The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, February 13, 1896, Image 1
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THE PEOPLE'S JO RNAL
VOL 6.---NO. 5. PICKENS, S. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, I)6. ONE DOLLAR A YEAL
The General Assembly.
WHAT IS GOING ON IN COLUMBIA,
The Logislaturo Gets Actively to Work After
A Short lccess.
The General Assembly did not ac
complish a great deal prior to the re
cess, as the committees wore consider
Ing the various measures before them,
but the real work of the session has be
gun in earnest, and an adjournment is
expected in two or three weeks.
TIlE.STATE TO LEND MONEY.
In the Houso, Mr. Gray's bill to au
thorize the sinking fund commission
to lendl the sinking fund on the security
of the valid bonds of the State, when
.the bonds cannot be purchased at par,
was called up out of its order, Judge
Towns nd saying that there was a
large amount of money lying idle,
which should be utilized.
Mr. Gadsden moved to strike out the
enacting words of the bill, saying it
was very dangerous for the State to go
into the banking business with the
credit of the State. This fund was put
aside 112 a guarantee for the security of
t)1 . tate's bonds. It was wrong to
touch this fund in any way, shape or
form. This scheme would allow the
State to run the risk that a bank does.
Securities are liable to depreciate and
the fund may be endangered. It is
not certain tb at the State would always
have such an honorable gentleman for
State treasurer as she now has. It
was putting too much power in one
man's hands, and opened the gates for
gigantic defrauding of the State. The
bonds themselves would be endangered.
Judge Townsend said there was no
foundation for his friend's objections.
He said Mr. Gadsden thought evi
dently that the board was incompetent
to take care of these funds because the
Governor and other State olicers were
members of the board. He read from
Governor Evans'*i message on the sub
ject, and the House then refused to
strike out the enacting words.
Mr. Gadsden was about to offer an
amendment that the loans should not
exceed 90 per cent. of the par value of
the bon-Is, when J udg' Townsend mov
ed to table it.
Mr. Patton wanted to know what was
the objection to putting in a minimum
rate of interest. No one could offer
any, and he suggebted that it be fixed
at not less than 0 per- cent.
Mr. Gadsden's amendmevt was then
taken up, and he spoke to it. He said
that the treasurer should be told that
there was a limit beyonI which he
should not go.
Mr. Bowman said he could not see
that this was a banking business.
Mr. Patton suggested that if they
meant that only the last issue of bonds
should be allowed, as securities, they
should say so.
The House tabled the Gadsden amend
ment by a vote of 42 to 19.
Mr. Patton moved to amend so as to
fix the rate of interest at not less than
7 per cent. He said money was worth
7 per cent.
r.Townsend said they would have
to lend the money for short periods or
on call. He moved to table the amend
ment.
Mr. Manning suggested that the
amendment be changed so as to road
44 per cent., as it was hard to get.
He said that Mr. Townsend said they
would loan on call. The opportunities,
not for fraud, but for partiality are too
strong to be placed before any man.
Under the bill as it reads it puts a
p)rerLumi ~ on favoritism nmd partiali ty.
The Patton amendmnnc was killed by
a vote of 47 to " no further count de
manded."
Mr. Manning then ofl'ered an amend
ment to make it 4 1-2 p)or cent. and
limit the loan to one year. Mr. Towni
send moved to table the last part, and
after the motion was voted down by a
viva voco vote, a division vote was
taken, the clause being stricken out by
a vote of 39 to 25. The 4 1-2 per~ cent.
provision was then adopted.
Drm. Wycho said ho couldn't under
stand how, if no limit was put on, the
State could ever buy-her bonds in. lie
thought this was opening the doors to
Captain Barry saidl they wanted to
preovidoe for the overtlow of the fund,
which at the rate of $75,000 a year
would become cumbersome.
Dr. Wycho said that he wished to
know how the State would secure funds
to purchase the bonds, if this money
was out on loans.
Mr. Mellett asked for the roil call on
the passage of the bill1. The vote re
sulted as follows, the bill being ordered
to a third reading:
Yeas--Anderson, Barry, Bow man,
Bunch, Burns, Carroll, Caughman,
Conner, L. S.; Conner, J. B.; Crum,
Davis, C. M.; D~avie, W. C.; D~uncan,
Edwjmrds, Elder, Ellerbe, Garris', Gary,
Gaston, Goodwin, Hammett, Harvey,
Haselden, Holls, Holloway, Hough,
Ilderton, Johnston, Johnson, Kennedy
Kinard. Kirk, Lancaster, Love, Magill,
Manning, Mehrtens, Mullard, Mullor,
Miles, Mitchell, T. P.; Mitchell, J1. W.;
Moore, McKeown, McLaurin, D). W.;
Nunnery, Otte, Phillips, P'yatt, lRains
ford, Rast, Rowland, Sanders, A. K.;
Shuman, Sturkie, Tatum, Thomson,
Todd, Townsend, Thurmond, Wallaco,
Warr, Williams, T,: S.; Williams, John
G.; Williams, Prod; Wolf, Wyche.-68.
