The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-02-08
STAGE HOT BATTLE
ON WELFARE BOARD
DEBATE FOR THREE HOURS ON
MOVE TO ABOLISH
Senate Unable to Reach Vote Last
Night and, VIII Continue Talk
This Morning

Night and Will Continue Talk
~ This Morning
The State, 8.
No vote was reached on Senator
Wight,nan's bill to abolish the state
board of public welfare in the senate
last night, although the measure was
debated from $50 until III 30
O'Clock. Debate on this bill was decid-
edly: the warmest yet and was heard
byta full house.
After the debate had lasted for
practically three hours, the senate
made the bill special order for to-
day. Immediately following third
reading bills, and then adjourned.
When the measure was recalled foc
debate at the special hour last night
Senater Baker was the first speaker.
He strongly defended the board and
itsowork, laying special emphasis on
the child placing bureau and using
this branch Of the work as a sole ex-
euse as to why the board should be
kept intact. The Florence senator
made an eloqaent plea on behalf of
the unfortunate children of the state
and said if this branch of the work
was abolished he would Immediately
introduce bill providing for its con-
tinuance.
Senator Miller was unwilling to
tear down, but on the other hand
wanted to build it. He was mindful of
the cry of burdensome taxes and the
need for reduced appropriations, but
said he could not vote for measure
Of the kind offered by Mr.. Wightman.
Laney for Bill =.
Senator Laney strongly attacked
the welfare board and supported the
bill Of the Saluda senator. Mr.. Laney
said the state could well get along
xwishou. the board and charged that
South Carolina was adding S'too many
frills.,' He recalled the fact that not
so many years ago the, welfare board
was not in existence; yet the various
institutions now under its control
were thriving and doing good worke
he said. He cited The penitentiary
and praised Col. A. e Sanders, the
sunerintendent, for the many humane
reforms made at the prison. Mr.. Lam
ey said he was, at loss to under
stand why the welfare board had not
claimed credit for these, reforms and
also the good work at the state hos
pital. He charged that the board was
too Ear reaching andgtsied to cover
too much territory, ~ -,
The Chesterfield senator pointed
out that all the state institutions
were doing good work before the vel
fare board came into existence and he
saw no good reason why they could
mt continue to do so without the
board. Mr., Laney cited the sssgood old
days. when he was boy and said he
would like to go back to those days
when the people were down to rock
bettom business and no frills. He
Sfurther charged that the child plac-
ing bureau was brought. into exis-
5ence without his knowledge of any
appropriation being made for it. If
such an act creating this bureau. was
passed, he said he didn't know Of it.
Senator Laney's strong plea was for
the common schools, holding that in
these lay the fundamental principles
OF society, education, morals and
child culture. He was willing to see
some of the commissions now in ex-
istence abolished in order to aid the
public schools.
ChristeRsen Defends
z Senator Christensen bore the main
brunt of the defense of the board.
He replied to charges of Senator
Laney that the board was doing dup
icate work and also said that the
public schools could not meet all the
problems, and the welfare board was
conceived to aid partially the schools.
Mr.. Christensen took up the sala-
ried Offices of the board individually
and explained in detail what these Of
ficers did. He presented figures show
ing that the board had Inspected jails,
almshouses, chaingangs, state insti-
tutiens and done much other work
that would greatly aid the state if the
recommendation in the reports were
carried out.
The Beaufort senator read reports
: from the board on jails and told of