Edgefield advertiser. (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, January 26, 1910, Image 3
Below is given a brief summary of
: the doings of the law-makers of the
South Carolina General Assembly
day by day: .
* MONDAY-Jam 17th.
The Senate-The feature of Mon
day night's session was Ot t's liquor
s nuisance bijl, which created con
siderable discussion. No action taken.
Carlisle child labor bill passed third
reading, which prohibit children un
der 16 y.ears of age from working in
cotton aad woolen mills^ between the
hour of 7 p. m., and 6 a. m., . as
.'amended by the' 'author permitting
lost time to be made up at night.
-..Hartrick proposed to make the age
limit in this bill 14 years, but on
an aye and nay vote of ll to 19 this
amendment was killed. Hamrick ar
gued that some of the South Carolina
mills are situated so that they can
run at night and a family applying
for work at night on account of
higher wages would be hurt by this
. .bili if children were not allowed to
work. Carlisle stated that he wish
ed to see the time when all chil
dren will -be out"' of the milk but did
not think the time was quite ripe for
this. A bill providing for the in
creaing of the scholarships for nor
mal, students in the University of
South ' Carolina was passed to third
reading. The bill increaes the schol
arships in the department of educa
tion to 124. The scholarships are
beneficiary and gives the students
free tuition and a small amount of
' money per month. Hardin introduced
a bill providing for thc etablishment
of four agricultural schools in this
State; Carlisle introduced a bill pro
viding that the city council of any
city in this State of more than 5,000
inhabitants may appropriate the mon
eys arising ffom fine in the muni
cipal courts, if so much be neces
sary, to eleemosynary,, educational
or other purpose, tending to pro
mote the public welfare; Senate will
visit Clemson College on the ? 26th
The House-House held no meeting
Monday night. Excepted invitation
to visit Citadel Academy on the
26th; Dixon's bill relating to railroad
fares would require the railroads to
fix the rates--at two and one half
cents' "instead of three cents as at
present. The ralroad commission and
Gov. Ansel are now operating the
lower rate and the bill was passed
to third rading; Ashley's bill relat
ing to amonia in commercial fertiliz
er, went to third reding, the house
accepting the substitute bill adopt
ed by the committee; Foster's bill
to require all insurance companies to
pay a certain fee to attorneys in
case of suit and Tecovery, passed.
The bill is aimed at concerns that
would by needless or frivolous de
lays stop payments on just claims.
bill declaring the duty of
commissioners as to inter
?s went to third reding as
'8 bill, requiring ?uco mo
jes to be equipped with elec
ilights. Hall's bill amend
?e so as to add a proviso
'recording of personal mort
other States not situated in
this State so as to 'orovide for re
eordatice in this State, went to third
reading. Bowman's bill making it
a misdemeanor to violate a lease of,
land also went to third reading with
no discussion. Rucker's bill abolish
ing capital punishment except in
certain cases was made an adjourn
ed debate bill. Sawyer's bill making
the pay of solicitors for attendance
upon the sessions of the engrossing
department $4 per day passed to
third reading. \
TUESDAY-Jan. 18th.
The Senate-The Charleston trad
ing stamp bill has received a favor
able report; the University scb?lar
ip bill passed increasing scholar
ship in normal department to 124,
ppr?priation is about $8,000; Car
lisie/s bill providing that the term
of office of the county superinten
dent of Spartanburg shall be four
years and the same for that of the
countj' supervisor passed with the
amendment that this'bill shall also
refer to Laurens county; although
several prohibitionists opposed the
measure and apparently there was a
disposition among a number of the
senate members not to further the
law of injunction, Graydon's bill
which was drawn in thc office of the
attorney general passed iii the sen
ate. This is in,connection.lo enforc
ing the dispensary law; Clifton suc
ceeded in getting in ah amendment to
the effect that no owner out of
possession shall be punished by fine
or imprisonment without actual no
tice of the order of injunction; fav
orable report was made oh Dillon
connty, and the matter is now set
tled.
The,House-Consumed almost all
of the session in the discusssion of
the bill providing for a pension for
firemen and after a hard fight it was
ordered to a third reading. The bill
provides that all insurance companies
doing business in this State shall file
with the comptroller general a certi
fied statement they would provide the
sum of $1 on every $100 written for
premiums for firemen who were injur
ed in the discharge of their duties.
