The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, 1921-02-09
OF THE PAST WEEK
NSOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE


94he legislative session entered upon
its fifth week with very little accom-
plished so far as the passage OF ne"
8 s. acts is concerned. Perhaps 20 acts
e have been finally passed along to the
4 governor for his approval but all OF
IS then, have been entirely local in their
nature. So far no bill Of great state
wide importance has managed to run
the gamut Of both houses. The great
ser part of the past week. was spent
by the senate in discussion OF bills 70
abolish various state offices or de-
IA rtrnenfs but direct vote was
sseac1,ad on only one Of them, that to
abolish the board of public welfare,
which resulted in vote Of 26 to H.
against the BILL thereby giving this
agency Of government another lease
ss5en life. Bills are also pending on
StIe senate calendar to abolish the tax
commission, the highway commission
and perhaps some others. Predic-
tions are being freely made that they
Iyll meet fate similar to the one
to abolish the board of public vel
fare.
Unless the general assembly gets
more rapid move on, the session is
likely TO be prolonged over the usual
40 days, the time limit for which will
be up Saturday, February 19. Many
important matters are still pending
III both houses, including the bill to
B pro1Side a penalty for planting more
s than one-third of cultivated lands in
q cotton, the bill providing for consti-
tutionaI amendments desig ned to re-
Iieye the tax situation, for calling a
constitutional convention, for abolish
ing various departments, and the bill
{ TO make appropriations for the state
government and the various counties.
Appropriation Bill.
81 The. general state appropriation bill,
ssintroduced in the house by the ways
land means committee Monday night,
while it carries total Of $685.
y 50S6.7l, "a reduction of practically
sSstliree millions from requests made
Esand Of half a million under the gov
.,,s,a< tions proyides
& 8 fora reduction Of 1-2 mills in the
6 tax TOR state purposes over 1920.
s. Tor the year the two mill tax imposed
for road purposes at the last session
s4anIf sup plementing the general prop
s'SaFfH TAX with a tax Of one cent a gal
3 Ion On gasoline and perhaps an in
lrssitaRee tax.
Pie cut in appropriations came
Iss11dainiy BY policy denying all re-
Quests for new buildings at the var
IONS stat institutions, many Of which
q rad asked for large sums for addi-:
sSsioas. Only the institution for the.
deaf, dumb and blind was given any
{; thing for new buildings and this
I Sseened absolutely necessary to the
s.comnittee. Salaries were fixed by
I, lie committed remain the same as
sc 1870.
The. Lexington county supply bill
6 has not yet been introduced, but
Hobby gossip is to the effect that the
@delegation has managed to spare a
sEsnsiderable sum from the bill, at
Sfording considerable relief to taxpay-
Eers Tor next year. If reports are cor
rect TIE reductions are material, and
sssSftsis lowering of county taxes added
Exfe the decrease in state taxes will
nean considerable when next tax
Spaying time comes.
Local Measures.
practically no new bills affecting
3Hexingten county have been intro
duced. We had hoped to print in
EESSEuu in this issue the bills providing
s&SfDr rural police and new form Of
eounty government, but amendments
are pending which will make mater
iaI changes in these proposed laws
& and publication at this stage might be
confusing. 1t is understood that ore
of the changes proposed is to aban-
don the idea Of having the rural pol-
ieemen take the place Of magistrates
constable
Prospects for the coming week are
81 for a good deal OF talk, particularly
in the senate, where debate is unlinl-
81 HE'D. on avrious propositions which
q have not been acted on. Both the
senate and house last week killed
more bills than usual, in fact the idea