The Fairfield news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1881-1900, February 17, 1897, Image 1
II ~VQL. LI. WINNSBORO, S. G, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 17, 1897. NO. 28.
p "the antitrust bill
I PASSES THE SENATE AND AWAITS
& THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE.
!|| veral Oiher Important Measures Pass
gfxhelr Second Reading and are in a Fair
BWay to Become ?Some Bills that
by the TTny Side.
Ktolu^ip.ia, S. C., Feb. 13 ?The
senate on Saturday discussed two bills
at; length on their second reading.
The first, the house bill requiring the
sicking fund commission to lend
funds to the several countv* treasurers
of the State for the use of their coun
lies in preference to lending the same
to other applicants for such funds;
the second, a bill extending the powers
of the railroad commission to the
telegraph and express companies. The
former passed without very decided
opposition, while the latter came m
for its full share of discussion pro and
COB.
Mr. Buist objected to the sinkiGg
'fund>being loaned to counties. He
was opposed, said he, to leading
money on any other security than
State bonds.
Mr. Henderson said the security givfa
would be just as good as State
bonds. He could not see the justice
r.f lending this money to the banks at
4j per cent, to relend to the counties
m S per cent. It was not money paid
by the people aru why not let it to the
counties at the 4-i per cent., thus saviog
Si per cent, to the taxpayers.
Mr. Buist raised otiier oDjections 10
ihe security and Mr. Moses asked him
if be knevr o? any bank in the State
ibat would not lend money with the
<*cunty taxes pledged as security.
Mr. Buist knew of no such bank.
Mr. Buist moved to strike out the
"?n8cting words. This was voted down
and the bill passed it second reading.
A bill to regulate express and telegraph
companies, and to extend the
powers of the railroad commissioners
so as tc give them power and authority
to regulate charges by express companies
for transportation; to regulate
charges of telegraph companies for
'he transportation of messages by telegraph,
or charges by persons engaged
m the several businesses named herein
; to apply the powers given to said
commissioners by law over railroad
companies to all companies or persons
owning, controlling or operating a
line or lines of express or*telegraph:
ana ms-se uie peusuLy yicjvuuvu
..against railroads 'or violating commissioners*
rules apply to the companies
and persons herein named -whose
line or lines is cra^e wholly or in
part in this State was killed, after several
senators spoke on it. Messrs.
Ragsdale, Love and Mayfield -were
for the measure. They argued that
the Constitutien required the passage
of such an act as this; that numerous
cases of unfair treatment by these
companies had occurred and for the
protection of the people the bill should
, pass.
Messrs. Buist, Dean, Walker, Henderson
ard Hsy led the opposition
forces. T-.ey attacked the bill on the
grounds that there was no general
complaint against these companies;
that in the case of express the compare
nies were kept from charging exorbif
tant rates by their powerful competitor,
the United States mails; that if
losses did occur they were always
paid by the companies; and finally.
Messrs. Buist and Dean opposed the
measure upon the bread ground that
legislation was becoming too paternal.
IThe vote resulted in the bill being
killed by IS to 10.
A house bill to prevent the employi
ment of other than convict labor on
anv State farm was debated on very
i much the same lines as in the house.
Messrs. Meses, Kay and Connor speke
& of the demoralizing effect on free labor
- r 1~ 4S\ nofa
ILH HctViJU^ ciic wuiMVhv
the farmers. The State paid more
for labor than the farmers could afford
and of course secured it.
Messrs. Archer, Norris and Gaine>
objected to the bill. There were certain
times during harvest, said they,
ihat it was almost a necessity to have
the cotton picked. Unless free labor
was employed this could not be done
and a-heavy loss would be inflicted by
having the cotton exposed to the ravages
of a storm. Mr. Norris also
wanted to amend by striking cut the
proviso against hiring out convicts
except when there was no work on
the State farms to be done. By a vote
of 20 to 9 the amendment was rejected
I ana the oiii passec.
On Mondey the House anti-trust
bill with the committee amendments
came up after the disposition of several
special orders. The only amendment
of importance of these was the
change of title. Mr. Henderson
moved to amend by adding a proviso
f hat "nothing in this Act shall atf^jt
ihe Dispensary law/' The bill was
'.hen passed. The bill declares unlawful
and void all arrangements, agreements,
trusts or combinations made
with a view to lessen, or which tends
io lessen, free competition in the importation
or sale of articles imported
iutolhe State, or in the manufacture
or sale of articles of domestic growth
or of domestic raw materials; to dei
lare unlawful and void all arrange:nents,
contracts, agreements, trusts
or combinations between persons or
corporations designed, or which tend
to advance, reduce cr control ihe
urice of such product or article to pro
ducer or consumer of any such product
or article; to provide for forfeit:
ure of the charter and franchise of any
\ corporation, organized under the laws
of this "State, violating any cf the provisions
of this Act; to prohibit every
corporation violating any of the provisions
of this Act from doing business
in this State; to require the Attorney
General of this btate to institute
legal preceedisgs against asy
such corporations violating the provisions
of this Act and tD enforce the
penalties prescribed; to prescribe penalties
for any violation of this Act; to
authorize any person or corporation
damaged by any such trust agreement
uj sue for the recovery of such damage
and for other purposes.
Th'.re was some discussion over the
" 'aim fr.r Solicitor's extra charges in
Uie jSroxton Bridge case. Mr. Scarborough
thought the charge should be
against Colleton County. Ivlr. Ken.
, -tierscn explained that they T.vere
t-harges incurred at the instance of the
Governor and the State was the proper
one to pay them. There was a
sharp debate by various members and
I the aye and nay vote was called for
on Mr. Scarborough's motion to indefinitely
postponethe resolution. The
Rebate proceeded with spirit until Mr.
B^gsdaie announced that it was well
Bfct it "was the nrinciple of the bill
Httwas being debated, for the Senate
|g||already consumed enough time in
J 1
discussion to disc&arge the obligation.
He called for the vote. It was 1 to
19 against the motion.