The bill was introduced, by Garris
and Sei bel ss presented figures to show
that the cost of establishing this pen
sion found would fall upon the policy
holders; Dear's sbill prohibiting the
manufacture, sale or use of noiseless
firearms; the report of the committee
on free conference on the trip to
Clemson college, fixing Friday, Janu
ary 28, was adopted.
THURSDAY, Jam 20th.
The Senate-Senator Clifton suc
ceeded in getting into the Graydon
injunction bill an amendment doing
away with that portion of the bil!
that provides that the application for
injunction may be made before a
circuit judge, anywhere in the State.
The affect is to leave lhe law as it
now stands, practically, it being
provided that the application shall
be before the judge of the circuit or
the. judge who may happen to be in
the circuit at the time br the nearest
judge in an adjoining county.
The House-The State-wide prohi
bition bills AW 3 introduced in the
senate and house by Senator Carlisle.
This year's measure has practically
the same provisions as the bill of
last; year except the compromise fea
ture that was last session added in
the senate in reference to the elec
tions in the seyeral counties. There
are several new features, however,
in the bill introduced, the first sec
tion provides. a prohibition for the
manufacture, sale, etc., of liquors
just as was provided in the former
bill, which is in force now in prohi
bition counties. This section also
provides that wholesale druggists may
lawfully sell in wholesale quantities
pure alcohol. The retail druggist sec
tion of the present prohibition law
is inserted in the bill, and the other
medicinal sections of the law. A sec
tion that was probably'inspired by
some debate ia the senate this year
is:
"That nothing in this act shall pre
vent the sale of wood or'denatured
alcohol or the social serving of such
liquors or beverages in private resi
dences in ordinary social intercourse,
or the manufacture and keeping of
wines made from berries and grapes
for domestic purposes only."
A drastic section of the new bill
is that there is no alternative of fine
in case of violation of the law. The
violation section is :
"That any person who violates
any provisions of this act shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction - shall be imprisoned at
hard labor for a period of not less
than three months, nor-more than one
year and "for the second or subse
quent offense, upon conviction there
of, shall be imprisoned at hard labor
for not less than one year, nor more
than five years." ?
The druggists' fine is the same as
is now the case, viz.; a revoking of
license for one vear for each offense.
The bm'concludes:-"That nothing
in this act shall be construed to pre
vent the indictment, prosecution and
.convicition of any person who has
been guilty of a violation of any law
now in force relating to the subject
of alcoholic liquors ?nd beverages
in this State or who may iolate said
law at cy time prior to the time
when this act shall take effect or to
affect or abate any indictments, pro
secutions or warrants now pending
for a violation thereof."
The act. if passed, would take ef
fect April 1, 1910. - The bill also has
a repealing clause.
FRIDAY^J'an. 21st.
The Senate.-The Dillon county
bill passed third reading/ Dillon was
placed in thc fourth circuit, Mont
gomery, of Marion, wanted Dillon
placed in the ' twelfth circuit ; the
Otts' liquor bill and the bill chang
ing the mileage basis in this State
were the most important of the oth
er measures considered. The Otts
measure passed third reading and was*
ordered sent to the house, while the
railroad measure Went to third read
ing, with notice of general amend
ments; among the following bills
passed third reading were: Gaydon:
relating to certain public nuisances
and the abatement thereof by in
junction; to declare the duty of the
railroad commission as to interstate
rates, and provide for expenses;
^ade, to. amend section 2067 of vol
ume 1 of the code of laws of South
Carolina relating tb the powers of the
railroad, commissioners.
The House-Hydrick's bill, requir
ing that crops be up and growing be
fore a mortage be valid, was killed.
The bill, might be termed a "follow
up" of the repeal of the lien law at
the last session and in most instances
the same arguments were gone over.
The bill was finally killed by a vote of
60 to 47; Rucker's bill abolishing
capital punishment except in cases of
criminal assault or attempted crimin-*
al assault was killed; Dixon's bill
making it a misdemeanor for any
person to dispose of a white child to
a negro, was passed after an amend
ment had been inserted making an
exception in cases where children had
been temporarily placed in the cus
tody of negroes in cases of emer
gency; Mr. Foster's bill making it a
misdemeanor to point a gun or pistol
at. another person passed to third
reading, without debate, as did Ed
wards' bill authorizing magistrates to
iudorse warrants issued by mayors or
intendents.