Nays-Bacot, D~evorou x, Doth age,
Fowler, Gadsdon, Gregory, Harper,
Hiott, Lofton, Mellott, Patton, Wes
ton .-1 2.
'Tho bill as it passed reads as follows:
Section 1. ,That the sinking fund com
mission be, and are here by, authorized,
when unable to purchase the State
bonds at par, to lend the sinking fund
at such a rate of interest as may be
agreed upon between them and the
borrower, not less than 4 1-2 per centum
p or annum, on the security of the valid
State bendf sufficient to cover the loan
and interest at the par valuo of the
bends, the bends to be deposited with
the State treasury as security for the
loabn, and as collateral to the personal
obligation of the borrower to be taker
by said commission showing the terms
and maturity of the loan.
Sec. 2. That this act shall take effoci
immediately upon its approval.
TO FO)RFEIT OIIARTE.f,
Theebill by Mr. Haselden to providc
for the forfeiture of charters of rail.
road companies charging higher rates
for the transportatioa of passengers
and freight than those fixed by the
Railroad Commission, came up, and
Mr. Gadsden thought it unnecessary
in view of the fact that the Supreme
Court of the United States had al
ready decided that the commission had
such powers.
Mr. Weston in speaking against the
incasure, said that in the first place it
proposed to take away from the rail
roads the power to appeal from any
decision of the board. This was un
just. Rahiroads should have the same
right to appeal to a court of justice as
any individual.
Mr. Shuman favored striking out
the enacting clause of the bill. In a
dispute betwon railroads and the
commission this bill would prevent
them from appealing to the courts of
the country-the tribunals established
to decide any such controversies as
may arise.
Mr. Shuman hold that we had all the
laws necessary now to carry out the
terms of the proposed bill. He re
viewed at some length the railroad
law and spoke of the fact that although
railroads might not always be just,
still the Legislature in legislating for
the whole people could not in a spirit
of vindictiveness pass such an unjust
and unconstitutional law.
Mr. Haselden in speaking in favor
of his bill said that being a plain farm
or he did not feel equal to answering
the arguments of the attorneys who
opposed him. They argue that the
bli is not necessary. If it is not will
it be a hardship on the railroads ?
Next it is claimed they are not allowed
to go to the courts. The Attorney
General-is instruuted by the bill to go
to the courts in order to forfeit the
charter. If we are destroying or con
fiscating their property then it is
shown in the courts and the Attorney
General fails in his efforts. The rail
roads have withdrawn their opposi
tion, but it was only after they had to
do so and they saw that the people
would throttle these monsters.
Mr. Haselden then quoted compara
tive figures to show that railroads
charged $17 per car load in this State
when in other Southern States it is
only $14. The railroads are dodging.
They claim to have submitted to the
terms of the commission, but as a mat
ter of fact the rates are about as high
now as over before. When it comes to
paying taxes they make affidavits one
way when it suits them and another
way when it suits them. This measure
is only intended to give the commis
sion power to enforce their rulings.
If we don't give them this power why
have the commission and pay their
salary ? Why not abolish the com
mission ?
Mr. Thurmond thought the bill
ought to pass because we need some
radical legislation along this line.
When rates are fixed, the railroads
keep on appealing even to the United
States Supreme Court. What we
want is some prompt, sovereign
remedy. It is not intended to keep
from the railroads any of the rights
now had by them. It will only compel
them to come to time quickly andire
spect the rights of the people.
Mr. Wyche said he disliked to op
pose the bill, but it seemed to him
it was putting too much power in the
hands of three men. They should have
some court of appeal-say the General
Assembly. It did not look to him to
be just.
Mr. Duncan said the plan now used
by the railroads was to apply for an
injunction. Under this bill they will
have first to prove that the rates made
by the commission are unjust and will
not com pel the State to do so as at
present.
Mr. Patton gava it as his opinion as
a lawyer that the roads which did not
put in the rates of the commission
would at once forfeit their charters.
He didn't believe the bill was consti
tutional, but, leaving that out, he
thoug ht it most unjust in that no rulo
should be made to apply to corpora
tions that didn't a pply to individuals.
Mr. La. J. Williams said that he
would never raise his voice against
railroads, but he would not sit here
and see them run roughshod over
South Carolina. It was either repeal
the commission or the railroads. Laws
are made for individuals and if they
are outraged they have a right to ap
peal to the courts. As he understood
the law it was provided that the rates
of the commtission should go into ef
fect and if they could show that they
were unjust they had 'the right to go
to the courts.
Mr. Patton in answer to several
side questions by Messrs. Thurmond
and Rainsford said he was not opposed
to the commission, but he said that he
didn't believe in forbidding the roads
appea'ing to the courts, the right al
lowed the humblest negro.
Mr. .Skinner favored the bill and
thought it gave the railroads all rights
of appeal.