A message was received from the
Governor recommending that the apprapriation
asked for by the State
Fair Association be granted. The
communication of Mr. L. D. Childs
showed that the society had paid back
the loan of Jast year and that the balance
of cash in the treasury was not
sufficient to enable the society to carry
cut its plans this year. The message
was referred to the Finance
Committee.
There was some debate on the resolution
to appoint a committee to examine
into the Sinking Fund Comi
mission. It was argued by some that
I the aii'air had been argued enough,
I others thought that the mere fact of its
having come to the public through
the newspapers was argument for the
investigation by the General Assembly.
The Senate passed the resolution
amending it to make the commitfee
i consist of hve instead of three members.
On Tuesday on motion of Mr. Archer
a house bill to require all county
officers of the counties of the State to
keep open their offices during each
week day was indefinitely postponed
Twenty-nine counties had asked to be
exempted from the provisions of the
bill before it was killed.
Mr. Buist called for the special or
der of a joint resolution authorizing
the State treasurer to issue to
Samuel Lord, as receiver of the president
and directors of tie State bank,
or his duly appointed successor, consolidation
bonds or stock equal in
amount to 50 per centum of
"the par value of certain 6 per cent.
State bonds and interest tnereon
(which bonds were taken and lost or
destroyed by Federal soldiers curing
the late civil war, and to which the
said receiver by decrees of the court,
has been adjudged entitled), and to
permit the refunding of the same under
the acts for the redemption of the
State debt.
Mr Archer moved to indefinitely
postpone the joint resolution. He
spoke nearly an hour along the line of
argument that there was no proof that
these bonds had been stolen.
Mr. Gaines spoke against the resolution.
''Strenuous efforts," said he,
"are made to impress this general
assembly with 4he idea that the courts
have investigated the whole matter;
that the validity and justness of their
claim has been established beyond all
fiuestion: that our dutv is simply to j
lake action to remedy a little legal defect.
Now to my mind nothing that
has transpired in connection with this
matter imposes even any equitable or!
moral obligation unon this body. The
courts have simply authorized these
parties to come here and ask the general
assembly to go outside of the law
and make good their loss." Mr.
j Gaines spoke along this line, and in
conclusion said that this loss was nothing
more than one of the casualties of
the war. It would be as just for those
who had lost their slaves and other
property in the war to come and ask
pay for such losses as for these claimants
to ask for reimbursement for lost
bonds.
Mr. Buist, in the course of his
speech for the resolution, said he
-1 - J
Wisneu 11 ULUCI^lwu iiv
was not interested either directly or
indirectly in the matter. As the senator
from Charleston he had introduced
the resolution, and after a study
I of the question he thought it should
pass.
Mr. Dean and Mr. Sigsdale spoke
against the passage of the resolution.
Mr. Henderson made a clear exposition
of the matter in favor of the
passage.
The aye and nay vote was taken, resulting
in the indefinite postponement
of the resolution by a vote of 22 to 7.
All the senators voted in favor of indefinite
postponement save Meesrs.
Buist, Henderson, Moses, Mower, Ragin,
Sloan and Talbird.
In the Senate on Wednesday when
| Mr. Brown's bill to require all parents
j or guardians to compel their children
j or wards to attend school for eight
| weeks in each year was reached on the
| the calendar. Mr. Ragsdale moved
| to strike out the enacting words, sayj
ing that it was going too far for the
State government attempt to supercede
the government of the family. After
some discussion Mr. Ragsdale's motion
was adopted by the following
vote:
Aye?Alexander, Archer, Connor,
Dean, Denois, Douglass, DuBose,
Gaines, Griffith, Love, McDaniei, Miller,
Movrer, O'Dell, Ragsdale, Turner,
Wallace, Williams?IS.
Nay?Brown, Buist, Maulain, Mayfield,
McCalla, Moses, Norris, Pettiotatit
f-?son"r> Qanrierc Sr?9rVsryrr?n?h_ i
Sloan, Talbird?13.
Mr. Moses' bill to provide that all
suits arising between citizens of this
State and foreign corporations shall
be tried in State courts and not translerred
to the United States courts,
elicted .seme discussion when it came
up for a second reading.
Mr. Mower moved to strike out the
enacting words. He did so, he said,
not because he was opposed to the bill,
but because he thought it would b9 in
contravention of the United States
Constitution and laws and hence nugatory.
It would lead to costly litigation,
and besides would become
a H !=>ar1 (prt<>T
Mr. Moses in reply, said if there
was a doubt of the bill being unconstitutional,
then the benefit of the
doubt should be given to the State.
If this State was good enough for forI
foreign corporations to do business in
| then our courts were good enough to
j have their causes tried in. He cited
instances of the cost of trial in United
States courts, and as a means of protection
aga:nst these great costs he
| hoped the bill would pass.
1 Mr. Mower s motion to strike out
the enacting words was defeated and
i thebiil ordered to a third reading.
Mr. Gaines' bill to amend the dispensary
law as it relates to distilleries
passed a second reading. Under the
present law distilleries can be established
anywhere in the State by a permit
granted by the State board of control.
Mr. Gaines' amendment provides
that such permits shall not be
J ^riiULCLi ^/C^LLi^u. uy a.
J lion signed by two-tniras of the free
| holders" of the locality in which it is
i proposed to establish the distillery.
Mr. Mower's bill relating to town;
ship assessors passeda second reading. |
il. provides: "That from and after
I the passage of this act the governor
j shali appoint, upon the reccmmenda!
tion of the senator and tha members of
j the house of representatives from the
respective counties, three discreet electors
in each ircorporated city and
town in this State having a population
] of not less than 500 nor more than 10,;
000 who shall be known as the board
of assessors of such cit. *- ..ad towns,
whose term of office shall be coterminal
with that of the governor by whom
such assessors have been appointed
and until their successors have been
appointed and qualified. The duties
heretofore devolved upon the township
board of commissioners as assessors
shall be devolved upon the board
of assessors herein provided for within
the limits of their respective cities
and towns. The chairman of such
board of assessors shall be a member of
the county board of commissioners
while performing the duties heretofore
devolved upon the county board of j
equalization.
An invitation to the senate from the j
city council of Charleston to attend j
the reception to be given Secretary of!
