Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL. XI MANNING. S. C, WEINESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 THE STATE'S LAW\M3AKERS. PROGRESS OF THE WORK OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. -[atters of importance Consiered adi Settled-The Proceedir-gs of the HouSe and Senate. EXECUTIVE APP'OiNTMENTS. Then the senate bill relating to o0l s to be filled by the governor. pro iding that no appointee rejected by -:e senate should be appointed by the vernor was taken up during the re :55. Mr. Thurmond thought m1embers of .e house should have as muci voice the making of appointments as 1yone else. le moved to strike out -:e enacting words of the bill. Mr. Hammett took the oppositte side. iie thought the bill a good one that ould pass. Mr. Watson thought the majority .hould have a voice in such matters, -d the recommendations of the mem i--rs of the house should have some i-;ght. Mr. W. J. Johnson considered the I!l in the nature of a rebuke to the ..pointing power. He thereupon ..>ved to indefnitely postpone it. The ibuse agreed to do so by a vote of 66 t. 22, upon the calling of the roll. THE SALE OF MEATS. Mr. Harvey's bill to regulate the s&le of dressed beef, veal and mutton int this State, for which the committee rt turned a substitute bill was taken up. Mr. Fred Williams spoke against the bill, saying he thought it would work a hardship on a great many. Mr. Ilderton spoke for the bill. He could why Colleton was interested; there were many phosphate hands in that county, who went out, stole stock, killed it and sold it. There was no way to catch up with the thieves. Mr. Miller said that Beaufort county already had tois law. It had never enabled them to catch a thief, but it bad broken up the thieves. Suspi.ious characters selling beef had some one after them as soon as they got into town. He thought the rest of the State should be given the benefit of the bill. Mr. Harvey said his bill gave the seller more latitude than the Beaufort bill. He wanted it given them in the name of justice and fairness. The house then refused to strike out t he enacting words. Mr. ilderton offered an amendment that "such demand shall not prevent said person from selling such beef, veal or mutton without it is stolen." HOW IT PASSED. Mr. W. J. Johnson was opposed to the bill. and Mr. Lofton was in favor of it. The amendment was agreed to. A large number of exemptions were made and then the bill passed in this shape: Section 1. That on and after the passage of this act it shall be unlawful for any person or persons in this State to sel, or offer for sale, or barter, any dressed beef, veallor mutton, unless - -- the person or persons offering for sale or barter shall, upon demand made within ten (10) days after killing, or offering the said beef, veal or mutton for sale or barter, do publicly exhibit the hide, with ears and marks, if any attached; such demand shall not pre vent said person from selling such beef, veal or mutton without it is stol en; provided, this act shall not apply to beef, veal or mutton slaughtered in licensd butcher pens within incorpc rated towns. Section 2. That any one violating the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined not ex ceeding $25, or imprisonment not ex ceeding 30 days in the county jail or the county chain gang; provided, that it shall be a complete defense to any prosecution instituted under the provisions of this act to show that the .fresh meats sold were slaughtered out side of the limits of this State; provid ed, further, that the provisions of this bill shall not apply to the counties of Oconee, Pickens, York, Georgetown, Hampton, Orangeburg, Darlington, Lexington, Saluda, Horry, Richiand, Berkeley, Union, Barnwell, Green ville. Aiken, Edgefield, Anderson, Ab beville, Laurens, Marlboro, Kershaw, Sumter, Fairfield, Spartanburg, Ches ter, Chesterfield and Lancaster. CUTrnNG DOWN SALARIES. When, Mr. L. J. Williams, bill to reduce the salaries of the State officers, clerks and employes therein named was taken up, Mr. Magill moved to strike out the enacting words -Mr. Williams said this was a conservative measure; in no instance was the reduc tion in excess of 8 per cent. He cited the case of some latborers in his coun try who would not be paid their wages till Feb. 15 and had been unable to '~sutheir taxes. When he thought of this useless extravagance, he felt great pity . He sometimes asked him self if this was L. J. Williams, who permittetd these things to go on? Then he felt his littleness. He had ceased to be a partisan, except in his deter mination to have every demand of the Reform movement enacted into law if possible. He referred to the other economic resolutions and bills he had introduecd and made a reference to the "house of lords" at the other end of the building. As a Reform move ment, tia y had not kept all the prom ises they had made. They had not been abie to reform the taxes - There was dissatisfaction in the 'ranks; it was due to the failure of the move ment to keep all its promises. Mr. WV. J. Johnson moved to ad journ the debate on the bill, but this was voted down. After further dabte Mr. Magill moved to indefinitely postpone the bill. The vote on this was as follows: Yeas-AL derson, iBacot, Barkley, Cooper, Crum, Davis, C. M.; Davis, W. C.; Devereux, Garris, Gregory, Holloway, Kennedy, Kinard, Kirk, Lofton, Magill, Manning, Miller, Mc Keown, McSweeney, Phillips, Pyatt, Sanders, A. K.: Skinner, Williamson, Wilson-26. Nays-Ashley, Barry, Blackwell, Bowman, Brown, Bunch, Burns, Car roll, Carrothers. Connor, L. S.; Con nor, J. B ; Eadens, Earle, Edward, Elder, Ellerbe, Finklea, Floyd, Fow ler, Gary, Goodwin, Hammett, Har per, Hast-Iden, Hiett, Hough, Hum phrey, Ilderton, Johnston, Johnso-n, Lanicaster, Leverett, Love, Mellett, Mishoe, Mitchell, T. P.; Mitchell, J. Vy.; Yo e, Murray, McIntosh, Nun nery, () s, Pickens, Pollock Price Prince, drinsford, Rast, Rowland, Singleta :, Sturkie, Tatum, Thomas, Thomps .:, Todd, Townsend, Thur mondT' ar, WVarr, Watson, Welch, Whitm: ,, Williams, T. S. ; Williams, L. J.: Williams, J. G.; Williams, Fred - vinkler. Wolff, Wyche. Wy