A bill has been introduced in the
house and senate for a State board of
lax assessors to take the place of the
State board of equalization and the
present State board of assessors. The
measure provides that the board shall
consist of five members, the comp
troller general to be one of the mem
bers. The board would have charge
of the workings and administration of
the tax laws and the assessment of
the property of the State.
SATUEDAY-Jan. 22d.
The Senate-The first important
engagement in the liquor fight in the
Legislature . begins in the Senat'
Thursday. Senator Carlisle having
gotten his State-wide bill substitut
ed for the Otts bill of last session so
as to gain a high place for it on th?
calendar; the Senate passed two out
of-the-ordinary bills, one by Senator
Sullivan prohibiting minors from
plavins pool or billards and the oth
er by Harmon prohibiting the manu
facture or sale of any but safety
matches. The bill, which has passed
the House, getting through last ses
sion, was amended so as to make it
effective a vear hence; the Senate
killed the bill to abolish the Confed
erate infirmary; the bill allowing no
taries public who are stockholders,
directors or officers of banks or other
corporations to take acknowledge
ments if the papers do not affect the
person taking the acknowledgements
was passed. This is to allow the of
ficers and others connected with banks
if they be notaries public to fix np
papers for others in the banks; the
bill ta establish Dillon county passed
third reading.
The House-Among the hills pass
ed to third reading: Riley's bill
making it a misdemeanor for a bank
officials to issue a false certificate;]
Richard's bill amending the State
law on thc militia in minor particu
lars; Foster's bill providing for the
introductin of records or bills in
trials against common carriers.
The members of the Legislature
who made the majority report in the
asylum investigation have prepared
biils which will be introduced in both
houses this week rp carry out their
recommendations. One bill provides
for an election at the general elec
tion next fall on the proposition tn
have the State malee a. $I;000,000
bond issue with which to erect twe
new asylums for the separate care of
white and negro patients. The oth
er provides for a commission office to
be selected by the Governor to get
options for sites and plans for the
new plants and report to the Legis
lature convening a year hence. Un
der the constitution the bond issue
must have the vote of two-thirds thc
elected members of the Legislature
and its fate is extremely doubtful a?
the minority's recommendation to re
model the present plant has a strom:
following in both houses.
CONSIDERED STATE LAWS
Flatform of Civis Federation is
Stated in a Number of Resolu
tions.
Washington, Special. -Agreeing
that there should be uniformity in
State laws affecting not only com
mercial matters but likewise those,
that pertain to the well-being of the
individual, the Civic Federation at its
final session adopted a number of
resolutions. Among them were those
recommending. to the Governors the
adoption of r.hiform laws for the
protection of children employed in
industries; favoring a uniform insur
ance code for adoption by the several
States; uniform legislation on the
subject of . gathering and preserva
tion of vital statistics; endorsing the
conservation of American forests and
referring the same to the committee
on uniform State laws.
The conference further adopted a
resolution recommending to the
Governors of the several States and
to the States themselves that work
men's compensation acts, fair to the
employer and employe and just to
the State, be uniformaly substituted
for the present system of employers
liability for injuries received in and
arising out of the course of employ
ment. A resolution was passed re
commending to the respective States
consideration of the development of
water power and their regulation on
non-navigable streams, with a view
to bringing about uniformity of Stat?
legislation looking to uniform co
operation between each State, legis
lation looking to uniform co-opera
tion between each State and the Fed
eral government in the development
and control of water power.
STRESS RIGHTS OF STATES.
Addresses on Necessity for Retention
of Power Feature.
Washington, Special. - "State
rights" was the burden of most of
the addresses delivered at the con
ference of governors with particular
reference to the conservation of re
sources and the regulation and super
vision of public service corporations.
An interchange of views on these
two subjects showed a unanimity of
opinion as to the necessity for State
activity. A feature of the session
was a speech by Ambassador Bryce,
who believed the conference would
emphasize the importance of the
governorship" and that the chief ex
ecutive of each State was coming
more and more to be looked upon
os the personal representative of the
people of his State.