11 "^"T* TT-?~ ^ 1 0?U ^ r?4" I
me i\avy xierusn uu ilio iow j.u.oo. , ;
and to visit the war vessels, -was received
just before the hour of adjournment.
J
On motion of Mr. Moses the presl- j
dent of the senate was instructed to ac- j
cept the invitation and appoint a com - J
mittee on arrangements.
Mr. Connor wished to amend by !
providing that the per diem of the
senators and attaches should not be j
paid that da v.
"I have no objection, but I consider!
it mere buncombe," said Mr. Moses, i
After this hasty reply he arose j
and said he did object to the,
amendment. It looked little and I
picavunish. and as if the people
of the State had no confidence in
their representatives and were always
haggling over small amounts.
"And," put in Mr. May field as Mr.
Moses took his seat, 4 'I j ust want to
say that there it no la w against a s?d ator
turning over his per diem to the
State treasurer if he has any scruoles
about accepting it." Mr. May field
went on to say that the legislature was
a hard working, good tempered bcdy
and he was sure the people of the
State would not grudge them this day
off.
Mr. Archer said when he went in a
party on such a trip he wished to go
along with a dignified body of men,
who were unsurrounded by rabble
ana bummers. He objected to bummers
and others because they could j
save a little money flocking along with
the legislature.
The president appointed Messrs.
Moses, Henderson and Pettigrew a
committee of arrangement after assuring
Mr. Archer that outsiders would
not be permitted to encroach upon the
privileges of the senate on this trip.
There was nothing before the senate
for discussion after the invitation had
been accepted, so Mr. Archer- seized
the golden moment to enter a complaint
against the beggars who infest
the State hcuse grounds and the sidewalks
as the senators leave after adjournment
He saidjhe was tired of
being attacked on all sides by beggars
with their tales of woe. He was willing
to help them, but preferred to do
^^ ""ITT fi f TTo Oil -rnrcclccl tViot. if
du as 11^ oa ? n^w?? -?the
city was unable to care for them
that a collection be taken up by the
senate to ship them out of the way.
While he was in the midst of his
speech Mr. Ragsdale rose to a point oi
order, his point being that there was
nothing for discussion before the senate.
Mr. Archer deftly turned the laugh
on Mr. Kagsdale by replying: "Well, j
i rise to a point of personal privilege."
When Mr. Archer had finished stating
his point of personal privilege, Mr.
Sloan, as the representative from
Columbia, replied to him, saying it
was sadly true that Columbia was infested
with beggars just now, but he
understood they came from the surrounding
country. Some of them were
mill operatives and he was reliably ini]r>r%
4- rvn ovtrr nimo frAm fVlAmillc
JLUi JJLiCU. 1-U0,0 JJdLClU JT javm
in Spartanburg. He and the city would
be onlv too glad to have Senator
Archer care for his own poor and send
them home. He would aid in the
senator's proposed contribution.
Ia the Senate on Thursday -when
the house bill to require the sinking
fund commission to lend funds to the
several county treasurers of the State,
Mr. Mayfield offered an amendment
to strike out all after the enacting
words of the bill and insert in lieu thereof
eight sections,practically making it
a new bill. It provides that the commission
shall, whenever it is unable
to purchase State bonds at par, lend
the money in its hands at a rate of interest
not less than 6 per cent. Such
loan shall be made upon the securities
of the several counties,
or upon the note of any county
treasurer and subervisor who shall
make application for a loan not in excesss
of one-third of the tax levy of
their county; said note to be paid out
of the taxes collected for the fiscal
year in which the money is loaned,
rrrith fnn fViaf fhp. f.nmmis
sioncan renew the note for one year.
Applications for these loans shall be
received until March 1st, with the
provision that for this year the timei
shall extend to May 1st. The amendment
provides a penalty for county I
treasurers violating the provisions of |
the act. J
The matter disposed of at the night j
session of the senate was Cherokee
county. It was up for a second read-1
ing. Mr. Douglass of Union read an I
affidavit from Col. James G. Gibbes
stating that the area of Union county
was about GOO square miles as in Mill's: j
atlas, rne area cut on to xorm part 01
Cherokee county is 122 square miles
leaving but 47S square miles. The
Constitution requires that 500 square
miles shall remain in the old counties.
A similar affidavit was read from
Col. John L Young of Union, his
figures differing slightly from the
above. He estimated that after the
area was cut off 496 miles wou'd remain
in Union county. On this
ground Mr. Douglass submitted the j
matter to the senate for disposal.
Mr. Mower on behalf of the committee
submitted from Colonel Young
saying that the above estimate quoted
by Mr. Douglass he had not taken into
consideration the area of incorporated
towns and one-half of Facoiet
river. This area taken in left in Union
a few square miles over the constitutional
500 square miles. Affidavits
from other surveyors were read,
snowing that Union would nave xzcr
15 square miles over the constitutional
requirements.
Mr.* Hay of the committee dissented
| from the majority report and said he
j was not satisfied that Uniori^ would
[ have 500 square miles left. Farther,
he did not ibink the Constitution had
been complied with in selecting a
name for the new county.
Mr. Henderson of the c< mmittce
j showed that the constitutional objection
of Mr. Hay to the selection of the
name was unfounded. As to the area,
Mr. Henderson read affidavits from
two civil engineers who had calculated
the area of Union county from
Mill's atlas, the same as Colonel
Globes, 2nd both said that the area to
bs cut off from Union was 114 square
miles, leaving in the old county 507
square miles. In conclusion, Mr.
Henderson submitted that the people
had established their county by 5; fair,
I honorable election, complying with
the Constitution in every detail.
Mr. Archer cpoosed the formation
of the county. He did not think the
required area was leftin Union.Messrs.
Ragsdale and Mower spoke in fa
vor 01 toe Dili. ?ne aye ana nay voie j
was tbea taken on the motion of Mr.
Archer to strike out the enacting
words. The motion was defeated by
a vote of 25 to 5, Messrs. Archer,
Brown, Connor, Hay and Sanders being
the only ones to vote against establishing
the county.