man-7. The House next voted down motion to strike out the enacting claus?. THEIR PER DIEN. Mr. Bacot then made several verbal changes: than he said that he had one more sriall amendment to offer, and proceeded to offer one cutting down the salary of the members to $3 a day. 1r. Tuirmond thought this would shut off the poor man from coming to the general assembly. If men wanted to come here for the honor it was all right. He would not consent to cut down the salary of his successor. Mr. Bacot said the object of a per diem was to simply pay the expenses of the members. If it had been in tended that the office should be one of profit, salaries would have been fixed in the Constitution insteid of a per diem. He personally could make much more at home, but he felt that it was an honor to be a member of the body. He called attention to the in creased purchasing power of money that had been talked of so earnestly during the morning. The debate was continued at the night session. After many speeches, the House took a vote on Mr. Bacot's motion to reduce the members per diem from four dollars to three. The amendmdnt was killed by the follow ing vote: Yeas-Bacot, Breeland, Floyd, Goodwin, Harvey, Johnson, Price, Williamson, Winkler-9. Navs-Adams, Barkley, Barry, Blacliwell, Bowman, Breazeale, Bratn lett, Brown, Bunch, Burns, Carroll, Caughman, Connor, L. S.; Cooper, Crum, Davis, C. M.; Davis, W. C.: Dothage, Duncan, Eadens, Earle, Ed wards, Elder, Ellerbe, Finklea, Fow ler, Gadsden, Garris, Gary. Gregory, Harnmett, Haselderi, Hiott, Holloway, Hough, Humphreys, Ilderton, Jobu ston, Kennedy, Kinard, Kirk, Lancas ter, Lemmon, Leverett, Lofton, Love, Magill, Manning, Mehrtens, Mellard, Mellett, Miller, Miles, Mishoe, Mitcu ell, T. P.; Moore, Murray, McIntosh, McKeown, Nunnery, Otts, Phillips, Pickens, Pollock, Price, Pvatt, Rains ford, Robertson, Rowland, Sanders, A. K.; Shuman, Singletary. Skinner, Sturkie, Tatum, Thomas, Thompson, Todd, Townsend, Thurmond, Tyler, Warr, Watson. Welch, Whitmire, Williams, T. S.; Williams, L: J.; Williams, John G.; Williams, Fred; Wilson, Wolf, WVche-96. SOMNE AYENDMENTS. The house then reconsidered the vote whereby it had ordered the pre vious question on the whole matter. Then some verbal amendments were proposed. A change was made as to the salary of the assistant clerk, the sergeant-at-arms and reading clerk of the house so as to allow them to get a per diem of $3 a day extra if the ses sion exceeded 30 days. A motion was made to have the comptroller general's salary raised to $1,900. This was carried. Josh Ashley moved to amend so as to give the State librarian $1,000. It was done. An amendment to allow the speak er $8 a day and the mileage of a mem ber, was then voted down, and the bill was ordered to a third reading by a vote of 48 to 19. THE SALARIES FIXED. The features ot the salary reduction bill as passed are as follows: Gover nor, $3,5000; lieutenant governor, during session, $8 per diem and mile age of a member; governor's private secretary, $1,000; governor s messen ger, $400; Secretary of state and com ptroller general, $1,900 each; clerks of each, $1,200; pension clerk and book keeper of the comptroller, $1,200; State treasurer, -$2,000; chief clerk, $1,590; two bookkeepers, $1,200 each; superintendent of education, $1,800 and $200 for traveling expenses; clerk $900; adjutant and inspector general, $1,200; clerk, $900; attorney general, $1,900; asssistant, $1,330; chief justice supreme court. $3,000; associate just ices, $2,850; circuit judges, $2,700 each; clerk supreme court, $800; libra rian, $800; messenger and attendant, each, $200; reporter, $900; supeiinten dent penitentiary, $1,800; physician and captain of guard, each, $1,000; chaplain, $600; directors, same as members of. the general assembly when attending meetings; superinten dent of asylum, $3,000; regents same as penitentiary directors; solicitors, $1,330, each, save of first circuit, who gets $1,600, and mileage; State librari an, $1,000; members of gener-alassem ply, $4 per diem and mileage at 5 cents per mile; clerk of senate, $8 a day and members mileage during session and for actual working days thereafter not exceeding 20 days; reading clerk and assistant clerk, $250 each for session; seargeant at-arms, $200; clerk of house, same as clerk of senate; assistant clerk, $250; sergeant-at-arms, $200, and read ing clerk, $250, provided if session lasts over 30 days each of the three shall receive $5 per day for every day so exceeding; bill clerks of house and senate, $4 a day each; journal clerks of the senate and house, $4 a day each during session and same for each work ing day thereafter not exceedin 10 days; engrossing .clerks, $4 a day each; railroad commissioners, $1,700 each; State liquor commissioner $t, 800. The reduction does not become of effect until the successors of the in cumbent have been elected. THE EDUCATION BILL. The house commmittee on education reports to the house a substitute bill for both the senate and house general education bills. The bill provides for the school commissioners, which the senate bill struck out. The senate bill defined the word "enmollment" to ap ply to pupils attending a school for 30 days. The substitute makes it apply to children attending one sixth of the session of a public school. These are the only essential points of difference. The judiciary committee has report ed a substitute bill for Mr. Thurmond's bill relating to the privilege tax. The substitute changes the section of the present law so as to make it read thus: Section 6. All the privilege tax on fertilizers heretofore required to be paid to the commissioner of agricul ture, shall in thie future be paid to the treasurer of the State, subject to the order of the board of trustees of the Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina, to the extent of the amount that may be necessary to defray tbe expenses of the said board in perform ing the duties now by law devolved upon them and also to the extent of an amount not to exceed $s25, 000 for the maintenance of the Clemson Agri cultural College of South Carolina. The balance of such privilege