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r_ The Press and Banner. p.vmimT wTtjSon . ABKEflLLK, W. C^TH?rANTITRUST BILL PASSES THE SENATE AND AWAITS THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE. Several Other Important Measures Pass Their Second Reading and are In a Fair Way to Becouie Laws?Some Bills that Fell by the W?y SIrte. Columbia, S. C.. Feb. 13.?The Senate on Saturday discussed two bills at length on their second reading. The first, the house bill requiring the sinking fund commission to lend funds to the several county treasurers of the State for the use of their counties in preference to lending the same to other applicants for such funds; the second, a bill extending the powl ers of the railroad commission to the / telegraph and express companies. The I former passed wituout very aeciaea / opposition, while the latter came in /' for its full share of discussion pro and con. Mr. Buist objected to the sinking fund being loaned to counties. He was opposed, said he, to lending money on any other security than State bonds. Mr. Henderson said the security given would be just as good as State bonds. He could not see the justice of lending this money to the banks at ' * - ?i ? j A 4-j per ceni. to reienu iu mo vuimuco at 8 per cent. It -was not money paid by the people and why not let it to the counties at the 4+ per' cent., thus savin# 3i per cent, to the taxpayers. Mr. Buist raised other objections to the security and Mr. Moses asked him ' if he vknew of any bank in *the State that would not lend money with the county taxes pledged as security. Mr. Buist knew of no such bank. Mr. Buist moved to strike out the enacting 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 commissioneis so as to give them power and authori-j ty to regulate charges by express com-1 nunifts fnr transportation: to regulate | charges of telegraph companies for the transportation of messages by telegraph, or charges by persons engaged in 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; and make the penalty prescribed against railroads lor violating commissioners' rules aDDlv to the compa nies and persons herein named whose ( line or lines is or are wholly or in I part in this State was killed, after several senators spoke on it. Messrs. RagsdaJe, Love and May field were for the measure. They argued that the Constitution 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 Messrs. Buist, Dean, Walker, Henderson and Hay led the opposition forces. They attacked the bill on the grounds that there was no general complaint against these companies; that in the case of express the companies were kept from charging exorbitant 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 broad ground that legislation was becoming too paternal. The vote resulted in the bill being " killed by 18 to 10. A house bill to prevent the employment of other than convict labor on any State farm was debated on very much the same lines as in the house. Messrs. Moses, Hay and Connor spoke of the demoralizing effect on free labor of having the State to compete with the farmers. The State paid more for labor than the farmers could afford and of course secured it. Messrs. Archer, Norris and Gaines objected to the bill. There were cer *?-? V.rni/I fV*att ' UUU UUUCS uuriug uarvcoi, aaiu wcj, that 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 amerd by striking out, 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 and the bill passed. On Mondoy 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 that "nothing in this Act shall affect the Dispensary law." The bill was then passed. The bill declares unlawful and void all arrangements, agreements, trusts or combinations made with a view to lessen, or which tends to iessen, free competition in the importation or sale of articles imported into the State, or in the manufacture or sale of articles of domestic growth or of domestic raw materials; to declare unlawful and void all arrangements, contracts, agreements, trusts or combinations between persons or corporations designed, or which tend to advance, reduce or control the price of such product or article to producer or consumer of any such product or article; to provide for forfeitureof the charter and franchise of any corporation, organized under the laws of this State, violating any of 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 State to institute legal preceedings against any such corporations violating the provisions of this Act and t d 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 to sue for the recovery of such damage and for other purposes. There was some discussion over the claim for Solicitor's extra charges in the Broxton Bridge