In the Senate Friday the Dorchester
County bill was the special order immediately
after the morning hour and
hence was reached early in tne day.
Three members of the committee had
submitted a favorable report and three
an unfavorable report on the bill. Mr.
Mower moved an indefinite postponement
of the favorable report and
opened the debate. After a long debate
a voie was finally taken on Mr.
Mower's motion to indefinitely postpone
the favorable report. This was
defeated by a vole of 2i> to 7. The
only ones voting against the county
A VAVjqm n^nn*.
were iueaa-ia. ai^uci, w >r ?j,
lass, Haj, MeCalla, Mower aocl Sani
ders.
Mr. Buisfc olferei an amendment to
the bili providing; that a two thirds
! vote ba given for the county seat. Mr.
Henderson amended the amendment
I by saying a majority instead of twoj
thirds. This was done so that the
question can be tested ia the courts.
Mr. May field's bill for the house
j bill providing for lending the sinking
fund to the counties was taken up for
consideration, and passed its third
| reading and was sent to the House.
A Sensation in Union.
Union, S. C., Feb. 10.?One of the
most astounding sensations that has
ever been sprang upon the people of
Union was awaiting the citizens Tuesday
morning. The particulars, as
| near as I have been able to gather
I+li am ^Am no >>ti fnnwrnpd STA:
S Monday night Dr, W. M Meador, one
of the most; highly respected citizens
of our town, closed up his drug store,
which is in the handsome new bank
building, by far the finest building on
Main Street and in which is also the
iMercbants and Planters Bank aad
| several county offices. Dr. Meador
was seen to return a short while after
leaving the store and enter the door
without striking a light. He came
out after some time and left. The
[door was then opened by the drug
[clerk and in company with the police
be went in and made a search, finding
a lighted candle in the cellar,
j with straw and debries saturated with
j kerosene oil; also a trail or rosin leading
into the room where the oil bari
rels were kepi. A barrel of r^sin was
[ near by, also saturated with oil, and
i an oil tank was a few feet away. A
j few minutes more and the greatest
j conilagration ever witnessed m union
! would have resulted. A policeman
j was left on guard. Dr. Meador came
[back to the store at 5:30 Tuesday
! morning. Finding the policeman on
duty, he asked him what he was doing
there. The policeman said he had
been put there to watch, as some one
had tried to break in. Tne drag store
is run by the Union Drug Company,
composed of Dr. Manning J. Smith
and Dr. Meador. The drug store is
only about half iasured. I understand,
about $3,000 being the amount
carried. It is very hard to believe
such charges against a man of Dr.
Meador''s high standing. Dr. Meador
in a card in the New Era to day most
emphatically denies that he had anyj
thing to do with the kerosene or can|
die and denies that he came back to
j the store that night, but says he came
! back at 5:30 the next morning to get
some medicine for a headache and
1 " * - 1 3
j rouzia me policeman on guaru auu
questioned him as above and did not
know what'was the trouble until he
saw Dr. Smith next morning. It is a
serious charge and the doctor's friends
would be glad if developments would
show clearly that he is innocent. The
matter has been the talk of the town
to day. No arrests have been made
and developments are anxiously
awaited by all.?Columbia Register.
A Train Kobbar Killed.
Kisgsian, Ariz., Feb. 9.?About
S:?0 last evening two robbers attempted
to hold up the west-bound passen
ger train on the Santa Jb'e Lime, sixty
miles east of this place. After stopping
the train they made the fireman
jyet off the engine and uncouple the
express and mail cars. Messenger
: Sollers thinking that something was
j wrong, tola his assistant to get olf the
jcar on one side with a shotgun, while
I he sot off on the other with a revolver.
One of the robbers was standing
near the engine, and the messenger
fired at him at short range. The robber
fell dead. The other robber then
compelled the fireman to get on the
engine again and ran the engine and
two express and mail cars up the road,
where it was stopped and the robbers
made an unsuccessful attempt to get
into the express car. The mail car
was then entered, and several registered
packages takea. The robber
then disappeared in the darkness.
The dead robber was taken to Peach
Snrinc-s. but he has not beenidentfied. i
Officers has ^one from Kingman
| wiih Indian trailers- It was snowing
latthefime, but it is now clear, and
| his tracks will be easily followed.
The mail clerk says there were several
robbers. The amount of money taken
is unknown.
More Paclficos Slain.
KEY WEST, Fla., Feb. 0? A letter
i-eceived from San Curistobal prolines
m Pinar del Rio, from a prominent
Cuban there states that a detachment
of San Martin's Spanish guerillas raided
a small camp of pacifisos near
there Friday, killing sixteen men.
Eight women who were in the camp,
were forced to go with the trcops. A
family named Dominez, living near
there who were warned to move to
San Christobal last week, and who
were not moving quick enough to
please San Martin's officers, were arrested
Thursday and brutally killed.
Two of the party were women,
SheriOfr Jlen Good SJiot.s.
1 HnrsTox. Tpx . Feb. 11.?A dis-l
patch from Menardsville tells of a desperate
encounter near that place between
outlaws and a sheriff's posse.
J. C. Johnson, alias R. J. Smith, and
Jim Crane were killed by the posse.
Another man named Uncle-wood was
shot through the thigh and backbone
and will die. The fourth outlaw,
though wounded, managed to mount
a horse rnd escaped. i
THE ANTI-FREE PASS BILL.
REPEALED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A Heavy Week's "Vvoxk?aSany Bills Passed
and a Number Killed?How tlie Members
Voted on the Free Pass Bill.
Columbia, S. C., Feb. 13.?On Saturday
last the following bills were
passed and sent to ihe Senate:
Mr. Crum's bill to save small estates
from being consumed by the
costs of administration.
Mr. Win go's bill to require the
commutation tax to be expended in
the townships in which the taxpayer
resides.
Mr. Rainsford's bill relative to compensation
for township commissioners
while serving as members of the county
boards of commissioners.
Mr. Ilderton's bill to provide for the
removal of any county officer for incapacity,
misconduct or neglect of
duty, pursuant to article III, section
27 of the Constitution, was ordered to
a third reading without debate.