tax, re maining in tbc hands of the State treasurer after the paymest of the above amounts, shall be subject to the order of the board of trustees of the Winthrop Normal and Industrial Col lege of South Carolina, for mainten ance of the college last named. BAD FOR THE YOUNG LADIES. The committee on free conference in regard to the engrossing depart ment bill, reported that it had failed to agree. This of course ended the career of the bill, prcviding that ladies only should be employed in the en grossing department. SENATE PROCEEDINGS. The debate of the day came up on the bill to regulate contractors. The substance of its provisiens is as fol lows: Section 2. Any contractor, contract ors or sub-contractors who shall for other purposes than paying the money loantd upon said contract expend and on that account fail to pay to any or all laborers, sub contractors and ma terial men out of the moneys received and material received as providcd in section 1 of this act, and as admitted by such contractor or contractors or sub-contractors or as may be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction shall be deemed guilty of a misdemea nor and upon conviction shall be fin ed not less than $100 nor more than $500 or imprisonment not less than three months, nor more than twelve months; provided, said contractor, contractors or sub-contractors may have the rightof arbitration by agree ment with said labors, sub-contractors and material men. Mr. Jordan amended the bill fixing fees of physicians for post mortem ex amination, so that when requested by the coroner and before burial, the fee shall be 410, and three days after in terment $15. Mr. Moses offered a substitute for the joint resolution requiring the printing and distribution of Confederate rolls, authorizing Gen. Farley to have 6, 000 copies of the rolls printed on con tract let to the lowest bidder, on ap proval of the governor, to be distrib uted in the c-ounties in proportion to the enrollment, through the members of the generel asembly, and not to cost more than $1,000. This was adopted. Mr. Mayfield moved to strike out the enacting words of the bill to pro vide for two or more members of the executive committee of the State board of health and for the appointment, powers and duties of county and local boards of health. Mr. Stackhouse defended the bill as necessary. He thought there should be boards of health in the county as well as in the towns. After much debate the bill was kill ed by a vote of 16 to 11. The following acts were ratified: To incorporate the Indianola Manu facturing company. The pay jurors and State witnesses ferriage. To change the name of tae State lunatic asylum to that of the State hospital for the insane. To exempt certain portions of Pick ens county from the operations of the stock law. To fix the time for holding circuit courts in the Eighth circuit. To amend the law relating to prize fighting. To regulate the attendance of coun ty treasurers at convenient places-in their counties. Several bills were passed to their third reading-among them the fol lowing: Joint resolution to requi:-e the print ing and distribution of the Confeder ate rolls. To prevent the title of mortgaged personal property vesting in the mort gagee prior to sal and to regulate the sale under execution of mortgaged personal property. In relation to the enforcement of the ollection of taxes past due and unpaid pon municipal property. House bill to provide an additional magistrate for Colleton county. To amend an act entitled "an act to protect primary elections and conven ions of political parties and to punish frauds committed thereat," approved December 22, 1888, by adding thereto a section providing for watchers and for certificates of registration. RAILROAD LEGISLATION. During the afternoon the railroad ommittee had been considering the house bills bearing on railroads. The ommittee met at 4 p. m. and remain ed in session until 7:15. During that time arguments were heard for the roads from Mr. Emerson of the South arolina and Georgia; Mr. W. G. hilds, renresenting the Atlantic Coast Line; Mr. WV. H. Lyles, for the Co lumbia, Newberry and Laurens; Mr. Brice, for the Chester and Lenoir, and ol. Mike Brown, for the Midland railway. Railroad Commissioners Wilburn and Evans appeared for their commis son. The bill to compel competing lines of railroads to receive freights from each other, with penalty for refusal, was not acted upon, its consideration being postponedi until Thursday at 4:30 p. m. The other bills were re ported by Mr. Sloan to the senate as follows: To provide a 3 cent a mile maximum passenger rate Favorable. Calen dar. To provide for separate coaches for white and colored (the Jim Crow.) Unfavorable. Calendar. To take away charter of a road charging a higer rate for freight and passengers than that fixed by the commission. Without reccmmenda tion.- Calendar. Senator Tin1man's Letters. WAsHINGTON, Feb. 10.-Senator Tillman is just now en joying the dis tinction of having a larger list of cor respondents than any member of the Senate. Today his desk in the Senate chamber resembled the work bench of a railway postal clerk or a distribut ing clerik in the city postollice. The letters were piled upon his desk to re semble a minature fortification, be hind which sat the junior Senator with a smile of satisfaction playing upon his rugged face. In his hand he held a letter opeaer fashioned after his much-talked-of "-pitchfork," the gift of an ingenious surporter of his peculiar doctrines. His Senatorial associates stopped at his desk in pass ing to facetiously comment upon his ,large mail and to express profound symipathy for his private secretary, who is expected to make answer to each correspondent. Senator Tillnman appeared to be delighted at the atten tion he was attracting, and had a ready reply for each Senator who visited him. Since the delivery of his remarkable speech in the Senate lie has received more than seven thous and letters commending his utterances and urging him to "keep up the good work." Many of his correspondents request copies of his speech, and to gratify the demand he proposes to ave several millions of copies scat tered throughout the country, where Tillmanism appears to be popular. MANY NEW STATUTES. THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE WORK ON THEIR CALENDARS. Numbers of Bills Go Through the Difrer. ent Stages--An Interesting Account of the Proceedings. COLUMBIA, Feb. 13.