Mr. Watson said the question re
solved itself into this : Shall the
creator create a bigger affair than it
self V If charters are granted by the
General Assembly shoul:1 it not have
power to control them ? If the rail
roads would recognize the rights of
our commissionI and our' own courts
and not disr'egard the rights of the
pcolo lie would be willing to meet
them half wa;.
Mr. Bacot said the object of the
commission rightly was to control and
regulate the roads but not to crush
them. Bunt this b)111 with one blow
would destroy them, if they should
disegard thu regulations, and the
rouds would have no hearing in the
courts.
Mr. Magill called for the previous
qunestion. On a vote the House re
fused to strike out the enacting wet ds.
Mr. Shuman (IOIford the following
amendment: Amend by inserting on
line 15 of section 2, after the word
"charter," the following: Provided,
That any railroad aigainst which such
proceedings have been instituted may
prevent such forfeiture by showing to
the eatisfaction of the court that the
rates fixed by the railroad commission
are not just and reasonable, and it
shall be a completo defense to such
proceeding to show that such rates are
not just and reasonable. The amend
ment was tabled by a vote of 59) yeas ;
noes not counted.
Mr. IEarle moved to amend as fol
lows: " Add after 'commissioner' or
adjudicater to be reasonable and just
by a competent court."
substitute: Unless such rates shall be
thereafter determined upon appeal to
be unreasonable.
Mr. Patton's substitute was adopted
by a voto of 43 to 30.
The bill as amended was then or
dered to its third reading as follows:
Section 1. That no railroad company
chartered and doing business in this
State shall charge any higher rates
for the transportation of passengers
and freight within this State than
those already or hereafter fixed by the
Railroad Commission unless such
rates shall be thereafter determined
upon appeal to be unreasonable.
Section 2. Any railroad company
violating the provisions of this Act
shall thereby forfeit its charter, and
the Attorney General is hereby au
therized and directed to proceed forth
with to have such railroad corporation
liquidated according to law, and to
institute all proceedings necessary in
consequence of the forfeiture of such
charter.
Section 3. This Act shall go into
effect immediately upon its approval
by the Governor.
PASSENGER FARES.
Mr. Garris's bill making the first
class passenger fare on railroads three
cents and second class fare two and a
half cents was taken up. Mr. Garris
contended that this bill ought to pass
in order to give the Commission power
to enforce their rates.
Mr. Thomas moved to strike out the
enacting words. The Commission has
the power now to regulate the rates
and they have ample power to enforce
the rates provided they are just and
reasonable.
Mr. Miller said he was a friend of
railroads, but he wanted the rates
made definite and fixed and for the
Railroad Commission to have power to
enforce them. Other Southern States
have a three cents fare, and he could
see no reason why old-ostablished roads
in this State should charge four.
Mr. Gadsden spoke of the fact that
none of the railroads are paying divi
dends,and the property is unprofitable.
There was no instance where roads
had resisted a single paseenger rate of
the Commission. Then why this bill ?
He was glad to be a representative of
the railroads. They have spent enor
mous sums in the State, have built it
up and pay taxes, and they have rights
just as much as anybody. The time for
hostile railroad legislation had passed,
and they should be fostered and pro
tected.
Mr. Garris said he had no idea of
oppressing the roads, but was glad to
stand on this floor as the representa
tive of the people.
Mr. B. J. Johnson said the reason
the roads didn't make money was be
cause they were buying up other roads
and are forming gigantic corporations
to oppress the people.
Mr. Townsend, in explaining the fa
vorable report on the bill, went on to
take the Southern Railway as an exam
ple, showing that three cent rates were
charged in North Carolina and Geor
gia, and they couldn't see why the same
thing could not be done in South Caro
lina. It is a legislative question, and
does not become a judicial question
until the rates were made so low as to
amount to a practical confiscation. He
held that none of the systems in South
Carolina were poverty-stricken, and
they can operate under this rate and
still make money.
Mr. Bacot said he was al ways opposed
to what is known as governing by In
junction, but it was just such iron-clad
measures as this which enabled those
opposed to us to resort to it. He went
on to say that unless our railroads are
fostered and protected they would be
bankrupted and our people would be
deprived of these advantages in con
ducting business.
Mr. L. J. Williams, while expressing
sympathy with the measure, thought
it was wrong, because he thought the
Commission should act in these mat
ters. T.lhe law p~assed last night on the
subject is amply sufficient to accom
plish what was wanted.
Mr'. Caughman in speaking of the
poverty of railroads, said they would
always be poor if they kept up their
present tactics. They should conduct
themselves on the same business prin
ci plea as farmers and merchants.
Mr. Sturkie favored the law because
he could see no reason why we should
pay more than the people of North
Carolina and Georgia.