When Mr. Robinson's bill to repeal
the anti-free pass act was called up,
Mr. Robinson said he was ready for
trial. He said it was a reflection on
the members to have it intimated that
they could be bought by a free pass.
Mr. Patton said it would look a little
bad for ihe house to do this, it
was not exactly the thing. He would
have to call the roll.
Josh Ashley believed that every
member should have a free pass on j
the railroads. His people had confldence
in him. He was not afraid of
the ayes and noes. He created great
merriment by his earnest speech.
Mr. Bacol suggested that the best j
way to preserve the appearance of the j
thing was to amend by striking out
all after the enacting words and insert
instead a provision that should be!
stated in the charter of all railroads !
that they must transport all members
to and from the capital free of charge.
Mr. Winkler insisted on the roll
cal 1 on the motion to strike out the
enacting words. The house refused
to strike out the enacting words by a
vote of 40 to 52.
The following members voted
against repealing the bill: Hon. F.
B. Gary, speaker; Asbill, Austell, Bacot,
Bethune, Caughman, CushmaD,
Gage, Gasque, Goodwin, E. P.; Graham,
J. S ; Graham, Thomas, A.;
Hollis, Johnson, Kinard, Henry J.,
Lancaster, Layton, Lester, Meares,
Miles, Mishoe, Moore, McDaniel, McLaurin,
McWhite, Patlon, Prince,
Rainsford, Russell, Simkins, Saaith,
Jr., Smith, W, S.; Sullivan, Tiaamerman,
Verner, Whiscnant, Wilson,
Winkler, Yeldell? 40.
The following members voted in
favor of repealing the bill: All, Anderson,
Armstrong, Ashley, Bailey,
Bedon, Blythe, Breeland, Caraway,
Carson, Childs, Colcock, Crum, Davis,
C. M.: Davis, W. C.; DeLoaehe,
Edwards, Epps,Fairey. Fox, Gadsden,
Glenn,Harvey, Haselden, Henderson,
Hiott, Humphrey, Ilclerton, Kibler,
Kinard, J. D.; Limehouse, Livingston,
Mauldin, Mehrtens, Miller, Joel
H.; McCullough. Nettles, Owen,
Phillips, Plyer, Pollock, Pyatt, Robinson,
Sinkier, Smith, E. D.; Stevenson,
Thomas, W. H.; Townsend,
Wolline\ Westmoreland, Wingo,
Miller, J. E , Williams, Wycne?52.1
This vote repealed the anti free pass |
act and if the Senate concurs in the |
action of the House the members -will
be free to accept free passes from the
railroads.
Mr. Kinard's bill to require all common
carriers to pay ail damages for
loss, damage and breakage of any articles
shipped over their lines, was
taken up. The committee amendments
were then adopted. Mr. Kinard,
though no one was opposing: the
bill, spoke explaining its purposes.
He told of a case he had with the
Southern road. Then the bill went to
i - n ? .3 j;
ics xnira reacting.
On Monday the bicycle transportation
bill was the first upon which any
discussion was had.
After considerable discussion the
bill was passed. The bill provides
that bicycles shall be deemed baggage
for the purpose o? transportation by
common carriers and shall be carried
under the same rules and subject to
the same liabilities as govern trunks
and other separate baggage ol passengers.
The Senate bill authorizing the Railroad
Commissioners to require all
railroads to erect at junctional points
union depots and to impose a penalty
for their failure to do so when required
caused little discussion, and was
passed.
Mr. Wolling's bill to require all
railroads to stop all passenger trains at
all stations wftere an agency is maintained
came up and was passed.
Mr. Sullivan's bill to require railroads
of a length of fifty mile or more
to run one passenger train each way
each day was passed to a third reading
after a few minor amendments,
which do not affect the general provisions
of the bill.
Mr. Sullivan's bill to permit the
consignee to hold the last connecting
line responsible for loss or damage of
goods was defended by him. He did
not believe consignees should be put
to the expense of proving where the j
1 ?~ T t 4- U /-* 1 o of lino 1C I
damage oc^urrcu. ai tu& iiu> .1^ >
not responsible, it will get damage I
out of connecting lines which it h2d
to pav consignees. He believed it a
matter of justice to merchants, who,
as a class, are modest and don't take
: much hand in politics or ask t'ae General
Assembly for much. The bill
j was passed.
i The bill to amend the county gcv|
ernment Act was introduced primarily
to affect Kershaw county only; but
members from all counties wanted to
get in and the Judiciary Committee
reported bacx a bill. When it came
up for discussion half of the members
had other amendments to otfer. As !
introduced by the committee the bill 1
reads:
spftmn l. That seciion 49 of an Act i
entitled, "An Act to provide a system
of county government for the several
counties of the State1', approved January
4, 1S94, being section US7 of the
Revised Statutes of 1S9:>, be amended
by striking out the words "$720.G0V
and insert in lieu thereof "$S00.GU"
so that said section when so amended
shall be as follows:
Section 49. That th* salary of the ;
Supervisor in the respective counties
shall be as follows: In the county of
Abbeville, $900; in the county of
Aiken, ?300; in the county of Anderson,
$S0U; in the county of Edgefield,
$450; in the county of Berkeley, ?600;
in the county of Charleston, "$1,000;
in the county of Chester, SS00; in the
county of Chesterfield, $400; in the
county of Clarendon, $t>00; in the
county of Darlinston. $000; in the
county of Fairfield. ?650: in the county
of Florence. ?600: in the county of
Georgetown. ?750; in ibe county of'
Greenville. ?600: in the county of
Hampton, ?600; in the countv of Horry,
?500; in the county of Kershaw,
?600; in the county of Lancaster,
?400; in the county of Laurens, $500; j
in the county of Lexington, ?600; in i
the county of Marion, ?800; in the j
county of Marlboro. ?700; in the oun- j
ty of Newberry, ?750; in the county
of Oconee, ?500; in the county of Or
an^ebur* ?SQ0; in the county of
Pickens,"?400; in the county of Richland,
1900; in the county of Spartanburg,
?1,000; in the county of Sumter,
*SUU; ie tne county o: union, ^duu; i
in the county of Williamsburg, ?600;
in the county of York, ?500; in the
county of Saluda, $350; and the county
board of commissioners of the fol|
lowing counties may elect clerks of
said board, and their salaries shall be
as follows.