-Special: The past two days have been days of work in the Legislature. Today was calen dar day in the Senate and as the cal endar was a small one with the excep tion of the special orders, which were passed over, the session was a short one. The only matter of any inter est whatever was the bill to repeal the law in relation to exemption to road duty, over which there was a some what lengthy debate which was sea soned with humor of an unconscious nature and interspersed with amend ments of various sorts and kinds, some of which were offered twice in succession. The great object of the would-be amenders seemed to be to exempt boys and ministers from rbad duty. The idea seemed to prevail that the company kept while road working would be damaging to the minds of those classes. But Mr. Moses solved the whole question at one lick by making a neat little motion that killed the whole bill, and left matters in statu quo. The homestead bill with the $300 exemption for bach elors was the only other matter of any general interest considered. Mr. Harrison presided during the greater part of the session and the cal endar had dwindled down wonderful ly when the welcome motion to ad journ prevailed. THE HOUSE. The house of representatives had a dull and uneventful day session. The members were given a test as to their desire to adjouin and go home in a fortnight from Saturday next bdt as yet the day of the final adjournuent is hanging on the distant calendar of time without even a number upon it to provide for its identification, and what is more no further effort will be made to number it until one -week from today when the house will talk about the matter again. When this conclusion had been reached the registration bill was taken up and after the house had voted down an amendment offered by Mr. Patton to prevent the possibility of frauds in the issuing of registration certificates and an endless variety of committee ammendments were made. Then Mr. Bacot took his blue pencil and an hour or more clapsed while he made verbal amendments one after another, changing a word here and there and every now and then putting in a com ma or a semi-colon, all without even a dash of general inierest. A number of new bills of no general interest were presented, also with a number of reports of as little interest, and the senate resolution to fix the day for final adjournment was made the special order for the 20th.. THE PRIVILEGE TAX. The feature of today's work was the debate on the privilege tax on fertiliz ers. The proposition was to abolish the tax absolutely so far as the farmers are concerned, thereby cutting off Clemson's annual income, and to levy instead a tax on every ton of fertilizers sold, sufficient to maintain the experi mental station and provide for the analyses, the tax to be paid by the manufacturers. The whole morning session was practically devoted to the debate, and the real effect of the bill that the farmers would.-continue to pay the same for their fertilizers in the long run, the manufacturers get ting the amount of the tax now paid -was not pointed out until about the end of the discussion. As it was the proposition caused the closest vote of the session, the bill being killed by only one vote. The fight was an in teresting one throughout. The committee's substitute for Mr. Rainsford's bill to amend the present act in reference to the distribution of the privilege tax on fertilizers was tak en up, being the special order. Mr. Rainsford said he was a common friend of all the institutions of higher education, but he was a special friend to Clemson college because he was a farmer; farmings had been* his occu pation all his life. Hence it ~was -im ossible for any one to charge hi with wishing to injure Clenison. Clem son had come and asked for an appro priation at the outset. breaking _her contract not to ask for anything. Last year she asked for $20,000; they appropriated $25,000: in some way it read $35, 000. The trustees discussed whether to take itor not, and not on ly took it, but used it. -They owed it to the State to return that $10,000 on moral grounds, if no other. He then quoted the figures sho wing the income of Clemson college. The farm ought to return the institution at least $5,000. He said the board of trustees were running a hotel there. "Think of these figures," he exclaimed. " They are astonishing me." If these fgures were presented to the people they would be astounded also. Her income would be $100,000 this year. He could not see the necessity for such an amount. He wanted the privilege tax fund to be divided and a portion given to the girls. Every student now at Clemson was a benefi ciary. "Gentlemen, do you believe that every student there should be a beneficiary ?" At least 170 of the little boys there could be as well educated in the common schools as at Clemson. Mr. Tatum thought this was a good scheme, but Mr. Connor now had a bill before the house which if it passed would make this bill useless. He moved to adjourn the debate on the bill until Mr. Connor's bill was dis posed of. This was agreed to. Mr. W atson wanted to have the Clemson college bills postponed until the Clemson investigationi committee made its report. Mr. Floyd said the report would contain some interesting matters. - He hoped that they would agree to the motion. Mr. Tatum said the re port had noth ing to do with this bill of Mr. Conuor. It was to remove fr om the fariners an unjust tax and puit it whers it belong ed. Mr. Connor made some remarks along the same line and then this bill to transfer the tax from the farmers to the manufacturers and make it only enough to cover the expense of main tainng the station and the making of the analyses was called up. Hie then went over the argument he made a few day s ago on the subject, giving the figures for the benefit of those members who were not present when he made his argu ajent. He wanted the bill passed in the course of justice. His position was a strong one and he presnterl it in a favorail manner. After further debate Mr. Harper cahled the previous question on the motion to strike out the enacting words of the bill. On that motion the vote was as follows: Yeas-Carroll, Cairothers, Caugh. man, Davis, C. M.: Devereux, Ed_ wards, Elder, Floyd, Garris, Good win, Harvey, Haseideen, Hollis, Hol loway, Hough, Johnson, Kennedy, Lesesne, Love, Magill, Manning, Mel lett, Miller, Murrav, McKeown, Mc Laurin, D. W.; Nunnery, Pollock, Rainsford, Shuman, Sineletary, Thompson, Townsend, Watson, Welch, Whitmire, Williams, T. S.; Williams, L. J.; Williams, J. G.; Williamson, Wyche.