case. Mr. Scarborough thought the charge should be against Colleton County. Mr. Henderson explained that they were charges 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 the aye and nay vote was called for on Mr. Scarborough's motion to in- t definitely postpone the resolution. The t debate proceeded with spirit until Mr. i Kagsdaie announced mat u was wbji i that it was the nrinciple of the bill t that was being debated, for the Senate < had already consumed enough time in ( discussion to discharge the obligation. ( He called for the vote. It was 1 to i 19 against the motion. i A message was received from the s Governor recommending that the ap- f prapriation asked for by the State f Fair Association be granted. The 1 f?f Mr. L. D. ChildS S showed that the society had paid back e the loan of Jast year and that the bal- c ance of cash in the treasury was not i sufficient to enable the society to car- ? ry out its plans this year. The mes- t sage was referred to the Finance t Committee. ^ There was some debate on the reso- c lution to appoint a committee to ex- e amine into the Sinking Fund Commission. It was argued by some that c the affair had been argued enough, t others thought that the mere fact of its t having come to the public through ? the newspapers was argument for the c investigation by the General Assem- r bly. The Senate passed the resolution ommriiiiff H tn thaItp the committee c (tUJbUMiUf^ ?v MI -v consist of five instead of three mem- c bers. ' t On Tuesday on motion of Mr. Archer a house bill to require all county { officers of the counties of the State to s keep open their offices during each j week day was indefinitely postponed Twenty-nine counties had asked to be i exempted from the provisions of the I bill before it was killed. a Mr. Buist called for the special or- a der of a joint resolution authorizing p fwaacni*ai? ir\ ifcQiiA to r UiC UiaiQ uvaoMivL KV r Samuel Lord, as receiver of the presi- t dent and directors of the State bank, 1 or his duly appointed successor, consolidation bonds or stock equal in 1 amouat to 50 per centum of s the par value of certain 6 per cent, t State bonds and interest thereon ? (which bonds were taken and lost or a destroyed by Federal soldiers during s the late civil war, and to which the a said receiver by decrees of the court, a has been adjudged entitled), and to ? permit the refunding of the same un- c der the acts for the redemption of the State debt. p Mr Archer moved to indefinitely a postpone the joint resolution. He v spoke nearly an hour along the line of a argument that there was no proof that e these bonds had been stolen. s Mr. Gaines spoke against the reso- t lution. "Strenuons efforts," said he, "are made to impress this general I assembly with the idea that the courts c have investigated the whole matter; i " ' " " 1 < IU?;. _ mac me vanauy ana justness ux men u claim has been'established beyond all p question; that our duty is simply to take action to remedy a little legal de- f feet. Now to my mind nothing that b has transpired in connection with this t matter imposes even any equitable or p moral obligation upon this body. The t courts have simply authorized these ? parties to come here and ask the gen- j eral assembly to go outside of the law b and "make good their loss." Mr. y Gaines spoke along this line, and in ij conclusion said that this loss was noth- s ing more than one of the casualties of t the war. It would be as just for those t who had lost their slaves and other s property in the war to come and ask ^ pay for such losses as for these claim- s ants to ask for reimbursement for lost c bonds. r Mr. Buist, in the course of his a speech for the resolution, said he wished it distinctly understood that he 0 was not interested either directly or j indirectly in the matter. As the senator from Charleston he had intro- j duced the resolution, and after a study g nf th? nnpstinn hfi thoucht it should f pass. y Mr. Dean and Mr. Ragsdale spoke f against the passage of the resolution, u Mr. Henderson made a clear expo- r sition of the matter in favor of the n passage. f The aye and nay vote was taken, re- i: suiting in the indefinite postponement fa of the resolution by a vote of 22 to 7. A All the senators voted in favor of in- t definite postponement save Meesrs. s Buist, Henderson, Moses, Mower, Ragin, Sloan and Talbird. t In the Senate on Wednesday when f Mr. Brown's bill to require all parents s or guardians to compel their children J or wards to attend school for eight fc 1 - 1 1 J tkA _ weeKS m eacn year was reauucu uu wo v the calendar. Mr. Ragsdale moved o to strike out the enacting words, say- a ing that it was going too far for the c State government attempt to su