Abbeville county, $150; Anderson
county, $150; Aiken county, $200;
Barnwell county, $350; Colleton county,
$150; Lancaster county, $100;
Laurens county, $100; Darlington
county, $50; Oconee county, $100;
Richland county, $250; Spartanburg
county, $200; Berkeley county, $200;
Marion county, $200; Newberry county,
$200; Sumter county, $200; Williamsburg
county, $50; Pickens countv,
$50; Union county, $150;
York, county, $150: Provided,
This Act shall net take effect until after
the expiration of the terms now
I being served so far as relates toSuoerj
visors. Aporoved the 9th day of
[ March. A. D. 1S96.
Mr. Bendon moved to make the
salary of the Supervisor $o00 as to
Colleton county. This was adopted.
Mr. .Ashley moved to amend as to
salary of clerk of the county board of
commissioners of Anderson by striking
out $150 and making it $100.
Mr. Bsthune moved lo except Kershaw
from the operations of the bill.
Mr. Harvey suggested that debate
bs adjourned, but the House refused
to do so. Mr.
Mishoe moved to mako Horry's
Supervisor $300 instead of $500.
Mr. Austell moved to make the sal- j
ary of clerk of the commissioners of
Spartanburg $300 instead of $300.
Mr. Colcoet moved to make the salary
of the Supervisor of Beaufort
$300; Mr. O^ens to make the clerk's
salary of Spartanburg $100; Mr.
(Jaughman to make the Saluda clerk's
saiary $100; Mr. Rainsford, the clerk
in Edgefield $100; Mr. W. S. Smith,
to make the salary of the clerk of
Hampton $75 instead of $50; Mr.
Skinner, clerk ii> Barnwell, $200 instead
of S300.
Mr. Glenn proposed an amendment
that the Act should not apply to present
supervisors.
Mr. "Winkler held that the passage
of the amendment would destroy the
whole effect of the bill. Mr. Cashman
expressed the hops that the amend'
ment would be adopted.
Mr. Gasque held that it was not
right to cut aown the salaries of olncers
without notice.
Mr. Winkler said the bill was introduced
for Kershaw county alone. If
other counties doirc want to come in
let them be excepted. He moved to
lay the amendment on the table,
which was agreed to.
Mr. Magili moved to recommit the
bill in order to prevent all confusion.
Mr. Kinard asked whether if the
bill passed now would it legally affect
the salaries of the present officers? I
The Chair would not answer the
question, preferring to let the courts
decide that, but Mr. MagilTs motion
was lost and the bill was passed to a
third reading.
The Senate bill to include street
railways in the provisions of the section
of the general statutes affecting
judgments for injury, was passed. It
provides that such judgment shall
have priority over any mortgage.
Mr. Johnson's bill to provide the
pupils attending the free public school
text books at actual cost, was passed
after much discussion.
On Tuesday the consideration of
Mr. Ilderton's bill to provide for a
graduated license or privilege tax upon
certain classes -was taken up and
passed. The bill provides that ail licenses
or privilege taxes imposed by
any municipal corporation in this
State upon any class or classes of persons
made subject to such tax by municipal
corporations shall be graduated
according to the amount of capital invested
or according to income or according
to the amount of business
done; the valuation of such capital
invested shall be taken from the auditor's
books.
The bill to tax the manufacture and
sale of cigaretts in this State was then
taken up and passed. The bill provides
that no package of cigarettes
sold or offered for sale shall contain
more than five cigarettes, nor shall
any package of cigarette paper sold or
offered for sale contain more than 100
leaves of length and width now used,
and that every such package of cigar- j
ettes or cigarette paper shall have!
thereon a privileged tax stamp as}
hereinafter provided for, which shall j
be furnished to dealers in cigarettes
or cigarette paper Dy the county treasurers
of the counties of this State at a
cost of 25 cents each, and the proceeds
of the sales of such stamps snail be 1
held by the county treasurers subject:
to the warrants of the boards of county
commissioners liae the funds for j
ordinary county expanses.
Un wecnesaay wnen jir. v_/au^u-1
man's Jim Crow car biii, which had
been unfavorably reported, was called
up 2vlr. Meares moved to strike out i
the enacting words. This brought on j
i a long discussion, after which a vote!
was taken and the House refused to j
I strike out the enacting words by a j
vote of SO to 19 as follows:
Ayes?Anderson, Bedou, Child's,
j Colcocic, Davis, C. M.; Davis, W. C ; I
j Gadsden, Gage, Hiott, Holiis,Meares, j
I Mehrtens, Mi- ;heii, McKeown, Pol- j
lock, Pyatt, Reynolds, Thomas, J. P., i
Jr.: Vincent?19.
Nays?All, Armstrong, Asbill,Ashley,
Austell, Bacot, Bailey, Banks,
Bethune, Blythe, Bresland, Carraway,
Carson, Cau^hman, Crum, Cushmao,
Da-is, G. W.; DeL">ach, Dakes, Eiwards,
Kurd, Epos, Fox. Garri;, Gasque,
Glenn, Goodwin, H. P.: Graham,
J. S.; Graham, T. A.; Harvey,
Hazelden, Henderson, Humphrey, 11- j
rWt-.-vrv Johnson. Kenned v. ICibler, !
Kiaard, H. J.: Kiaard, J. D.; Laa- j
caster, Laytoa, Lester, Limehouse, j
ilagill, Mauldia, Miles, -diiler, J. E. ;i
Miller, J. H.; Mishoe, McDaaiei. MoLauria,
McWhite, O.vea, Pa: to a,
Perritt, Phillips, Pijler,Price,Priace,
Rainsford, Robiasoa, Rogers,Russell,
Simkias, Smith, J. R.; Smith. \V\ S.:
Speer, Sturkie, Sullivaa, Thomas, W.