-41. Nays-Anderson, Ashley, Bacot, Blackwell, Bowman, Breazeale, Bree land, Bramlett, Brown. Burns, Con nor. L. S.; Connor, J. B.; Cooper, Crum, Davis W. C.; Eadens, Earle, Ellerbe, Finklea. Fowler, Gary, Ham mett, Harper, Hiott, Hunter. Hum phrcy. Ilderton, Johnston, Kinard, Kirk, Lancaster, Lemmon, Leverett, Lofton, Mellarl. Miles, Mishoe, Mitch ell, T. P.; Mitchell, J. W.; Moore, McIntosh, Otts, Patton, Phillips, Pick ens, Price, Prince, Pyatt, Rooertson, Sanders, A. K.; Saunders, J. G.; Skinner. Sturkie, Tatum, Todd, Thur mond, Tyler, Warr, Williams, Fred ; Wilson, Winkler, Wolff.--62. The house then took up the substi tute, which was offered as an amend ment. Dr. Wyche wanted to know why the farmers have never, through their alliance, demanded the abolition of this tax. Why had the March con vention of 1890 demanded the imposi tion of the tax? It was a question for the farmers themselves to pass upon. It was a matter that should be deferred till the people expressed themselves. He did not think the farmers wanted it. or they should say so Josh Ashley wanted to know if it was right to tax one class to support the college, when two-thirds of that class never saw or could see inside of that college. Mr. Blackwell said the farmers didn't want the tax repealed because they would have to pay the same amount any way for fertilizers and the manufacturers would get the bene fit of it. Mr. Shuman thought that the State had made a pledge to give Clemson this tax, and had no right to divert it. Mr. Tatum said if it was right to do away with this tax that was enough. The representatives of the people were here to represent the sentiment of the people. The farmers did not want to pay the tax indirectly. Mr. Harper said he was a Democrat, and he would like to know if this privilege tax wasn't a tariff. Who paid it, and who got the benefit of it? The class who paid the tariff should get the benefit of it. Mr. Harper called the previous ques tion. The amendment wis then agreed to, but the house refused to order the bill to a third reading. Mr. Pollock moved to put on the clincher, and the roll was called on this. The house decided to clinch the -vote by a vote of 54 to 48. The discussion was resumed at the night session. - .1r. Rainsford moted to amend the substitute bill by giving the Clemson board $5,000 instead of allowing that board to get an indef.nite amount for making analyses. This was agreed to. Mr. L. J. Williams offered an amendment to put all the overplus, above Clemson's $25, 000,into the State treasury instead of allowing it to go to the Winthrop college. He said he winted to have the amount to go to these colleges fixed. This could only be done by making direct appropria tion. Mr. WV. J. Johnson was beginning a speech when Dr. Wy'che interrupted, suggesting an adjournment of the de bate on the bill till the Clemson com mittee reported. This was agreed to by avote of 58 to 11. The committee is expected to report on Monday next.. '- DISPENSARY PROFITS. The bill to provide for the disposition of the profits of the State dispensary wastaken up and or-dered to a third reading in this shape: Section 1. That the profits of the tate from the State dispensary here tofore accrued up to Dec. 31, 1895, in clusive of the $50,000 heretofore cov ered into the State treasury, amount ing to the sum of $243,816.57,. be paid into the State treasury as the same is collected, and that the same be entered upon the general acconnt in the State treasury and be applied to the general current expenses of the State govern ment for the fiscal year 1896. .Section 2. That the profits of. the State from the State dispensary accru ing since Jan. 1, 1396;, be paid into the State treasury as the same is collected, and that the same be entered upon a special account and be held .in the State treasury under the provisions of section 12 of article 11 of the Constitu tion of the State. - SUNDAY HUNTINo. Mr. Harvev's bill to amend the law relating to hurnting, shooting and fish ing--a bill to prevent sutch acts on Sunday-was taken up and ordered to a third reading without debate. When the senate bill to authorize the construction of a public bridge across the Keowee river at or near the mouth of Little river, was taken up, Mr. Earle moved to strike out the en acting words. Mr. B. J. Johnson, in a speech explaining the local condi tions existing, defended the bill. Mr. Earle opposed the bill, stating that it would be in contraversion to one of the important provisions of the new Constitution. A wA(0N TIRE 3IEASURE. When Mr. Carroll's bill to prescribe the width of wheel rims of wagons. portable engines and vehicles used on the pubolic roads in this State after the first day of . March, 1897, requiring such tires to be not less than 4 inches wide. Col. McS veeney moved to strike out the enacting words. Mr. Carroll claimed that the require ment was alsolutely necessary to the making and maintainance of good dirt roads. Mr. Carroll made a very vigorous and earnest speech. He said the bill would not work any hardships. It allowe~d e.ld wagons to be continued in use until worn out. Mr. Cooper suggested that he was tired and wan ted the matter disposed ot. The bill was then killed by a vote of 37 to 30. Tlhe house then adjourned. SENAiTE P'ROcEEDINGS. Mr. Etird objected to the house bill to permit the building of bridges be