Mr. Patton said he 'didn't believe in
doing work that properly belonged
to the Commission. The bill was th en
ordered to the third reading. The bill
reads :
Section 1. That from andl after the
passage of this Act the rates for the
transportation of passengers by rail
road companies chartered and doing
business in this State shall he, for
first class fare three (3) cents per' mile
every mile traveled, and for second
class fare two and one-half (2 1-2)
cents p or mile for every mile traveled;
and shall sell first a~nd second class
tickets: Provided, This rate may from
time to time be altered and changed
by the Railroad Commission, as to
any railroad or railroads, as in the
judgment of said Railroad Commis
sion the circumstances of such rail
road or railroads may warrant or re
qiuire.
Section 2. Any railroad company
charging higher rates for passenger
transportation than those heroin fixed,
or such as may be hereafter fixed, by
the Railroad Commission, shall suffer
all the penalties provided by law.
Section 3. Nothing herein contained
shall prevent any railroad company
from selling excursion tickets and mile
a'ge tickets of not less than one thous
and miles for lower rates than those
herein fixed.
SectIon 4. All Acts or parts of Acts
indonsistent with this Act are hereby
repealed.
THE11 "JIM CROW" CAR IHIL.
Mr. Otto' "jim crow" car bill was
called up. Time House had passed it
last year and sent it to the Senate,
which body killed it. The bill was re
ported unfavorably.
Mr. Skinner thought it would inflict
hardship on the rail roads.
Dr. Wyche said that the constitu
tional convention had emphasized the
fact that the two races should be
kept apart. He had voted against the
bill, but proposed to vote for it now.
The State should enact such laws as
would forever keep down social equal
ity in this State.
Judge Townsend said a number of
railroad men had come before the com
mittee and ha detalead the disadvan
tages that would arise under the ope
ration of the law.
Mr. B. J. Johnson said it would cost
little to make the necessary changes
and the fair women would not be sub
ject to humiliation by compolling them
to ride in the same car.
Mr. Otte said the bill had been dis
cussed and passed by this House on
more than one occasion and it is un
necessary to go ever the argument
again. He called for the ayes and
noes on ordering the bill to its third
reading. The result was, ayes 58; nays
32.
SUNDAY FREIGUT TRAINS.
Mr. Johnson's bill to prohibit the
running of freight trains between 12
Saturday night and 12 o'clock Sunday
night, came up, and Mr. Manning
moved to strike out the enacting
words.
Mr. Johnson said that the law na it
now stands is a dead letter and he
wantedi to amend it so as not to allow
any freight train to run on Sunday
whether there is perishable fruit to
be handled or not. He thought the
law a just and right one in the inter
est of the railroad workmen. Mr.
Johnson made a very earnest speech in
favor of the proper observance of the
Sabbath.
Judge Townsend said the committee
took the view that there was already
sufficient laws on this subject and read
the present law.
Mr. Bacot held that if It was wrong
to run trains of any kind on Sunday it
was wrong to run them for any cause.
Mr. T. S. Williams spoke against the
bill. It waa a work of necessity that
fruit should be shipped at once and
it would cause a great loss to fruit
growers.
The ayes and noes were demanded
on the motion to indefinitely postpone
the bill, resulting in the refusal to
postpone by a vote of 33 to 53, as fol
lows:
Yeas-Adams, Anderson, Ashley,
Breazoale, J. B. Connor, Cooper,
Crum, C. M. Davis, W. G. Davis,
Eadens, Gadsden Gaston, Gregory,
Haselden, Hiott, Holloway, Kennedy,
Kirk, Lofton, Magill, Mehrtens, Mel
lett, Phillips, Pyatt, Rast, A. K. San
ders, Skinner, Townsend, Weston,
T. S. Williams, John G. Williams,
Wilson, Wolff, Wyche-33.
Nays-Biackwell, Bowman, Bram
lett, Bunch, Burns, Carroll, Caugh
man, Edwards, Floyd, Fowler, Garris,
Goodwin, Hammett, Harper, Harvey,
Hollis, Hough, Humphrey, liderton,
Johnson, Kinard, Lancaster, Lemmon,
Mollard Miles, T. P. Mitchell, J. W.
Mitchell, Moore, Murray, McIntosh,
McKeown, D. W. McLaurin, McSween
ey, Nunnery, Otte, Pickens, Price,
Prince, Rainsford, Rowland, Shuman,
Sturkie, Tatum, Thompson, Todd,
Warr, Watson, Welch, Whitmire,
L. J. Williams, Fred Williams, Wy
man-63.
Mr. Gadsden spoke of the hardship
the law would inflict on truck growers.
Mr. Watson didn't see why fruit and
truck could not stay on the vine or
tree one day and stand over until Mon
da udge Townsend said as far as in
ter-State commerce is concerned, the
law will be unconstitutional, and that
it would discriminate against our own
citizens.
Mr. Townsend at the night session
reiterated the opinion that the law
would be unconstitutional, but as far
as he could see there was just as much
harm in running passenger trains on
Sunday, yet no effort is made to stop
them.
Mr. liderton said the queston was
simply between a man and his God,
and whether the General Assembly
would countenance a sin. It is our duty
to put our foot on every evil whethor
the Supreme Court says it is unconsti
tional or not.