E.; Tiramermaa, Toole, Veraer,"Wolliag\
"Westraorelaad, Wiago, Wiak
ler, Williams. Wyche, Yeldell?SO.
The bill provides that all railroads
or railroad companies engaged ia this
State as common carriers of passengers
for hire shall furnish separate
apartments in first and second class
coaches, or separate first and second
class coaches for the accommodation
of white and colored passengers; provided
equal accommodations shall be
supplied to all persons, without distinction
of race, color or previous
condition, iD such coaches.
An invitation was read from the
Mayor of Charleston inviting the
t j...j. * *.> _p /->
us^iaiaturc tv vj&it tuc cuy ui
leston oil the ISth instant. The invitation
said: l'Th? South Carolina and
Georgia railroad have generously ofrered
a special train to bring yen
down on the ISth instant, leaving
Columbia at 7 o'clock a. m., reaching
Charleston at 11:10a. m.. and returning"
same day, leaving Charleston at
5:3Q p. m., and reaching Columbia at
the usual time. Immediately upon the
arrival of the train a steamer will be
waiting and you will be taken around
the harbor and see the war vessels of
the United States fleet."
Mr. BicDt explained that the invitation
was to the General Assembly as
guests of the city,and that no expense
would attach.
Mr. Pollock moved a concurrent
resolution that the invitation be accepted
and that when the House adjturned
on the l?Lh it stand adjourned
until the 19th at 12 o'clockOn
motion of Mr. Sturkie the hour
was changed to 1U o'clock.
Mr. Oushman moved an amendment
that members should receive no
pay on the day they took a recsss. He
held that the State should not pay for
such holidays.
Messrs. Johnson and Sturkie agreed
with him.
Mr. Gi?que moved to table the
amendment, and the ayes and noes
were demanded. The House voted
down the motion very decidedly when
a TTiM -unrfi- vnto tooc Kill" nn t.he !
call many members who had voted to
table the amendment changed and
Mr. Cushman's amendment was adopted
by a vote of t>2 to 33.
Mr. Pollock moved that employes
and attaches should not receive any
pay during tbe day.
Mr. Rogers held that it was wrong
for the House to force employes who
had no voice in the matter to b3 cut
off from their pay. He moved to lay
the amendment on the table, which
was agreed to.
Mr. Ilderton pointed out the inconsistency
of the action of the House.
They drew pay for visitingRockHill.
Mr. E. D. Smith held that undgr
the circumstances of the trip members
should receive thftir pay. The Legislature
cDuld on the trip inspect the
Citadel and it might be well for members
to associate vvith the people of
Charleston at which ail guns had been
nred in recent years.
Mr. Williams and Mr. John P.
Thomas held that some members
would not and could not go, and they
held that they should not be deprived
of their pay.
Mr. Cushman's amendment was
then killed by a viva voce vote, the
House having reversed its action.
The Ciemson invitation then cime
up. Mr. Pollock said no expense
would attach to the trip. They would
go and return on the same day. It was
a legal holiday?the 22d. The invitation
was uuanimcusly accented.
The Dorchester county bill was
taken up. The reading of the bill was
nearly completed when Mr. Ilderton
moved to recommend the bill to the
judiciary committee. This brought
on a long discussion, which was not
concluded at the hour of adjournment.
In the House on Thursday Mr.
Price's resolution appointing a committee
to investigate the dispensary
was passed. The resolution is a
sweeping one, giving authority to the
committee to report at the next session.
Mr. Limehouse s bill to declare the
law relating to the mileage of all persons
for the pavment of whose travelled
mileage provision is made by
law was called up with unfavorable
report. Mr. Graham moved to strike
out the enacting words.
Mr. Garris said that his county particularly
needed this bill. Many people
there went through Charleston
and charged 110 miles when it should
net be over 15 miles.
The bill, after this explanation,
T'UA "U.T I 1 Y\r? QC + O f t Vl O
yiiWCU, JLU^ kjL i J. luw
payment cf the mileage of jurors, wit
nesses and other persons required to
attend court or to travel to perform
any legal duty, said mileage shall be
computed ana paid for by the shortest'
practical route to be traveled over any
regular established highway.
Mr. Miles' joint resolution authoriz
ing the comptroller general to pay all
claims for elections for new counties
was taken up again ana Mr. W. G.
Davis moved to strike out the resolving
words. He did this on the principle
that when people want anything
they should pay for it. There was
considerable discussion over the matter?the
question as to whether the
State should pay these expenses, having
made no previous provision therefor,
or whether the counties interested
shouici bear the expenses memserves. j
The sentiment of the House, judging?
from the debate, seemed to be against j
establishing the precedent of the State I
paying such expenses. The resolving
words of the resolution were stricken
out.
Mr. Jno. P. Thomas? bill to amend
the law so as to allow aiieES to own
5,000 acres of land i.? this State was
ordered to a third reading. there being
no opposition to it.
In the House Friday when Mr.
John P. Thomas' bill to permit alien
ownership of lan 1 to the extent of
5,000 instead of 500 acres was taken
up for its Heal reading there was considerable
discussion the fight being
made on this reading. Finally on;
motion of Mr. Sturkie the nouse
recoramitred the bill the avowed
intention being to kill i,.
The senate arr-ved at 1:15 and the
election of the members of the board
of control was entered into.
For successors to Mr. Nicholson to
fill the unexpired term, Mr. Goodwin
of Laurens nominated Mr. O. M. Miles
! of iSpartuanbur^, a member or tne
house; Mr. liderton nominated Mr.
Alex McTa2?art of Florence, but
withdrew it as he wished to name him
for the full term. Mr. Miles was
unanimously elected. He was then
likewise uoaairnously elected to succeed
the lats Mr. Nicholson for the
full term beginning in April next.
To fill the position until recently
held by J. O. A. Moore, the unexpired
term of Mr. Allen, Mr. Garris nominated
Mr. M. R. Cooper of Colleton;
Mr. Stevenson presented the name of
Mr. j. 0. Moore.
Senator Henderson seconded the
nomination. Senator Pettigrew nominated
Mr. Ales: McTaggart of Florence.
