The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-08
LAW MAKERS
OF ALL STATES
Fifty-Five Legislatures to Be in
Session This Month
AN OUTLINE OF PRO.
BABLE LEGISLATIVE
In Seven States Ambitious Pro-
gram for Public Improvement
vii Be Taken Up

| New York, Jan. 3--Lesislatures Of
40 states and territories, most of
which open their sessions today or
later this month, have before them
formidable programs Of tax reform,
! dry law enforcement, election redis-
tricting in accordance with the 1920
census, soldier bonuses, public inn
provements. revision of constitutions.
law sfor husband and wife, industrial
and suffrage legislation, state aid for
FARMERS, boxing commissions, new fl
nancing. retrenchment by consolida-
ton or abolition OF state departments,
anu-radtca ism, autOmo obile regula
ton, reorganization OF state militias,
relief for public utilities, amendment
! or repeal OF primary laws, commits
sion or manager" plans for cities
and counties and pro and anti-blue
law ena .tments.
California, with its ambitious $780,
100000 state wide irrigation project,
leads the states in the matter of pro-
posed public improvements and will
ask the legislators to authorize a sur
vey of the contemplated enterprise.
colorado also has big mountain
ifunnel in contemplation. West Vir-
ginia solons will be required to pass
laws at the session opening January
Jb providing for the expenditure OF
S60,OO0,000 for building good roads.
for which the people voted a bond
ssue at the recent election. Missouri
also must provide $S0,oOo,O0O road
building legislation. g..
Establishment Of state constab-
ulary, urged. largely by farmers, and
enactment OF a bill legalizing boxing
IN addition to proposal to repeal her
state, primary law, held unconstitu-
tional by the State Supreme Court
vii be taken up By the legislature OF
Illinois sometime after that body
meets, for it's opening session mex,
"Wednesday. Fights against primary
laws are to be made also in Indiana
Missouri, Nebraska, New York, New
Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee
Vcrmonr and Wyoming.
Vermont liberals plan an attack
on the blue laws Of the state insofa,
as they relate to observance Of the
Sabbath. An effort will be made, i,
Is said. to modify the present statutes
so as to permit amateur sports, par
the sport is not commercialized. Loca
option such as es lists in Massachu-
setts. enabling individual cities and
towns to determine their own prac-
iice in the matter of Sunday games
Will be sought. New Hampshire
| pennsylvania and South Dakota are
also expected to discuss anti blue
laws California. meanwhile, will ar
gue the merits or demerits of q Sun.
day closing law.
Reorganization OF the state Judi.
ciary system and constitutional
amendment proposing that none but
American citizens. native or fully
naturalized. be allowed the right OF
suffrage in Texas" will be before the
law makig body at Austin, Tex. be-
ginning January II. Another Texas
bill would exclude Orientals from ac-
4uiring land within the state. Kansas
representatives will have bills before
! them providing state aid for highway
! construction and financial assistance
to farmers in purchasing homes.
! Capital punishment, as a result of
legal discussion over the Cole Gram
mer murder case, will confront the
! Nebraska legislature AM. West Vir-
Ginia will act on proposals to abolish
private detective agencies. The last
named state also will consider amend
ments to laws relating to marriage in
order TO make non-support an extra =
ditable otfensc. California legislators
| once again will be called upon to con-
slider the act Of 1919, which WAS de-
signed to place a wife on an equality
| with her husband, and which was
! defeated last fail.
! Many states will be confronted
with the problem of raising funds to
! pay soldiers bonuses voted at the
last election. South Dakota is pledged
to obtain $6.000,0O0; Montana legis-
lators will vote on the qeustion of a
! bonus for 10000 eX-service men:
Delaware lawmakers will take a simi-
lar vote; Connecticut must raise S.
100000 for soldier relief; New Hemp-
shire, in addition to bonus. may
exempt veterans property from taxa
ton up to $500 value; Iowa solons
at the Legislative session beginning
January 10, also will consider a sold
ier's bonus bill.