tseen counties by contract. All the law necessary on the subject was al mrem o the statute books and he saw no need of this bill. Mr. O'Dell moved to strike out the enacting words. Mr. Derham spoke in favor of the bill. He thought it covered points not contained in the present law. The motion of Mr. O'Dell prevailed and the bill was killed. The next bill to excite debate was the one "to regulate the appointment of subordinate officers in the depart ments of the State." It wes read as follows: "Section 1. That from and after the approval of this act it shall be lawful for any person at the head of in any department of this government to ap point to any office or position of trust or emolument under his control or management any person related or connected with him by consanguinity or affinity within the sixth degree.". Mr. Pettigrew moved to strike out the enacting words of the bill. Mr. Barnwell hoped that motion would not prevail. Mr. Buist thought it an admirable bill Mr. Archer said it was a good bill and he wished someone would put an amendment in it providing that all the officers should not come from one county. (Laughter.) Mr. Pettigrew spoke of the measure if it applied to county officers, bu. it didn't. On his motion to strike out, the ayes and noes were called and his motion was lost by a vote of 26 to 8. The bill was then passed to a third reading. Mr. Archer moved to amend the house bill "to amend section 646 of the revised statutes relating to the quali fication of township commissioners," by amending so as to reduce the num ber of township commissioners from three to one. Mr. Archer maintained that the tri angular system of working roads did not suit Spartanburg. Mr. Mayfield was opposed to redic ing the number of the board. He seriously objected to one mran holding power to assess his neigh bor's property. Mr. Jordan in speaking for Aiken, made a statement similar to that of Mr. Archer. Mr. Mayfield was surprised at the expressions of dissatisfaction. The eystem had been tried in Barnwell, with greatest success, and they had the best roads ever known in the coun ty. He was confin dent if they would take up and complete his county gov ernment bill, it would make evey thing worm harmoniously. Mr. Pettigrew intimated that those who were opposed to the proposed amendment, were the ones who knew least about the practical working of roads. which intimation Mr. Mayfield resented as gratuitous, and maintained that while he had not been a member of the county board he had given the matter careful attention and thought he knew as much about it as any man on the floor.. A vote was taken on Mr. Archer's motion to substitute one for three township commissioners, and it was lost as follows. Yeas 13, nays 19. This bill, together with the house bill to fix the compensation of town ship boards of assessors, was made a special order to be taken up today with other road bills. Mr. Efird moved to adopt the unfa vorable report on the bill to relieve appellants from giving bond when un able to do so. Mr. Pettigrew hope the motion would not prevail. The bill was a poor man's bill. Why should the poor man be unable to appeal to the surpreme courts? Mr. Mayfield said the bill would al low tenants whom it was desired to evict, remain on lands for a year with out rent, just by appealing from the magistrates' to the circuit courts and from there to the supreme court. In bis section, a poor man who was being opressed could get more bondsmen tan he needed. Mr. Barnwell stated that no bond was needed to appeal a case, it was only needed to stay an execution. This bill would open the way for fraud. He did not see how a lawyer could draw this and call it a poor man's bill. The bill was killed. The following second reading bills were passed: House bill to regulate the appoint ments of subordinate officers in the several departments of the State. - To amend an act entitled "An act to prohibit county commissioners from paying any fees for proof of claims against the county," approved Dec. 20, 1893. House bill to exempt the officers and active members of the fire depart ment of any city or town of not less thnn 10,000 iihabitants from jury duty. House bill to amend an act relating to traffic in seed cotton so far as it re lates to Edgefield. To amend chapter V. of Revised Statutes c-elating to reports and docu ments being chapter IV. of General Statutes of 1882. - House bill to revoke the charter of the town Delmar in Edgefield county, now Saluda county. To amend section 24 of title III., code of procedure, as to the holding of the courts in the seventh judicial cir cuit. House bill to amend section 5 of "Au act to further regulate and pro vide for the admission and discharge of patients to the lunatic asyltun and protnote the manageme~nt of the same." approved Dec. 21, 1S8J4. Relating to the holding of the fall and winter term of the court of com mon pleas for Beau fort county. House bill to amend section 420 of the criminal statutes vol. II., of thle revised statutes relating to deer. To amend sections 3 and 4 of an act entitled "An act relating to the comn pensation and duties of certain of the county officers in and for the county and city of Charleston." Given to Charleston. WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.--In the Sen ate today Mr. Tillmnan secured consid eration of a bill granting the city of Charleston the use of the old postotiice property for imunicipal and commrer cial purposes. The measure brought out some discussion. Mr. Sherman pointed out that Charleston was not required to pay back the original pur chase price. Mr. Quay explaimed that this was an old land-mark, the building having been wrecked by the earthquake and not since used by the government. Mr. Hoar, who had a sharp passage with Mr. Tillmnan dur ing the latter's recent speech, took. occasion to urge that it would be a graceful and appropriate act towvard Charleston to recognize the histr'oic courage of the '~ity at the time of the earthquake by giving the use o:. this historick. building. Tue bill was THE STATE (IRNAGE. WORDS OF CHEER AND COUNSEL FROM MASTER THOMPSON. Review of the Past, With Some Expecta tions of the Order in the Future.