Mr. Skinner referred to the fact that
a niumber of people had entered busi
ness as truck growers with the under
standing that they could ship their
products any day or any time and it
would be had faith to shut them ofT.
Mr. Price thought it a good bill be
cause it is in the interest of humanity
and will work no hardship on the peo
ple. He assorted as a fruit grower
that fruit could be pulled a day in ad.
vance of or a day after Sunday without
M.Wyche said he had heard so
many sermons on this subject that he
began to doubt whether he could drive
a horse on Sunday. Is it right to run
mail trains on Sunday ? Why not
raise that qiuestion ? it seems that
members want to go back to the old
Blue laws. It will ruin truck growers.
If you are going to legislate morality
why not pases the "eussing bill." lie
would vote against it in the interest of
truck growers-men who make their
living out the soil.
Mr. Warr~ held that the, man who
wouldi lead a train on Saturday night
was responsible for the violation of the
Sabbath.
Mr. F"red Williams said lie had lived
in Texas where neither p'assenger or
freight trains wore allowed to run and
he heard nothing about the law con
flicting with inter-State commerce. if
you pass this law the great .Jehovah
will make arrangements that the fruit
shall be protected until it can be
pulled.
Mr. Josh Ashley held that it w as just
as much harm to drive a horse fifteen
or twenty miles as it was to run a
freight train. The whole thing is bosh.
Let us clean up around our own homes
before we go and try to clean other
people's p' aces.
Mr. T. S. Williams spoke of what
fruit would be injured and showed how
the fruit growers would be injured.
The ayes and noes were demanded on
the motion to strike out the enacting
words resulting in the re jection of the
bill by a vote of 46 to 41.
PENSIONS FOlt CONFIEDERATESI.
The Senate had under consideration
the bill to amend the law in relation
to pensioning soldiers of the Confeder
ate States.
Mr. Mayfield offered an amenidmnft
to the pension bill, changing the ap
propriation freom $100,000 to $'75,000.
Mr. Fi nley hoped that the amend
ment would not prevail. The sum of
$100,000 had been decided on by the
unanim'ous vote of the joint finance
committees, as that which the State
could afford to pay. The subject had
been very carefully weighed and the
committee only regretted that the
State was not in a position to give
more for those who risked all theyhad
in life for the honne of the State.
Mr. Mayflold believed the 25,000
additional was a liberal increase and
he thought it would do the deserving
ones more good than if *100,0oo was
given. Experience was that by opon
Ing the doors too wide undesory ing.ones
would flock in and out down that goli g
to the noody ones. At this time when
they had boon increasing and taxes
were heavy, Senators should be care
ful about making too heavy an incroase
In one direction. If we could stand
$25,000 increase this year, he would
favor giving another $25,000 next year,
and so on till $160,000 was given.
Mr. Moses, as a memhor of the fi
nance committee, desired to state that
they thought this was the least they
could do and oboy the constitutional
provision requiring a liberal appropri
ation. They thought $100,000 too little,
but the best they could now do.
Mr. Brown was opposed to the $100,
000, but thought there were cases of
needy soldiers and their widows which
this bill did not roach. He favored
giving something to the many, rather
than more to the few.
Mr. Pettigrew hoped the original
bill would pass. He related how he
had started a movement for pensions
in Darlington County and sent to the
Legislature the first petition that had
boon gotten up asking that pensions
be granted to needy Confederate sol
diers. Give the old soldiers this $100,
000 and not a dollar will go amiss and
not a man in the State will protest.
Mr. Norris-Mr. President, I move
to lay the amendment of the Senator
from Barnwell on the table. Carried.
The bill was passed to a third read
ing, with notices of amendment. The
several section as amended are as fol
lows :
Section 939. The followingporsons,
soldiers and sailors, now citizons of
South Carolina, who were in the sor
vice of the State or of the Confederate
States in the late war between the
States, shall be entitled to receive from
the treasurer of the State a monthly
payment of four, six and eight dollars,
to be paid in the manner and on the
terms and conditions hereafter set
forth.
Section 940. In order to obtain the
benefit of this chapter, such soldier or
sailor must show : First, that he was
a bona fide soldier or sailor in the
service of the State of South Carolina
or of the Confederate States in the
war between the States; second, that
while in suoh service he has lost a leg
or arm or received any wound causing
a permanont disability, incapacitating
him for earning a livelihood ; third,
that neither himself nor his wife is
receiving an income exceeding the
amount of $260 per annum: Provided,
That the word income shall be held to
Include any amount received as wages,
salary or from any other source. And
all such persons shall reclve as pon
sions $4 per mouth, to wit: All ox
Confederate soldiers and sailors, fand
the widows of such soldiers and sailors,
who are residents of this State, who
have reached the ago of 60 years and
who are not receiving or enjoying the
benefits of an annual income of $100
from any source.
(b) All ex-Coc federato soldiers and
sallors who are residents of this State
and who have lost one arm or one leg
in the said service, $1 per month.