percede t the government ?f the family. After t some discussion Mr. Ragsdale's mo- t tion was adopted by the following 1, vote: c Aye?Alexander, Archer, Connor, t Dean, Dennis, Douglass, DuBose, t Gaines, Griffith, Love, McDaniel, Mil- * ler. Mower, O'Dell, Ragsdale, Turner, c ttt: 11 is t. VY tUlfllUC, ?Y AliiOliia lUi Nay?Brown, Buist, Mauldin, May- c field, McCalla, Moses, Norris, Petti- 3 grew, Ragin, Sanders, Scarborough, v Sloan, Talbird?13. s Mr. Moses' bill to provide that all ^ suits arising between citizens of this r State and foreign corporations shall F be tried in State courts and not trans- s ferred to the United States courts, n elicted [some discussion when it came t up for a second reading. t Mr. Mower moved to strike out the enacting words. He did so, he said, s not because he was opposed to the bill, c but bscause he thought it would be in i contravention of the United States a Constitution and laws and hence nu- s gatory. It would lead to costly liti- ^ gation, and besides would become a a dead letter. . ( Mr. Moses in reply, said if there 1 was a doubt of the bill being uncon- ( stitutional, then the benefit of the c doubt should be given to the State. ^ If this State was good enough for for- ( foreign corporations to do business in f then our courts were good enough to a have their causes tried in. He cited s instances of the cost of trial in United 1 States courts, and as a means of pro- ? tection against these great costs he r hoped the bill would pass. Mr. Mower's motion to strike out 1 the enacting words was defeated and s the bill ordered to a third reading. t Mr. Gaines' bill to amend the dis- t pensary law as it relates to distilleries 1 passed a second reading. Under the 1 present law distilleries can be estab- i tished anywhere in the State by a per- s mit granted by the State board of con- 1 trol. Mr. Gaines' amendment pro- ? vides that such permits shall not be ] grantfc'l unless accompanied by a peti- 1 1 tion signed by two-tnirds of the free holders of the locality in which it is 1 proposed to establish the distillery. 1 1 Mr. Mower's bill relating to town- J ship assessors passed a second reading. ] , It provides: "That from and after 1 the passage of this act the governor ] shall appoint, upon the recommenda ion of the senator and tha members of be house of representatives from the r.ounties. thwe discreet elec ,ors in each ircorporated city and own in this State having a population )f not less than 500 nor more than 10,)00 who shall be known as the board )f assessors of such cities and towns, whose term of office shall be coterminil with that of the governor by whom such assessors have been appointed md until their successors have been ippointed and qualified. The duties leretofore devolved upon the townihip board of commissioners as asseslors shall be devolved upon the board if assessors herein provided for with n the limits of their respective cities tnd towns. The chairman of such joard of assessors shall be a member of he county board of commissioners vhile performing the duties heretofore levolved upon the county board of iqualization. An invitation to the senate from the :ity council of Charleston to attend he reception to be given Secretary of he Navy Herbert on the 18th inst., ind to visit the war vessels, was revived just before tbe hour of adjournnent. On motion of Mr. Moses the presilent of the senate was instructed to ac:ept the invitation and appoint a comnittee on arrangements. Mr. Connor wished to amend by >roviding that the per diem tof the enators and attaches should 'oaot be >aid that day. "I have no objection, but I consider i 1? m ?u- Uamo L mure uuuuumuc, daiu jjuli xxjl^ouo. ^.fter this hasty reply he arose md said he did object to the imendment. It looked little and >icayunish and .?as if the peo>le of the State had no confidence in heir representatives and were always laggling over small amounts. '"And," putin Mr. May field as Mr. loses took his seat, 4,I just want to ay that there it no law against a senaor turning over his per diem to the 5tate treasurer if he has any scruples ibout accepting it." Mr. May field ?ent on to say that the legislature was l hard-working, good tempered body .nd he was sure the people of the itate would not grudge them this day iff. Mr. Archer said whence went in a tarty on such a trip he wished to go ilong with a dignified bo^y of men, ?ho were unsurrounded by rabble -nn hummers. He obiected to bum aers and others because they could ave Jk little money flocking along with he legislature. The president appointed Messrs. Joses, Henderson and Pettigrew a ommittee of arrangement after assurng Mr. Archer that outsiders would lot be permitted to encroach upon the