After perfecting concrete plans for
future conclaves ,the conference of
governors adjourned to meet at one
of the State capitals on a date be
tween Thanksgiving and Christmas
of the current 'year, the exact time
and place to be determined b}* a com
mittee which was appointed.
HEALTH CONFERENCE.
Officers Chosen From the Different
States at Atlanta Meeting.
Following are the officers elected
at the Southern Health Conference
at Atlanta, Ga., 'last week:
President-Dr. H. F. Harris, At
lanta.
Secretary-W. G. Cooper, Atlanta.
Vice Presidents.
Alabama-Dr. H. G. Perry.
Florida-Dr.* Hiram Byrd.
Georgia-Wilmer L. Moore.
Kentucky-Dr. J. B. Marvin.
Tehnessee-Dr. J. A. Albright.
Virginia-Dr. E. G. Williams.
North Carolina-Dr. R. H. Lewis.
Mississippi-Dr. S. H. McLain.
Arkansas-Dr. E. H. Martin.
South Carolina-Dr. Wm. Weston.
Texas-Dr. W. M. Brumby.
Louisiana-Dr. G. H. Dock.
District of Columbia-Dr. W. C.
Woodward.
Oklahoma-Dr. J. L. Schular.
United States Army-Maj. B. D.
taylor.
United States Navy-Past Assist
ant Surgeon J. H. White.
Hawaii-Dr. W. D. Baldwin.
New Comet Visible-Not Halley's.
Washington, Special.-A new
comet, outshinging Venus in bril
liancy, is visible in the sky. Along
the Atlantic seaboard in- the South
where the skies are not clouded it
can be most clearly seen. Although
unidentified by the scientists it is un
misakably distinguished from Hal
ley's comet and the astronomers at
the naval ' observatory here have
trained their telescopes upon it night
and day for nearly a week.
In North and South Carolina, be
tween 6:30 and 7 p. m.. it was visible.
No Chance for Morse.
New York, Special.-Charles W.
Morse has not a chance of getting
out of the federal prison at Atlanta,
where he is serving a 15-year sen
tence for violation of the national
banking laws, on the plea that there
was a special accountant in the
grand jury room when the indict
ment was being prepared. So says
United States District Attorney Wise.
Col. Robt. Lowry Dead.
Jackson, Miss., Special.-Ex-fiov.
Lowry is dead, aged 78 years. He
was twice governor of Mississippi,
and a prominent Confederate vet
eran.
Cuba grows twenty-pound cabbage
heads.
PALMETTO HAPPENINGS
News Notes of ' General Interest
From All Ports of the State.
TREATED WITH NEGLECT.
Reign of Horror Reigns at Asylum
According to Investigating Com
mittee.
Columbia, Special.-Charges of the
grossest violations of the ordinary
rules of sanitation and decency and
a stinging arraignment of the board
of regents of the State hospital for
the insane are contained in the ma
jority reports , of the commission ap
pointed to investigate the hospital,
recently made" public. The reeents
of the institution^aro' WJ J. Good
ing, Hampton; .J. Terry Glenn, An
derson; W. Wv"Ray, Congaree; J. H.
Taylor, Columbia.. This report shows
that on December 13, last, there were
in the institution 1,533 inmates
520 white women, 370 white men,
321 negro women, 322 negro men.
Without placing the blame on any
particular person, the committee's
report states the evidence shows :-v
That 15 patients of one'ward were
bathed in the same water in a bath
tub.
That the foulest water closets, cen
ters of wide soil pollution, are locat
ed T. ith a few. feet of an outdoor
kitcuen.
Th^Pthere ar? no' screens about
these closets.
' That the bodies of dead patients
are buried one on top of another in
the same lot, with as little con
sideration as if they were so many
dogs. 1 ,
That cholera hogs and the dead are
kept in the same 'Jot: '
That the wards; even of the white
women, are overrun with vermin and
the patients are allowed to go un
kept and ragged.
The report also states that many
attendants are reported illiterate and
brutal, many cases of brutality be
ing reported, and that the food serv
ed the patients is badly prepared by
persons who never learned to cook
and is served in dirty, greasy tin
dishes, and government ' reports are
quoted to show that in the South*
Carolina hospital the death rate is
the highest' in "the United States,
21.54 per -cent, asf compared with a
general average of ll per cent.
