The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-01-31
COMMISSION BILL.
TO THIRD READING
SENATOR MILLER'S TWO MEAS
URES ADVANCED
Grade Crossing in Sparsanburg Not
to Be Eliminated. Other
Matters
The State, p.

Ter to create a new railroad commls-
sion of seven members TO be elected
by the general assembly, at the same
time abclishing the railroad and pub
lie service commissions as now con-
stituted, and the killing Of the bill
by Representative Foster Of Spartan
burg to require the Southern railway
TO eliminate the east Main street rail
way grade crossing in SpaTtanourg
were the chief actions Of the senate
at the day session yesterday.
Senator Miller's telephone measure,
companion bill TO the railroad COM
mission bill, was also advanced to
third reading with notices Of general
amendments. This measure would put
the telephone companies on the same
basis as they existed prior TO the Or
der of the railroad commission in
1921, refusing to allow the com2a-
MES to furnish inte.urban telephone
service without additional cost to
regular subscriber.
Telephone Bill
The main section of the bill reads:
CAN telephone companies operating
within the state are hereby required
to render to all telephone subscribers
;nterurban telephone service without
additional cost therefor, provided
,here is direct interurban telephone
communication; and no telephone
company operating in this state shall
50 limit the telephone exchange radius
so as to exclude interurban service
which may be rendered without relay
and rural service directly connected
With each telephone exchange"
Senator Miller explained the details
of both bills and showed where he
thought there was ample jurisdiction
for the legislature to make the change
in the railroad commission. Mr., Mil
Ter scored the work of the present
railroad commission, characterlzing 1t
as UNPRECEDENTED and intolerable IN
efficiency. He also took up the COM
missions telephone hearing and the
increased rates, declaring that such an
order allowing the increase was mex
cusable. The commission disregarded
the law of the state, he declared. He
went into close detail on both meas
ures.
A long debate was entered into on
the bill by Representative Foster to
require the Southern Railway compa-
ny to eliminate the east Main street
crossing at Spartanburg.
Senator Watkins moved to strike
out the enacting words and by vote
of 21 to Is the enacting words We're
stricken out. Senator Rogers earnest
" pleaded for favorable action as ne
said the people of Spartanburg have
been trying to get relief for nearly
20 wears, but had no chances unless
the legislature acted The main ar
guments against the bill were that
there were many other crossings just
as dangerous as the one in Spartaburg
that should be eliminated and that the
Southern railway could not possibly
eliminate all these. Reductions IN
freight and passenger rates arc more
essential than eliminating one cross
ing, Senator Young said, and several
other senators agreed with him.
Speaking for the bill were Senator'S
Rogers, Goodwin and Duncan and
against were Senators Watkins, Cros-
son, McGhee and Young.
Other Matters
Senator Moore's bill to amend the
highway law so as to allow Abbevlile
county to use the automobile license
fund and the two mill tax money for
ordinary county purposes was referred
to the judiciary committee upon mo-
ton of the senator from Ab5eville.
Senator Millar's bill to require the
vendor of cotton, corn, tobacco or
other commodity to disclose he name
of the true owner thereof was passed
and sent to the house as amended.
The committee on agriculture amend
ed the measure so as to make It read
"u3on request" and Senator HarreI-
son offered an amendment to exempt
tobacco warehouses from the terms
of the measure. Both amendments
were accepted.
Representative Brysons bill to
amend the present law so as to re-
quire the state flag to be displayed on
the "inside" instead of the ''outside'
of schools and other state buildings
was advanced to third reading
without objection.
\ ]arre number of local bills were