irivileges of the senate on this trip. There was nothing before the senate or discussion after the invitation had >een accepted, so Mr. Archer seized he golden moment to enter a comilaint against the beggars who infest he State hcuse grounds and the sideirnllra us t.hfl sRnat.nrs leave after ad ournment Qe saidjhe was tired of eing attacked on all sides by beggars nth their tales of woe. He was willog to help them, but preferred to do o as he saw fit. He suggested that if he city was unable to care for them hat a collection be taken up; by the enate to ship them out ci the way: Vhile he was in the midst of his peech Mr. Ragsdale rose to a point of >rder, his point being that there was lothing for discussion before the sen,te. Mr. Archer deftly turned the laueh in Mr. Ragsdal%by replying: "Well, rise to a point of personal privilege.'' Vhen Mr. Archer had finished stating tis point of personal privilege, Mr. Iloan, as the representative from Columbia, replied to him, saying it 7as sadly true that Columbia was inested with beggars just now, but he mderstood they came from the surounding country. Some of them were aill operatives and he was reliably inormed that many came from the mills a Spartanburg. He and the city wpuld e only too glad to have Senator Lrcher care for his own poor and send hem home. He would aid in the enator's proposed contribution. In the Senate on Thursday when he house bill to require the sinking und commission to lend funds to the everal county treasurers of the State, Ir. Mayfield offered an amendment o strike out all after the enacting rords of the bill and insert in lieu thereof eight sections,practically making it , new bill. It provides that the comaission shall, whenever it is unable o purchase State bonds at par, lend he money in its hands at a rate of in x X 1 xT rt i. CI. L Brest noi less man o per com. oucu oan shall be made upon the seurities of the several counies, or upon the note of any county reasurer and subervisor who shall oake application for a loan not in exesss of one-third of the tax levy of heir county; said note to be paid out >f the taxes collected for the fiscal 'ear in which the money is loaned, vith the provision that the commis ion can renew the note for one year. Applications for these loans shall be eceived until March 1st, with the irnvisinn that for this vear the time hall extend to May 1st. The amendaent provides a penalty for county reasurers violating the provisions of he act The matter disposed of at the night essionof the senate was Cherokee ounty. It was up for a second readng. Mr. Douglass of Union read an .ffidavit from Col. James GL Q-ibbes tating that the area bf Union county vas about 600 square miles as in Mill's ,tlas. The area cut off to form part of Cherokee county is 122 square miles eaving but 478 square miles. The Constitution requires that 500 square niles shall remain in the old coiinties. similar affidavit was read from 3ol. John L, Young of Union, his igures differing slightly from thu ibove. He estimated that after the irea was cut off 496 miles wou'd renain in Union county. On this jround Mr. Douglass submitted the natter to the senate for disposal. Mr. Mower on behalf of the comnittee submitted from Colonel Young aying that the above estimate quoted >y Mr. Douglass he had not taken ino consideration the area of incorpo ated towns and one-half of Pacoiet iver. This area taken in left in Unon a few square miles over the conititutional 500 square miles. Affidavits from other surveyors were read, showing that Union would have 12 or L5 square miles over the constitutionil requirements. Mr. Hay of the committee dissented "rom the majority report and said he ivas not satisfied that Union would aave 500 square miles left. Further, le did not think the Constitution had jeen complied with in selecting a name for the new county. Mr. Henderson of the committee I showed that the constitutional objeci tion 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 Gibbes, and both said that the area to be cut off from Union was 114 square raileiii, leaving in the old county 507 square miles. In conclusion, Mr. Henderson submitted that the people had established their county by a fair, honorable election, comulying with the Constitution in every detail. Mi*. Archer ooDosed the formation of the county. He did not think the requ ired area was left in Union. Messrs. Ragcdale and Mower spoke in fdvor of the bill. The aye and nay vote was then taken on the motion of Mr. Archer to strike out the enacting words. The motion was defeated by a voi;e of 25 to 5, Messrs. Archer, Brown, Connor, Hay and Sanders being the only ones vote against establishing the county. A Sensation Id Union. Umon, S. C., Feb'. 