It is estimated that it will require
$350,000 to put the plant in proper
shape and it is suggested the pres
ent plant be soldr the land being
worth $400,000, abd two plants, to
cost $500,000 each to be erected hy
, the state elsewhere.
A minority report submitted by
three members of the commission,
disagrees with the main features of
the majority report. It holds that
the lack of funds, to put the institu
tion on a modern; basis, due to the
state's heavy indebtedness, is the
principal source ofj trouble. It states
that the patients, as a rule, are well
cared for, that the food served is
of good quality aod well cooked and
that the manageme^?tf. the state's
farm is systematic and efficient.
The minority report states that it
is unnecessary to create a great debt
for the state in the purchase of new
sites and that the expenditures of
about $50,000 annually for several
years, will meet the requirements of
the situation.
Murder Trial With Eleven Jnror?.
Greenville, Special-With only ll
jurors in the box court of general
sessions last Thursday entered on
the trial of the three negroes charg
ed with thc murder of John McGaha,
nephew of Joseph Ashley. At thc
opening of the case, objections were
made to all but the ll jurors, and
both sides agreed to go to trial with
this number. This is an unusual pro
cedure, and there is much discussion
among lawyers as to its regularity.
Judge Wilson, however, ruled that
there could be no objection to ll men
hearing the case.
Jailor Beaten, Prisoners Fi?e.
Camden, Special.-After" beating,
choking and stamping Jailor John
Boone, five prisoners at the Camden
county jail smothered the jailor in
a blanket, threw him in a cell and
made their escape. One of the
prisoners was later recaptured by a
citizen who joined in the hue raised
after the miscreants. Eight prison
ers did not take advantage of the
chance to escape.
Lumber Company Restrained.
Asheville, Special.-On the appli
cation of the Canton Lumber Com
pany, a Delaware corporation, Judge
Pritchard has issued an injunction.
, restraining the Winyah Lumber
Company, operating mills at George
town, from cutting timber on a cer
tain tract of land in Hoirry county,
and requiring it to show cause before
him January 29 why the injunction
should not be continued until the
'hearing. The complainant is requir
ed to give a $1,000 bond with the
Federal court clerk at Charleston.
Palmetto Leaflets.
Jas. Reed committed suicide at
Charleston.
Near May es vi lie, at Boyle's saw
mill, the boiler exploded injuring
three and one probably'fatally.
Rev. O. Y. Bonner, pastor of the
A. R. P. church, at Due West, is
dead. He was prominent in the"
Synnod of this denomination.
Gen. Lee's birthday was generally
and appropriately observed on the
19th.
The stockholders of the College for
Women have authorized a bond issue
of $75,000 for a new dormitory fer
the college.
A new cotton mill is to be organ
ized at Greenwood, capital to be
$300,000.
Anderson citizens are planning
for a "Home Coming Week" for
the coming summer.
The Rochester, N. Y., . base ball
team of the Eastern League, will
train at Anderson this season.
Geo. W. Darwell, a Pennsylvania
traveling man, was rescued from
drowning at Charleston.
Oldest Newspapefin South Carolina.
EDGEFIELD, S. C., WE?NESDAY, JANUARY 26th, 1910 NO. 52
WEEK IN CONGRESS.
Taft Gaining Support and Shows
Tact in Avoiding Clashes.
Washington, D. C., Special.-This
week probably will see the begining
of work by the joint special com
mittee which has been named to in
vestigate the subjects popularly
grouped together under the title of
"the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy,"
and from now on this affair will oc
cupy an increasingly conspicuous
position in the news of Congress.
The President's Federal incorpor
ation bill is expected to have the
hardest sledding of any measure in
his legislative program. Land bills
and measures designed to carry on
the work of conserving natural re
sources will receive careful attention
at the present1 session.
Activity, such as has seldom if ever
before been displayed by committees
so early in the first regular session
of a Congress, is now in evidence in
both wings of the Capitol. Although
there are practically thre~ parties
the "regular" Republicans,, the
"insurgent" Republicans and the
Democrats-maneuvering for politi
cal advantage, there are signs on
every hand that President Taft by
steering his characteristic "middle
of-the-road" course, is daily gaining
supporters for his 'legislative pro
gram.