(c) All ex-Confederate soldiers and
sailors who are residents of this State
and who have lost both arms, or both
legs, or who are physically helploss,
shall receive $8 per mouth.
(d) All ex-Confederate soldiers and
sailors, In addition to said pension,
shall be exempo from road or street
duty or the payment of a commutation
road or street tax.
Soc. 950. The Stato of South Caro
lina shall annually appropriate tho
sun of $100,000, which shall be ap
p)ortioned among the several counties
in the proportion of the claims ap
pro-ved in such counties, and shall be0
distributed as hereinafter provided.
Soc. 951. On salesday in October in
overy year the surviving soldiers andI
sailors who were in the service of the
Confederate States, or of this State, in
the late wm'r between the States, resid
ing in any county in this State, shail
be authorized to moet in convention
in the court house of such county at ii
o'clock a. n. . or such hour thereafter
on such days as will procure as large
an attendance as may be had, and
organize by electing a chairman and
secretary, after which they may elect
by ballot two of their number, who
shall receive a majority of the ballots
cast in such eloction, who, together
with the county auditor, the county
treasurer and a practicing physician,
(the latter to be selected by the other
members of the board) shall compose
a hoard of pension commissioncrs for
51uc1 county until the next ensuing
election hereunder. After first being
dluly sworn fairly andi imp~artilliy to
discharge the duties herein prescri bed
for them to tihe best of thleir ability,
and fIling such oath in the clerk's
oflice in such county, they shall mfeet
as soon as practicable with tile county
examning board of pensions, and, with
them, examine the p~ension roil for
such county, and shall select there
f rom such numbor of the most needy
applicants as will be suflicient to con
sumfo the appropriation for such coun
ty, allowing to each applicant so
selected the sum of three dolla rs per
month from such appropriation. In
selecting such applicants for pension
th.3 said board shall have regard to
their physical condition and financial
mneans, and also to the financial condi
tion of their near relatives, and shall,
in every instance, select the most help
less and need applicants for aid that
can, in their jugment, be found upon01
the pension roll. A majority of the
members p resent composing the two
said boards shall be necessary to de
termine any matter presented to them,
and a majority of each board shall be
necessary to form said joint board.
As soon as such board completes its
list as above they shall certify the
same to the clerk of court for such
county, ,who shall record the same in
a list to be designated " Approved pen
sion roll for 18-," and shall certify
such list to the secretary of State, and
such persons shall constitute the pen
Alon roll entitled to receive the aid
heroin provided for the ensuing fiscal
year. If from any cause the meeting
herein provided for should not be hold
on saleaday in October in any year,
the same may be held on saloeday in
November followin g, and the action of
such meeting shall be as valid as if
held in October. Said board, or a
rniajneityonf them, are to decido all
questions rolating to peUsions in their
re0spectivo vountes, subject, however,
to thA right of review by the State
board. The compensation of the two
VotOrans. antd the )hYsiCIan shall he
three doll arsA 0eh0 for each day's sor
vice.
AS To LAnOR t'oN r1RACTS.
NIr. Thurioid's hil to aitend the
law so as to inerenise the ieilty for
the violition of agriiicultirai labor con
tracts, giving j.luisdiction, to the courts
of SeKssoUs, was tbeI takeni up. Nr.
1hurmiond said that, at pre4snt the
pen1alty waS too light. Ile thought if
laborers lf t, their employers in, busy
seasons they should be punished. If
a few of them were put on the ehaiii
gang it would have a good effoot. lie
said the present penIalty of 30 days had
no offect.
Mr. Breazoalo thought tlat th(,
passage of this bill would men giving
the strong poner to oppress tho weak.
ir. Manning Opposed tlhe bill onl the
ground that transferring the jurisdic
tion would cost too much.
Mr. Lofton remarked thiat the com
mitteo had unanimously reported the
bill unfavorably.
Mr. Breazealo, moved to indefinifoly
postpone the bill, and ANIr. Thu rinond
demanded the roll call on this. The
bill was indefinitely postponed by a
vote of 74 to 18.
TIE RAILUOADS AGAIN.
Mr Rust's bill to regulate the hours
of labor of trainmen on railroads in
this Stato and to provido for the viola
tion of the same was called up, and Mr.
Manning wanted It Lo go over, saying
lie thought they had enough railroad
talk the preceding day to last for a
SpMI]. Ho said the railroad mnon had
been before the committee, and the
bill would do no good.
Mr. Rast said this was a copy of the
law in Georgia. Railroad mon had
asked him to introduco such a measure.
Thes men noded the protection
badly. He was not in favor of oppres
sing the railroads. Smo railroad
employes were anxious for thik bill.
They were badly oppreesed ir~d afraid
to say anything, because they were
afraid of being blacklisted by the
bosses. H1e know of Instanmics where
train dispatchers had been kept oim
duty for two days.
Judge Townsend said the committee
had decided to let the house discuss
the bill, though its sentiment wats
against the bill ; .honco they had mado
no report.