10.?One of the most astounding sensations that has ever been sprung upon the people of Union was awaiting the citizens Tuesday morning. The particulars, as near as I have been able to gather them from parties concerned, are: Monday nigbt 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 Merchants and Planters Bank and 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 d rug clerk and in company with the police he went in and made a search, finding a lighted candle in the cellar, roit.Vi Hohrips saturated with kerosene oil; also a trail of rosin leading into the room where the oil barrels were kepi. A barrel of rosin was near by, also saturated with oil, and an oil tank was a few feet away. A few minutes more and the greatest conflagration ever witnessed in Union would have resulted. A policeman 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 doTlin nnlirtamon QQl/1 Vlfi Vl Qfi 4Ug IIUV&O* JLUO J^/VllVUmMU UM&MMV .NX? been put there to watch, as some one had tried to break in. Tne drugstore is run by the Union Drug Comply, composed of Dr. Manning J. Smith and Dr. Meador. The drug store is only about half insured. I understand, about $3,000 being the amount car ried. It is very hard to believe such charges against a man of Dr. Meador's high standine. Dr. Meador in a card in the New Era to-day most em phatically denies that he had aaythinor tr? /'In with thft Irarnsane OI' can die and denies that he came back to the store that night, but says he came back at 5:30 the next morning to get some medicine for a headache and found the policeman on guard and questioned him as above and did not know what was tbe trouble until he saw Dr. Smith next morning. It is a seriouf 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. * Famine tin India. J ubbuIjPOOR, Feb. 9?On his way to this >c].ty tne special representative of the Aiisociated 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 outside one of thei" was dead and another was dying. _ "\ of five years of age weighed only ten poondfi and several adults were under fifty-six pounds in weight. The skin in all cases waii drawn over the face, stowing the outline of the skulls, and limbs and joinls had the appearance of those of articulated skeletons. There i3 an immense migration to the Assanatea gaj*dens, 1,600 persoris going ;;Jiere weekly, deserting their wives and families. Jubbulpoor is the worst of any pari, of central India. It is estims.ted that the present famine is the greatest of the century and will gireatly surpass that of 1876, both in ansa an d severity. The famine belt extends to Rawalpindi and Bellary, and is 1,300 miles long and 400 miles wide, ,'rhis is apart from the scattered districts In $11 the rice districts there is no chance of a food supply until September. The government will thus be forced to support nearly aJl the population for six months and many of them for eighteen months. Whole villages are deserted. The govenm ant's policy iit first was rather to ignoro the famine. It is, however, now alive to the situation and strenuous efforts are made to avert horriblei disaster. Out of the 7:50,000 inhabitants of j ubbulpoor about 120,000 are now receiving relief. By the month of May this number will be doubled. The correspondent has just beard that the Karai poor house in the Wentern part o f the district,has been burned. Twenty-five persons perished. Cholera is reported to have broken out in the Mandaicl District relief workn. Killed, for Teasing. Blocton, Ala., Feb. 10.?Elijah Price, a well known citizen of this place, was instantly killed yesterday afternoon by Isaac Creel, a half-witted boy. It has been the custom of the men and boj's of the town to tease and play pranks with the Creel boy. Yesterday aerowd was gathered about him, among them Mr. Price. The latter had a knife in his hand and said he was going to cut Creel, who was carrying an axe. He kept on teasing the bov until the latter suddenly raised the ax and with a terrific blow buried it in Price's head. He was instantly killed. The half-svit is now in jail. More I'aolAcos Slain. KE^ WEST, Fla., Feb. 9?A letter received from San Ohristobal provinca in Pinar del Rio, from a prominent Cuban there states that a detachment of San Martin's Spanish guerillas raided a small camp of pacificos near there Friday, killing sixteen men. Eight women who were in the camp, were forced to go with the troops. A family named Dominez, living near there who werj 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. THE ANTLFREE PASS BILL, REPEALED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A Heavy Week's Mb oik?Many Bills Passed and a Number Killed?How ths Members Toted on tbe Free Pass Bill. Columbia, 8. 