--An Ex cellent Address. Following is the full text of the ad dress of Col. W. K. Thompson, of Kershaw, master of the State Grange of South Carolina. at its recent meet ing in Columbia: Brothers and Sisters of the Grange. It is a very gratifying and pleasant thought that the grange in South Carolina has sufficiently revived to make it possible for us again to as semble as a State Grange. For some years grange interest has languished in most of the counties of the State, and our number of sub-granges fell belo w the required number to form a State Grange. In a few counties Ker shaw, Sumter, Florence and Oconee, the grange has never ceased to work, and owing to the zeal and persever ance of the granges in these counties, other granges have been organized and old granges reorganized; and to day many who once thought the grange too conservative and slow, now concede that it is the best organi za':ion for farmers and the best adapt ed to their wants. The grange has es caped the rocks upn which other or ders have been wrecked, and now is an. old organization, ready at all time. to enter any contest in which th rights and interests of the farmers are concerned. Not that we desire to make war against any other interests or professions, but that we seek to look af ter the interest that so closely con cern the farmers. By an unalterable law, we know that all other profes sions and classes must subsist from the products of the farm. Still our every effort should be to so educate the farmer that he will be enabled to retain his legitimate share of his pro ducts and see that other professions get no more than their legitimate share. It matters not how progressive the agriculturist may become, it he cannot reap the benefit of what is rightf ally his own, his best efforts are lost, and he becomes the dupe of somebody else. EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE OF THE OR DER. The grange has exerted a very great and general influence among its mem bers and among farmers generally, in an educational way. The farmers think of, discuss and decide questions for themselves, the effect of which is felt in every neighborhood. Then our educational featire of the grange has been of vast benefit to our young men, discussing some agricultural topic,thus causing them to read and becoming accustomed to express them selves in debate, thus qualifying its members to become useful members of society, and better fitting them for positions in life, to which they may be called. THE SOCIAL INFLUENCE. By nature and circumstances and profession, farmers are inclined too much to become isolated. Where grauges exist this has been to a great extent done away with, farmers and tb.eir families, meet with their broth er farmers in the grange and thus learn to know each other better and broaden their opinions of eacfh other and become less narrow-minaded and selfish. This commingly, and dii cuss ing our farm affairs, begets an aspira tion and healthy rivalry among farm ers and their families that nothing else will. Stupid must the farmers be, who cannot learn something from the experience of his brother farmers. It as been well said, '"The desire to lighten the burdens andl to cheer our sisters and brothers in the arduous labors of field and home is one of the brightest features of our order." FINANCIAL BENEFITS ANYD CORPORATION. While in some sections, I fear too much stress has been laid on the fi ancial feature of the grange, to the exclusion of other benefits to be de rived, still it is the privilege and duty f members of the order to avail them selves of every facility offered by the range of bettering their condition fi ancially. In my own county and ther counties in this State,the grange rade has grown to such proportions hat it is easestly sought. The co-op ration among the members of the range has been the means of saving thousands of dollars to the farmeri and their families in the matter of fer tilizers and supplies. But I cannot oo earnestly urge upon the members he great importance of guarding very arefully their good name in their business transactions. Let strict in egrity mark each and all of your business dealings. I have often won eredJ tnat all progressive farmers do not see and acknowledge the great benefits to be derived from organized -forts in promoting and protecting he great and many interests of agri ulture. ONDITION OF AGRICULTURE IN THlE STATE. While it has seemed that the condi ion of the farmers of late years has not been what we would have liked it to be. Still I take pleasure in stating that I believe the condition of the farmers today is better than it has been for several years. The financial stringency and low price of cotton of the past few years has ia my judg rnent been a blessing in disguise to the farmers. It has taught us economy, it has tauahit us that the all cotton rop would not do, it tatught us to pro uce more and buy less, it has taught u to diversify our crops, it has taugzht s to plant ~and produce more food rps. *It has taught us that a small otton crop increases the demand and thereby bring more money than a large crop, which increases the sup ply. And while I adnit that some legislation and the doubt and uncer tainty of the future polier of our overnment may be unfriendlyv to thl ~est interest of the farmers. Still I must think that the farmers hold tihe key to the si:tuton, viz: Plant less cotton and reduce the coat o? making it, by produilng everything niecessary on tIhe farm. and thus become indeed and in truth producers and not alto ether consumers. Let every member f our order thtroughiout the land use his inthuence to prevent the increase and then I would earnestly urge our mencibers every where to use every edort to induce our national legisla ive body to pass such laws that will f)reer prevent future speculation in farm products, and let the inexorable Ible law of supply and demand lix the price of our produce. As to pahitis I merely say that while the members of the order ~are expected, have a right Iand feel it a duty to take great inter est in the proper settlement of all public questions, the discussion of partisan and sectarian questions in grange meetings is positively forbid den by the constitution of our order. "There is a place, and a time, for ev ery thing." While the grange has not pro red in our State of late years, the order is stronger and in a more healthy condi tion today in the United States than ever before. At the last meeting of the national grange in Worcester, Mass., 26 State granges were repre sented and the reports show an in creased zeal in grange work from Maine to California. 