They would prejudice the very class
they were desirous of protecting; cm
ploycs were ad by the hou'.. So far,
as over wor was concerned, it was
easy to se that the roads had overy
thing at stako in seeing that the men
wore wide awake and attending to
duty. He thought they were going
too far legislating to become speclial
guardians of every class of citizens.
Soon they would begin to take care of
the lawyers even.
Mr. Magill said he had never voted
for any legislation that would be op
pressive to any railroad corporations.
This bill will result in great, benefit, to
any oppressed class of people. Ilm
ployes of the roads dared not comio to
the legislativo committoo and say any
thing. Conductors and trainmen Iad
comO to him U and begged him to iII
troduco such a measure. The employes
had a right to come up and demand
protection. Thoy did not ask South
Carolina to act as their guardian. A
man must have somie rest, in tbe course
of 24 hours.
.Judge Townsond-Would you vote
to regulate the hours of farm laborers ?
Mr. Tatum said he too had been up
proached by employes of the roais.
if the roads didn't object to the hill
why did they have their counsel bofore
the committee ?
J1udge Townsend-I m~ovo Li) recomi
mit the bill1 to the (commfittee to give
the emp lloyes a chanuce to appear.
Dr. Wyche said if railroad muon were
so 0oppressed, why dlidnf't, they (1uiit
working on the railroads and go to
wvork onm the farms. He called( this
medicine logIslation. TIhey had too
much law in this State. lie thought
one General Assombly in four years
su flicient. l'von the Supremeo CJourt,
didn't know what the law was. The
great trouble was that, the State had
too) much law, and too little obedience
to law. lHe would 111ko to take care of
and give sympathby to every hard
worked man. ie picturedl the over
worked doctor, up l for 2-I hours withbout,
hope of pay Ills sarcasm was relined
and to the point, le doubted if they
would accomplish what, they wanted.
Mr. Weston thought that it, would
result in a salary reducotion. It was a
contract, entered into by the men them
selves.
MIr. Ilumnchm hoped that the hill would
be killed, ile did not want any man's
privileges to h)o abridged. If lie
wanted to work 1(6 hours it was no
body's business. It seomed to himi
they were going into radical legisla
tion.
Judge Trownsend wanted to know, In
case the law plassed, who was going to
rep~ort the roads for violating the law.
Hie withdrew his motion to recommit.
Mr. B~owmnan said he wanteod the
traveling public protected.
Mr. ftast replied to some of the
arguments made and then the vote
was taken, the House refusIng t(
strike out, the enacting words by a
vote of 315 to 46;. Trho bill1 was thmen
ordered to a third reading ini this
shape:
Sction 1. That from and after the
p assage of this act it shall be unhiw
ful for any railroad doing busIness in
this State to require or permit its
employees, who are engaged in thet
business of opeorating its trains over it~s
roads, to make runs of over thirteen
hours, or to mako runs aggregatIng
more than thirteen hours in twenty
four hours, except when such train is
detained by reason of casualty, or
or~bor cause, from reaching its demstina
tion on schedule time, and no trainman,
after having been on a ruin eor runit for
as much as thirteen hours out of
twenty-four hours, shall be requiredl to
again go on duty until after ten hours'
rest, except in case above stated. No
employ cc of any railroad coumpanly
shall be deprIved of his rIght to re
cover damages for personal Injury by
reason of the fact ths~t he, at the timo
of such injury, was umaking a run of
more than thirtoon hours, Or mnakinig
a run aggregating more than thirteen
hours in twenty-four hours, or bad
gone on duty after a thirteen hours'
run, or runs aggrogatin~g thirteen
hours, bafre ton ho urIS' rest.
Section 2. That any railroad viola
Ing any of the )roViSIOnS of section 1
of this act shall be subject to a forfol
turo of tot less than $50 nor more than
$500. 'That one-half of all forfeitures
collected under the provisions of this
act shall 1 bo paid into the Stato treas
ury, to the credit of the schol fund,
and the otbor hall to the informer.
KEEP DOWN COTON ACREAGE,
Tht Kn A A ivou Fafnora Don't Want Ju-A
Nw -I an Honiny tho Only Safety.
Auguistat Chronicle.
Teio r1ailr'oads are handling unusually
largo sh i pmeints of mulos, some of the
fertilizer works havo sold their entire
prodlids and so great has been the
demnanid for cortain agricultural Imple
munts that dealors have been unablo
to get sIpplies frotm tie anufacturers.
Theso aro some of the statomonts
that retacl us through a trustworthy
soureo, and they are statemonts that
atre not altogether occasion for con
gratilation. It is gr'atifying to know
that our farmtuers ar'e in condition to
make those purclases, but when they
are talkon considered with their possi.
ble boaring onti the next cotton crop
they furnish food for sorious rottoction.