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. Wingo'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. ? T~* - 1- * 1.M1 4.^ w nen rnr. rvooinsoim uiu lu ropcai 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 the 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 the railroads. His people had confidence in him. He was not afraid of the ayes and noes. He created great merriment by his earnest speech. Mr. Bacot suggested that the best way to preserve the appearance of the thing was to amend by striking out all after the enacting words and insert instead a provision that should be ' * -ii 1 *-ii ? siaiea in me uuttnor ui ?u nuy uauo that they must transport all members to and from the capital free of charge. Mr. Winkler insisted on the roll call 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; ksbill, Austell, Bacot, Bethune, Caughman, Cushman, Gage, Gasque, Goodwin, H. P.; Graham, J. S-; Graham, Thomas, A.; Hollis, Johnson, Kinard, Henry J., Lancaster, Layton, Lester, Meares, " 1 ?- -! Un. miles, iUlSUUO, muure, iu^i/auxuif iuuLaurin, McWhite, Patlon, Prince, Rainsford, Russell, Simkins, Smith, Jr., Smith, W, S.; Sullivan, Timmerman, Verner, Whisonant, 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, Col cock, Crum, Davis, C. M.; Davis, W. C.; DsLoaehe, Edwards, Epps,Fairey, Fox. Gadsden, Glenn, Harvey,tHaselden, Henderson, Hiott, Humphrey, Ilderton, Kibler, Kinard, J. D.; Limehouse, Livingston, Mauldin, Mehrtens, Miller, Joel H.; McCullough, Nettles, Owen, Phillips, Plyer, Pollock. Pyatt,' Robinson, Sinkler, Smith, E. D.; Stevenson, Thomas, W. H.; Townsend, Wolling, Westmoreland, Wingo, Miller, J. E., Williams, Wyche?52. This vote repealed the anti-free pass act and 11 me senate concurs m wo 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 all damages for loss, damage ana 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 tola of a case he had with the Southern road. Then the bill went to its third reading. 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 of 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 oi 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 where 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 tram eacn 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 damage occurred. If the last line is not responsible, it will get damage out of connecting lines which it had to pay 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 the General Assembly for much. The bill was passed. The bill to amend the county government Act was introduced primarily to affect Kershaw county only; but members from all counties wanted to get in and the Judiciary Committee reported bacK a bill. When it came up for discussion half of the members had other amendments to offer. As introduced by the committee the bill reads: Section 1. That section 49 of an Act entitled, "An Act to provide a system of county government for the several counties of the State", approved Jan uary 4, 1894, being section (587 of the Revised Statutes of 1893, be amended by striking out the words "$720.00" and insert in lieu thereof "$600.00" 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, $800; in the county of Anderson, $800; in the county of Edgefield, $450; in the county of Berkeley, $000; in the county of Charleston, $1,000; in the county of Chester, $800; in the county of Chesterfield, $400; in the county of Clarendon, $t)00; in the WJF 1 county of Darlingto?, $600; in the county of Fairfield, $GlO;inthe county of Flore. ' $600; inty<?'county of ? ^1- - Georgetown. $/t>u; in iuu comity ui Greenville, $600; in the county of Hampton, $600; in the county of Horry, $500; in the county <f Kershaw, $600; in the county of Lancaster, $400; in the county of Laurens, $600; in the county of Lexington, $600; in the county of Marion, $800; in the county of Marlboro, $700; in the county of Newberry, $750; in the county of Oconee, $500; in the county of Orangeburg, $800; in the county of Pickens, $400; in the county of Richland, $900; in the county of Spartanburg, $1,000; in the county of Sumter, $800; in the county of Union, $600; in the county of Williamsburg, $600; in the county of York, $500; in the county ot saiuaa, ^ou; ana iae cuuutv board of commissioners of the following counties may elect clerks of said board, and their salaries shall be as follows. Abbeville county, $150; Andersoa county, $150; Aiken county, $200; Barnwoll county, $350; Colleton county, $150; Lancaster county, $100; Laurens county, $160; Darlington county, $50; Oconee county, $100; Richland county, $250; Spartanburg county, $200; Berkeley county, $200; Marion county, $200; Newterry county, $200; Sumter county, $200; Williamsburg county, $50; Pickens county, $50; Union county, $150; York county, $150: Provided, This Act shall not take effect until after the expiration of the terms now being served so far as relates toSunervisors. Approved the 9th day of March. A. I). 