this IL
cense tax is to be used for the main
tenance of the commission.
AS the bill passed the house, it
would create new state highway
commission, to be composed of one
member from each congressional dis
trict, to be appointed by the governor,
subject to confirmation by the senate.
One of these members would be elect
ed by the commission as chairman at
a salary Of $4,000 per year. The
commission would of course, employ
highway engineer.
The bill provides for a license Of
$6 on all automobiles weighing not
over 1900 pounds, and 81 for each
additional 500 pounds. One ton
trucks $40; three ton trucks $50; four
ton trucks s100; five ton trucks 5000;
six ton trucks $500; seven ton
trucks and over $1,000; and motor
cycles So. Lumber trucks with
trailers will pay SIS and So for each
1000 pounds of load capacity.
Heretofore the state highway COM
mission has consisted of the senior
professor of the engineering depart
ments of the University of South
Carolina, Clemson, the Citadel and
two others appointed by the COVER
nor. The members of the new COM
mission are to be appointed by the
governor, three for term of four
wears, and four for term of two
years, and their successors for
term of four years.
The mesaure looks toward building
a system of state highways connect
ing the various county seats, making
permanent through roads first.
Work Overtime Without Pay.
The house, by vote of 81 to 30,
refused to pay members of the gen
eral assembly for overtime beyond
the customary forty days. Mr.. H. II.
Evans, of Newberry, introduced a
resolution to this effect, and strongly
urged it, but the house could not see
it that way.
The house also killed the Hamblin-
Hart measure, so far as this session is
concerned, putting drastic restrlc-
tions around the sale of extracts. The
bill died of it's own weight, its re-
strictions being too drastic, in the
opinion of the legislators.
There is every indication that the
good roads measure will get through
the senate, probably with some
amendments, and the principal inter-
est in the remainder of the session
centers in this measure and in the
appropriation measure which the
house is now tackling. There is
strenuous opposition in the house to
some of the extraordinary items IN
the bill. 1t will take the report OF
the free conference committee IN the
closing hours of the session some time
hence to determine just what appro-
priations will be made, and what will
not be. The house may cut them out,
and the senate retain them, or vice
versa, and then the conference COM
mittee in adjusting such differences
as there may be between the houses,
will frame the bill as it will become
operative.
There was determined fight in
the house this afternoon to abolish
the state constabulary, for the main
tenance of which $4,000 is provided
in the bill, but the fight failed, and
the constabulary is retained. 1t was
urged that with national prohibition,
enforced by the federal authorities,