The ballot resulted as follows, after
several changes had been made from
Moore and McTaggart to Cooper, the
original vote being: very close; Moore
67, Cooper 74, McTaggert 2. Mr.
Cooper was thereupon declared elected.
The election for four trustees of the
South Carolina College was then entered
into. Mr. Childs nominated
Mr. W.A. Clars of Columbia; Mr.
Rogers named the Hon. Julian Mitchell
"Sr., of Charleston, Mr. Sturkie
presented the name of Dr. W. T. C.
Bates of Orangeburg; Mr. Austell
named the Hon. A. T. Smythe of
Charleston, Mr. Cram nominated Mr.
B. M. Shu man of Greenville; Mr.
John P. Thomas, Jr., nominated Mr.
Robart Macfarland or Darlington;
Mr. Caughman named the Rev. J. A.
Sligh of Xewberrv, but. withdrew the
nomination later.
For the position of one trustee for
the colored State college, Mr. Kibler
nominated Prof. W. K. Sligh of Newberry
college. Professor Sligh was
unanimously elected.
The ballot for South Carolina college
trustees resulted as follows: W.
A. Clark70, Julian Mitchell, Sr., 9i,
D<\ W. T. C. Bates 93, A. T. Symthe
67, B. M. Shuman 91, Robert Macfarland
99.
Messrs. Mitchell,- Shuman, Macfarland
and Bates were declared elected.
An effort was made to have an adjournment
before the vote but it failed,
the members taking the position
that the work should be disposed of at
once.
It was nearly 4 p. m, when the
joint assembly was dissolved.
There were only a few members
left, in the the hall when the senate
retired. As soon as the senate got beyond
the doors, Mr. T. Y. Williams
moved that the house adjourn.
Famine in India.
Jubbulpoor, Feb- 9.?On his way
to this city the special representative
of the Associated Press, who is examining
into the famine situation in India,
visited the poor houses of Bilaspur
and Katni. The inmates were found
to be in a deplorable condition. The
buildings were overcrowded and medical
attendance was lacking. A man
__x.fi _/r X-I . V= i _
outsiae one or mem was aeaa ana another
was dying. A girl of five years
of age weighed only ten pounds and
several adults were under fifty-six
pounds in weight. The skin in all
cases was drawn over the face, showing
the outline of theskulls, and limbs
and joints had tne appearance of those
of articulated skeletons. There is an
immense migration to the Assamtea
gardens, 1,600 persons going: there
weekly, deserting their wives and^^g
families. Jubbulpoor is the worst a2g|
any part of central India. It is e?|
mated that the present famine isg|g
greatest of thft ftenfarv and
ly sarpass that of 1876, b^i
area and severity. The famineTjiS^S??!
extends to JR.iwalpindi and Bellary,
and is 1,300 miles long and 400 miles
wide. This is apart from the scattered
districts- In all the rice districts there
is no cuance of a f x>d supply until
September. The government will
thus be forced to support nearly all the
population for six months and many
of them for eighteen months. Whole
villages are deserted. The govenment's
policy at first was rather to ignore the
famine. It is, however, now alive to
the situation and strenuous efforts are
made to avert horrible disaster. Out
of the 750.000 inhabitants of Jubbui
poor about 120,000 are now receiving
relief. By the month of May this
number will be doubled. The correspondent
has just heard, that the Karai
poor house in the Western part of the
district has been burned. Twenty-five
persons perished. Cholera is reported
to have broken out in the Mandaid District
relief works.
I'ieet Has a Hard Time.
Charleston. S. C., Feb. 8.?The
Fern and the Dolphin, of the Blockade
fleet, arrived in port early today.
At noon the battleship Maine, cruisers
Marblehead, Columbia and the
Monitor Amphitrite arrived. The flagship
New York is expected at any time.
The fleet encountered a severe gale
Friday night 50 miles off Caps Hatteras.
Six men of the Maine were
washed overboard, three of whom,
Brown, Nelson and Kogal, were
drowned. The others were rescued
by a crew under the command of
Cadet Walter L, Gherardi The fleet
hphavt d admirablv. It was announced
last night, owing to the non-arrival
of the fleet as expected, some of the
ships iiad been disabled. This was
not true. The life-saying bureau at
Washington, which has stations along
the South Atlantic, heard nothing
whatever of the squadron. It was
the duty of the lifesavers to notify the
bureau at Washington promptly in the
event of any mishap to any of the warships.
Captain Evans wired to- .
day ihat in his opinion there was no
occasion for the alarm, some of the
vessels were slow craft, and the squardron
was probably moving along in
consort. This was before the six
members of the 11 set arrived in port.
01 rs. Burnham'a Suicide.
Starke, Fla., Feb. 9.?Mrs. Lucy
Barn ham was found dead in her room
at the Commercial hotel this morning,
having committed suicide by taking
chloroform, ixrs. Sarnham left several
letters for friends in Chicago and
elsewhere and a note to the public
stating that the burden of life had
grown too heavy for her. She was
formerly ilrs. Lucy Van Evar, art
critic of the Chicago Inter-Ocean,
i Eight months ago she was married to
Dr- Burnham, the specialist, and they
! came to Florida.
YTslkeU Into a Creek.
j Sr. Augcstisz, Fia., Feb. 1L?YesS
terelay A^rnes Demsre, a deaf mute
was left at ihs State blind and deaf institute
here by her father who resides
atl'unta Gorda, Fia. The child was
not contented and during the afternoon
escaped from the institution.
Search was made without avail until
phis morning when the body of the
little girl was found floating in a creek
near the institute. It is supposed
that she was drowned in trying to
j VYAUC LUC
Died on the Stage.
] New York, Feb. 10.?Armand Cas1i<?imarj,
-while singing the role of
Tristano, in Flo tow's Opera of "Jlartha,"
at the Metropolitan Opera House
j tonight, dropped dead in front of the
fcotiignts and almost in full view of
lone of the most brilliant audiences
j tnai has filled the theatre this winter.
! So quiet was the matter kept, howjever.
that few in the audience knew
j that a tragedy had t*ken place before
| their very eyes.
1