The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-02-02
THE LEGISLATURE
THIS WEEK
Forecast of The Meas
ures of Importance
That Will BE: Con-
Sidered

SllSl VII
'olumhiN Jan. Possibly thc
most important. though not the most
Spectacular event in the general AS
Scmbiy this week will be the intro
ductlon OF the general appropriation
DIlI, by the ways and means COM
mlttcc of the house of representa-
yves. 1t is expected that this will be
placed on the desk Of the speaker of
the house ON Thursday, ten days
sooner than i. WAS introduced laSt
| year.
One of the most interesting events
oI The week in the halls Of legisla-
! ton will be the election of a speaker
OF the house. to succeed Hon. Thos
p. Cothran. who Friday qualified as
associate justice Of the supreme
| court. Speaker Pro Tenn j. B. At
kinson, Of Spartanburg, will in all
probability be elected, though Claude
\. Sapp, of Columbia, will be nomi-
mated and will make a strong race.
Representatives Owens and Mower
are also mentioned for the position.
As soon as he is elected the new
speaker will likely announce a date
FOR the election Of a new member
from Greenville- county, this to be
done at the instigation of the Green
vile delegation.
1t is expected that the stock law
fight, which has held an exciting
place on the boards during recent
days, will produce a new sensation
with the introduction during the
week Of a statewide stock law, al
lowing no county or township eXemp-
tions, and putting an end, if passed,
to free grass" forever.
Among the bills that will bring
forth debate this week are the two
moving picture censorship bills, one
in each legislative branch, both in
troduced from Spartanburg by Rep
resentative Harris and Senator Rog-
erS, and both on the calendars with
unfavorablc reports. but with pros
poets of a battle scene. the bill by
Representative j. Il. Atkinson to en-
power the public service commission
to regulate rates and service Of all
public utilities; the bill to appropriate
$4,000, to make up the deficit in
the carrying out of the provisions of
tn" seven months school term act Of
The 1920 legislature, about which
Governor Cooper will likely have to
send some message to the legislatures;
and Representative Owens bill 10 re-
peal the act providing for insurance
Of public buildings by the state sink
ing fund commission.
ON the house calendar this week are
four bills proposing amendments to
the state highway act, all with un-
favorable or divided committee re-
ports Two of these, one introduced by
pickens delegation and one by Rep
rcs"nativc Owens, of Marlboro,
would put the issuing Of automobile
license ON the clerks of court. An
other by the Barnwcll dclcga, ion
would provide for the expenditure of
the twO-mill levy for roads in the
counties. The fourth, intrVduccd by
Representatives Pradford and Dick
son, would reduce tire licenses on
motor trucks
Tuesday night at $ The senate will
resume debate on the bill introduced
by Senator Jeremiah Smith, Of Iior-
ry. to exempt his county from the
state stock law.
During the week bill "fathcrcd"
The state, will be introduced in lhc
legislature, TO raise the age of consent
from Il 10 l6, and also providing for
prosecution of women found guilty Of
leading young boys from the straight
and narrow path.
The scna'c will Tuesday night also
consider a resolution, already pass
cd by the house, directing the state
treasurer TO pay TO the Palmetto Nat
iOnal bank OF Columbia. the sum OF
200, with interest at 4 u per cen.
from maturity, which was borrowed
on behalf of the National Guard. by
direction Of the 1920 general assem-
bly,.
Both branches Of the general as
scmbly have invited Mrs. Maudc
Wood Park. president Of the Nation
al League Of Women Voters, Il resi-
dent of Washing on. TO address the
legislature on the evening of Feb
ruary 10, ON behalf of the women's
organizations OF the state and thcir
Legislative program. The women are
interested in a number of measures
now passing through the Legislative
mil During the next few days Il
bill will be ntroduccd i, is said, to
require the women to pay poll tax
This is suggested by the League of
Women Voters.