92 new granges having been organized during the past year, and New Hampshire alone re porting a gain of IS new granges with a membership of 2,000, making a menbership in the State of 16,500. And now, brothers in the grange, can't we build up the order in our State? Tis true it will reauire earnest, persistent work, but I feel sure if ev ery member of the grange will but use his or her influence and work for the grange we can succeed. Believing, as all must, that agriculture is the foun dation of all other industries, the hope of the future prosperity rests with the farmers, and any organiza tion whose purpose and influence are to upbuild agriculture 'must be of great benefit to the State, and that the grange is exerting this influence to a greater degree than any farmers or ganization, must be admitted by all candid and observing persons. Let us all then take new interest in the grange and return to our homes deter mined to build up the order through out our State. In retiring from the responsible position with which you have honored me, I regret that cir cumstances have been such, that I could not have served you more faith fully. Give your hearty support to him who will succeed me, whoever that may be shall have my earnest support in his work. Now, brothers, I trust your deliber ations may be pleasant, wise and fraught with great good to the order. VENEZUELAN COMMISSION. A Fuil Presentation Wil be Made to it of Eagland's Side. WASHINGToN, Feb. 12.-Ambssador Bayard has briefly informed Secretary Olney by cable that the British gov ernment, as stated in Parliament yes terday, had acceded to the request of the Venezuelan Commission trans mitted by the Department of State and himself, to supply all of the infor mation in its possession that would throw light upon the question as to the location of the boundary line be tween Venezuela and B-itish Guina. The Ambassador expects that the matter will be forthcoming very shortly in the shape of advance sheets of the Blue Book on the subject, which is being prepared for the information of Parliament, and this advance in formation he will promptly dispatch by steamer for the use of the commis sion. Touching the report from Lon don that Venezuela is about to send a representative to London to negotiate directly for the settlement of the boun dary question, nothing officialcan be learned here. It is said, however, that the resumption of diplomatic re lations between Great Britain and Venezuela has been for years patone of the objections of the UniteStates government, which has felt confident that if this could be brought about, the good sense of spirit of justice of each party could be relied upon to speedily reach an adjustment of the boundary question, that would be em nently satisfactory to them and to the United States. Therefore, the state ment that the United States govern ment in this instance has advised Venezuela to adopt this course appears to have some foundation. The utter ances in the Queen's speech and in the debates in Parliament, and particular ly in the Commons, upon the address from the throne, have given satisfac tion in official circles here. There is no disposition to take too optimistic a view of the matter and to go to ex tremnes in the belief that a satisfactory settlement of the question is now abso lutely assured, but it is comfortmng to the officials to find that the British are now taking a more reasonable view of the action of our government in ap plying the Monroe Doctrine to the Venezuelan question, and they are hopeful of an honorable termination of this incident in the end, though, as is Lord Salisbury himself in dicated in his speech, that end may be still distant and only to be reached after much long negotiation. ADvICE ACCEPTED. Losnos, Feb. 12.-It is announced from a good source that, following the advice of the United States, Vene zuela has practically decided to send a representative to London with power to open direct negotiations with the government of Great Britain for a settlement of the boundary dispute bet ween British Guiana and Venezue la. Washed Into The River. CLEVELAND, 0., Feb. 11.-At 8:15 this morning a water main on Frank lin avenue hill burst, and with the 'volume of water that poured out sev eral hundred feet of the hill was washed into the river. A small one story frame house, occupied by Mrs. Rar-ev, 60 years old at No. 9 Frank lin hill, was inundated, and, with its contents, was hurled into the river. M~rs. Ravey was drowned. A New York, Pensylvania and Ohio freight train was passing at the foot of the hill and the force of the water carried four cars iuto the river. On the cars were three of the train crew, and the men were carried with the cars. Two of the men jumped before the river was reached and escaped, but the third was dumped into the river, and but for the assistance of the tenders of the Columbia street bridge would have be drowned. An alarm of fire was tuir:ed in and a message sent to the water works pumping station and the main was cut off. Explosion of an Aeroiite. MADR ED, Feb. 10.-An immense ae rolite explosion above this city 9:30 a. m. to-day. There was a vivid glare of light and a loud report, followed by a general panic. All buildings were sbaken and many windows were shat tered. According to the officials of the Madrid observatory, the explosion occurred twenty miles above the earth. The force of the explosion was felt for several kilometers around this city and the concussion was so severe that the partition wali of the United States Legation collapsed and nearly all the windows of that building were