1896. Mr. Bendon moved to make the salary of the Supervisor $600 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. " T> 11 J mr. jDBiauuo uiuvcu iv cAtcpt ivcr shaw from the operations of the bill. Mr. Harvey suggested that debate be adjourned, but the House refused to do so. Mr. Mishoe moved to make Horry's Supervisor $300 instead of $500. Mr. Austell moved to make the salary of clerk of the commissioners of Spartanburg $300 instead of $200. Mr. Colcock moved to make the salary of the Supervisor of Beaufort $800; Mr. Owens to make the clerk's salary of Spartanburg $100; Mr. Oaughman to make the Saluda clerks saiary $100; Mr. Rains ford, the clerk in Edgefield $100; Mr. W. S. Smith, to make the salary of the clerk of Hampton $75 instead of $50; Mf. Skinner, clerk in Barnwell, $200 instead of $300. 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. Cushman expressed the hope that the amend a 1J i ) *?,} mem wuuiu uc auu ytcu. Mr. Gasque held that it was not right to cut down the salaries of officers without notice.. Mr. Winkler said the bill was introduced for Kershaw county alone. If other counties don't want to come in let them be excepted. He moved to lay the amendment on the table, which was agreed to. Mr. Magill moved to recommit the bill in order to prevent all confusionMr. Kinard asked whether if the bill passed now would it legally affect the salaries of the present officers? The Chair would not answer the question, preferring to let the courts decide that, but Mr. Magill's 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 3?A. j l- :_:i?? i.?? gracuair.u ucoiiao ur privilege ioa up* on certain classes was taken up and passed. The bill provides that all licenses or privilege taxes imposed by any municipal corporation in this Stata 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 cigarette in this State was then taken up and passed. The bill provides that no package of cigarettes gold 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 cigarettes or cigarette paper shall have thereon a privileged tax stamp as hereinafter provided for, which shall be furnished to dealers in cigarettes or cigarette paper by 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 held by the county treasurers subject to the warrants of the boards of county commissioners liae the funds for,, ordinary county expenses. On Wednesday when Mr. Caughman's Jim Crow car bill, which had been unfavorably reported, was called up Mr. Meares moved to strike out the enacting words. This brought on a long discussion, after which a vote was taken and the House refused to strike out the enacting words by a vote of 80 to 19 as follows: Ayes?Anderson, Bedon, Childs, Colcock, Davis, C. M.; Davis, W. C.; Gadsden, Gage, Hiott, Hollis,Meares, Mehrtens, Mitchell, McKeown, Pollock, Pyatt, Reynolds, Thomas, J. P., Jr.; Vincent?19. Nays?All, Armstrong, Asbill,Ashley, Austell, Bacot, Bailey, Banks, Bethune, Blythe, Breeland, Carraway, Carson, Oaughman, Crum, Cushman, Da^is, G. W.; DeLoach, Dukes, Edwards, Efird, Epps, Fox, Garris, Gasque, Glenn, Goodwin. H. P.; Graham, J. S.; Graham, T. A.; Harvey, Hazelden, Henderson, Humphrey, 11derton, Johnson, Kennedy, Kibler, Kinard, H. J.; Kinard, J. D.; Lan[ caster, Layton, Lester, Limebouse, I Magill, Mauldin, Miles, Miller, J. E.; Miller, J. H.; Mishoe, McDaniei, McLaurin, McWhite, Owen, Paiton, Perritt, Pnillips, Ply ler. Price,Prince, Rainsford, Robinson, Rogers,Russell, Simkins, Smith, J. R.; Smith, W. S.; Speer, Sturkie, Sullivan, Thomas, W. H.; Tim merman, Toole, Verner,Wolling, Westmoreland, Wingo, Wink-* r - 'M j ler, Williams, Wyche, Yeldell?80. The bill provides that all railroads . or railroad companies engaged in this State as common carriers of panen gers ior nire snail iurnisn separate j apartments in first and second class coaches, or separate first and second I class coaches for the accommodation , J of white and colored passengers; pro- J vided equal accommodations shall be I supplied to all persons, without dis- 1 tinction of race, color or previous J condition, in such coaches. 