When the House satisfies the selec
tion of Representative' Graham the
investigation of the Ballinger-Pin
chot controversy will begin in earnest.
The committee consists of the follow
ing:
Senators-Knute Nelson of Minne
sota (chairman); Frank P. Flint of
California, George Sutherland of
Utah, Elihu Root of New York,
Thomas H. Painter of Kentucky and
Duncan H. Fletcher, of Florida,
Representatives-Samuel W. Mc
Call of Massachusetts, M. E. Olm
stead of Pennsylvania, E. H. Madison
of Kansas, Edwin Denby of Michi
gan, Ollie James of Kentucky and
James M. Graham of Illionis.
TAX ON OLEOMARGARINE.
House Committee on Agriculture to
Hear Evidence February 9th.
Washington, Special.-Representa
tive Burleson of Texas, Saturday ap
peared before the House committee
on agriculture in behalf of his bill
repealing the tax on oleomargarine,
which tax, he asserted, was respon
sible for the present high price of
buttre throughout the country.
Before this tax was imposed. Mr.
Burleson said, there was manufactur
ed annually 130,1)00,000 pounds of
oleomargarine which he characteriz
ed as a pure and wholesome food pro
duct and which sold for from 12 tc
18 cents per pound. The price of
butter was then 20 and 30 cents per
pound.
The production of oleomargarine
has been diminished 66 per sent, he
said, a? a result of the tax, and the
price of butter has gone up from ?8
to 60 cents a pound.
Passage ' of the law was secivred,
Mr. Burleson charged, by the Na
tional Dairy Union, and by a "stup
endous lobby which, it is said, ex
pended a vast sum of money."
Mr. Burleson said that lie rep
resented many associations of w.ttle
growers, cotton seed crushers associa
tions, national retail grocer? associa
tions and Western and Southern
chambers of commerce in demand
ing the repeal of the fax and the
lowerin:r of the price of butter.
The House committee on agricul
ture will hear evidence on February
9th.
New Hope Given Morse.
New York, Special.-By Judge
Hough's ruling that the presence in
the grand jury room of John P.
Fernsier, an expert accountant, in
any capacity except that of a witness
was prejudicial to Heinze's legal
rights. He guashes the indictment
against him, thereby giving new hope
to Morse for a new trial.
Pinchot Chosen President
Washington, Special.-The election
of Gifford Pinchot to succeed Dr.
Charles W. Eliot as president of the
National Conservation Association,
is announced. ?
Secession Movement Falls.
Atlanta, Ga., Special.-President
Chas. S. Barrett, of thc National
Farmers' Union, says the Texas and
Oklahoma farmers'will remain.
Can't Regulate Life Insurance.
Washington, Special.-President
Taft addressing the annual meeting
of the Association of Life Insurance
Presidents, held out no hope of the
passage of a federal law to govern
insurance, and advised the officers to
secure legislation in thc States.
Ashboro Fire-Swept.
Asheboro, N. C., Special.-Fire
Friday burned sixteen or more build
ings here, entailing r. loss of $10,000.
Most of the buildings were covered
by insurance.
Floods Threaten Paris.
Paris, By Cable.-The .floods ex
ceeded all records and are fast as
suming the proportions of a national
disaster. In the north, east and West
are hundreds of homeless and ruined.
Although it is impossible at thc
present time to estimate thc damage
it will he very great.
Invitations have been issued to the
conference of teachers which will be
held at the University of South Caro
lina on February otb.
Diekema Wants Cannon's Place.
Washington, D. C.,. Special.-Rep
resentative Diekema, of Illinois, an
nounces that he will bc a candidate
for Speaker of the House. He de
clares it to bc hie belief that the
present incumbent -Cannon-will
not oFer for the position. Mann, of
Illinois, say? he is not a candidate;
Champ Clark, in speaking of the an
nouncement, ;;ays the Democrats will
control the next ; House, and will
choose the speak?r.
Oldest Newspapefin South Carolina.
EDGEFIELD, S. C., WE?NESDAY, JANUARY 26th, 1910 NO. 52