I t Is true no doubt that the close econo
my w hich the fartors of the South
have prIctied for' sOveral years has
resulted in redtucing their agricultural
((ipml)ttient to a low standard. Having
realizod sotlo money from their cotton
0rop last year' they tare spenrding it in
providing bettor equipment for the
onsuing yotir. This is well. But we
nust, again iur-go .tpon them not to
devoto this now equipment to raising
anotiher big cotton crop. Thero Is
nothing tinow itn this suggesttion, but
we fool the i nportanco of iteration and
reiteration.
It cannot be too str'ongly imprcssod
I)Ol cotton p)tdUoducrs, says the SI
vannahi Morhing News, that they now
have the statistical position of cotton
more nai'ly in their own hands than
has boon the caso for a ireroat many
yoars, ard that if the market is smash
od Iext season by an otnormiouis crop
it will be thoir own fault. They have
been working for yetrs to reduce the
surplus carried over from oe year to
the next aid to got the supply within
the dmand. It took hard work to
hri ng ab1ou1t the )rent situation. Bu"t
it. Will not tOkM Very hard work to
upset the wholeO arrangement and
knock the prico back to livo cent basis.
Commissioners of Agriculture Nesbitt
makes a'eareful and clear calculation to
show how there would be money
inl a ,000,000 crop this season, and
how theire would not bo money in a
10,000,000 crop. 1lii reasoiing is to
tire point. It now remnains to soo what
tihe farnors will do about it.
T'horo scets to ho some uncertainty
amtroig farmrers how niutch cotton to
planlt. Titey do tnot know what would
consti tuto overprodutetioni or inl wihat,
marnner they can bo sure of reducing
the acroago. We havo suggestod this
'rlo, and we think it Is ono that will
work out satisfactorily. Lot ovcry
farm'nt' pitch his proviion crop fIlrst.
IWo do riot refOr to the 1i mo of Planting,
but lot h Imr fir'st calculatO how many
aeros he will havo to devote tocorn, Oats
pea1s, hay, potatoes, sugar cano, and
other food crops to provido every need
of the farmn inl the way of provliions
for man and hoast. lAet him aTr'ange
to fully mtt OL this doimtatid, and then
plant what, land he has left over in
cotton. I f it takes all Ihis land to raise
all the hog and homilny he neceds, so
ho it. Lot him raise hog and homniny
aInd lot cotton ailotie. If on the other
hrand after pr'ov id ing all necessary land
foi' food oops ho has a l argo aer'ongo
left, for cotton, all r'ight, let himt plant
it. lie can affiordt it. I f cotton is made
the secondary instoad1 of tho pr'imary
cr'op ; If the farmer first prov Ides for
r'aisinig all the food crops he noodts andI
dlevotes the balance of hIs hand to cot
ton there wv ill bo a sullicientt reduction
In t~he aggrcgato acreago to hold diown
the (r'op to mnoney mratkinrg pr'opor'tions.
(htr fanrmiors have thre matter in their
oJwn hanitds.
Whtat, urs is thbero in (atinig wVhurn
food does you no goot--iu fact,, when
it, does y'ote itor' htarm than good, for
such is the caise when it is not di1gested.
I f you have a loathIng for food there
is tno use of forcing it down, for it will
not, be digested. Y'ou muitst r'estor' the
digestive or'gans to their natural
sti'ength and cause the food to be di
gestedl when an ap >oetite will conmo,
and with it a r'elish for food.
The tired, languid fooling wvill give
placo to vigor andl orrgy, then you
will put Ilosh oni your hones aind be
comoit strong. T1he Shrakors I )igestivo
(Cor'diai as made b~y thte Mouint I ~obanion
Shakers contains food al ready digested
andI is a digester of food as well. Its
actioni is prtomp lt anitii t efects per'
manenat.
D~octors prcrib'o he Iaxol beicauise it
hras all thre vitrtes of Castor Oil arid is
--G teeral VlerianoS Wey her, of the
Spanish army, the new captalii-geonoral
of C~uba, is said1 to boe of Irish extrac
tiona, is 6i0 years old, andi extromnely
enier'getic. ie d istinrguishe d himself
du rinrg the Span ish war against the
Moors irn Afr'ica. Gcnor'al Weyler was
sent to Cuba in tihe ear'ly part of the
ten years wair, andI served under two
captain genra'ils. lHe i'emained there
miote t~tan two years, and was recalled
to Spint Ott account of charges of e.
tremet) cr'uolty made against him.
SWheni a man (lies suddenly, with
tiut having boon1 attended by a doctor,"
says a popurlar' guide to the law, " the
cor'onor has to be called in and an Ir.
quiost held to ascertain the cause of
decathi." "' lut," adds the wrIter,
" whena he dies after having been at
tcnded by a doctor, then overybody
knows why he died, and 60 an inquest
is not necessary."
-About 25 years ago an l'ntglish
syndicateoOffered the Transvaal gov
ernment $800,000 for the exclusive
right to all the miner'al resources of
that country, and the government came
very near selling it. It is estimated
that the gold product of the region
thi earm wil be *inn00na0an