1 An invitation was read from the J Mayor of Charleston inviting the 1 Legislature to visit the city pf Charleston on the 18 th instant. The inyi- .' $ tationsaid: "The South Carolina and Georgia railroad have generously offered a special train to bring you down on the 18th instant, leaving Columbia at 7 o'clock a. m,, reaching : Charleston at 11:10 a. m., and return- i'j ing same day, leaving Charleston at T 5:30 p. m., and reaching Columbia fet 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 w the United States fleet." Mr. Bacot explained that the in vita- >;tionwasto the General Assembly ai j guests of the city,and that no expense ^ would attach. Mr. Pollock moved a, concurrent J resolution that th? invitation beac- vl cepted and that when the House adjourned on the 17th it stand adjourn*- i ed until the 19th at 12 o'clock. On motion of Mr. Sturkie the hour J was changed to 10 o'clock. Mr. Cushman moved an amend- 'i ment that members should receive no . Vpav on the day they took a recess. Be >; neld that the State should not pay for such holidays. Messrs. Johnson and Sturkie agreed ft with him. Mr. Gasque moved to table the amendment, and the ayes and now | were demanded. The House voted * down the motion very decidedly when ^ a viva voce vote was taken,but on the ^ call many members who had voted to i table the amendment changed andpgj Mr. Cushman's amendment was adopted by a vote of 62 to 38. U. -D^ll^.1, omnlnrni ' ? iui? x uxiuua rnuvuu KUCIH and attaches should not receive any pay during the day. Mr. Rogers held that it was wrong ] for the House to force employes who vf -had no voice in the matter to be oat -' off from their pay. He moved to lay j j the amendment on the table, whion | was agreed to. Mr. llderton pointed out the inoonp sistency of the action of the Hous& They drew pay for visiting Bock Hill. i| Mr. E. D. Smith held that nnder . 'i the circumstances of the trip members, | should receive their pay. The Legis lature could on toe trip inspect uxe ' Citadel and it might be well for mem--rubers to associate with the people of Charleston at which all gruus had been fired in recent years. Mr. Williams and Mr. John P. $ Thomas held that some membert 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 Clemson invitation then came up. Mr. Pollock said no expense ? would attach to the trip. They would v: go and return on the same day. It waa a legal holiday?the 22d. The invita* ' tion was uuanimously accepted. The Dorchester county bill waa i taken up. The reading of the bill waa ? nearly completed when Mr. Uderton ! moved to recommend the bill to the judiciary committee. This brought on a long discussion, which waa not concluded at the hour of adjourn- K j ment In the House on Thursday Mr^>2 Price's resolution appointing a committee to investigate the dispensary v was passed. The resolution ia Af: s weeoine one. givine authority to the committee to report at the next session. Mr. Limehouse's' bill to declare the * law relating to the mileage of all persdis for the payment 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 peonlft there went through Charleston and charged 110 miles when it should not be over 15 miles. The bill, after this explanation, passed. The bill provides that the payment of 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 and 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 and Mr. W. 0. Davis moved to strike out the resolving words. He did this on the principled hat when people want anything thev should pay for it. There was considerable discussion over the mat ter?the question as to whether the I State should pay these expenses, hay ing made no previous provision there for, or whether the counties interested should bear the expenses themselves. H The sentiment of the House, judging I from the debate, seemed to be against I establishing the precedent of the State paying sucn expenses. The resolving words of the resolution were stricken B Mr. Jno. P. Thomas' bill to amend I the law so as to allow aliens to own I 5,000 acres of land in this State was ordered to a third reading, there being ' I no opposition to it. Hj M ri. 15urn ham's Suicide. H Starke, Fla., Feb. 9.?Mrs. Lucy I Barn ham was found dead in her room I at the Commercial hotel this morning, I having committed suicide by taking chloroform. Mrs. Burnham left sev* eral letters for friends in Chicago and elsewhere and a note to the public stating that the burden of life had H grown too heavy for her. She was H formerly Mrs. Lucy Van Evar, art I critic of the Chicago Inter-Ocean. I Eight months ago she was married to I Dr. Burnham, the specialist, and they cams to Florida. Walked Into a Creek. jfflj St. Augustine, Fla., Feb. 11.?Yes- I terday Agnes Demere, a deaf mute H was left at the State blind and deaf in* H stitute here by her father who resides H at Punta Gorda, Fla. The child was H not ccntented and during the after- H noon escaped from the institution. H Search was made without avail until H this morniug when the body of the H little girl was found lloating in a creek near the institute. It is supposed H that she was drowned in trying to H wade across the creek.