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SUFFRAGE ISSUE IN UPPER-~HOUSE MANY IMPORTANT MATTERS COME BEFORE THE STATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. DOINGS OF THE LEGISLATORS Summary of the Important Bills That Have Been Before the State General Assembly During the Past Week. Columbia. First symptoms of spirited debate in the senate this session appeared suddenly, when the Shepard resolu tion, asking for a referendum on the question of equal suffrage, was reach ed on the calendar. Motion by Sena tor E. C. Epps of Williamsburg to strike out the resolving words brought a number of senators to their feet clamoring for a chance to debate the issue, while others were pitched on theIr ears by the unexpected "drive" of the "eternal feminnine". propost tion. The house was fairly evenly divided against itself. Time for de bate was finally fixed. A large proportion of the senators are inclined to favor the referendum, without committing themselves to support of the amendment in the gen eral election, while others argue that the question will be overwhelmingly defeated, even when submitted. Minds of all are apparently made up. Con sensus of opinion is that with a full vote a majority will support the ineas sure in the upper house. Many of those supporting the referendum feel bound by the resolution of the state Democratic convention last spring, which committed the question of wo man suffrage to action by the states and not by the national government. Members of the upper house are hearing from those "back home" on the prohibition delemma. Senator Laney of Chesterfield placed on the senate desk three petitions from his constituents, asking for an "air tight" prohibition law. These were signed by approximately 300 voters of Ches terfield. Taking high rank among the new bills which came to the senate desk was that by Senator Stuckey of Lee county, which would greatly enlarge the activity of the state board of char ities and corrections. Mr. Stuckey's bill would require that all state insti tutions confer with the board of chari ties and corrections as to sites for new buildings or enlargement of buildings and also as to proposed bud gets of appropriations asked of the general assembly each session. Re .servation is that the powers of the board of charities and correctiotis in these matters shall be purely advisory. A report from the board of charities and corrections, direct to the general assembly, would be required. The house of representatives did one thing. It passed the Braford bond resolution to a third reading, 90 to 23, after having' defeated it by two votes a few days ago. The parliamentary clincher' was applied and the resolu tion is now sure to be sent to the sen1 ate. The resolution takes away from the legislature the right to bond counties or other political subdivisions without submitting the question to the people, ex-eptions, however, past in debtedness. When the resolution re ceivedl 81 votes of a needed 83, the op ponents failed to clinch the situation. 'rhe author gained a reconsideration and the question was p~ut on the cal endlar. Speaking in its favor were Representatives Mauldin of Green ville, Ford of Fair-fld, Lesesne of Clarendon and Hamer of Dillon. The only member to speak against it was Representative Cothran of Greenville. The Bradford bond resolution which would take away from the legislature the right to bond counties or other political subdivisions wvithout submit ting the question to the people, amended so as not to apply to past in debtedness, failed by two votes to re ceive a two-thirds majority of the house and was killed. Eighty'-two r'ep resentatives voted for it with 82 ne cessary for passage. Representative Macfarlan of Ches terfield county has introduced a bill -to cancel a Winthrop scholarship held by Miss Anne Fresil Heuser, on the ground that the family lived in Ches terfield county only a few months and has moved away. A majority unfavorable report has been made by the ways and means committee on Representative Daniel's prohibition bill which excludes from the state alcoholic liquors and winos, except for medical purposes. A mi nority favorable report was made.. Senator J. F. Williams of Aiken in-I trodluced a bill providing traveling ex penses for the circuit judges, SEfforts to modify the liquor laws of the state are gradually getting un der way in the general assembly. A hearing on all liquor bills, introduced this session, was had before the police regulations committee when the auth ore of the respective measures appear edt and argued the particular merits of each. Senator Dultant of Claren don county introduced a bill which would prohibit the advertising 'of liquor in South Carolina newspapers, on posters or street cars. Sale of publications from without the state would also be forbidden, when such advertismients are carried, Some of the varied aspects of the problem of the feeble minded were presented for the consideration of the general assembly by Alexander John son, field secretary of the national committee on provision for the feeble minded. Mr. Johnson told the legis lators that the segregation of the feeble minded in a custodial institu. tion maintained for'them by the state was the best means of solving the Problem which is most serious from social Vtnd economic standpoints. The lecture to the general assembly was illustrated. A bill is now pending in both the house and the senate which provides for the creation of a custodial train ing school in which the white feeble minded persons in South Carolina can be segregated, given such training as their childlike minds are capable of taking, and taught to lead happy and useful lives. As a result of the investigation made in this state under the direc tion of the state board of charities and corrections, in co-operation with the national committee on provision for the feeble minded, a great deal is known of the problem of the feeblo minded in South Carolina. The in vestigation, details of whic hare given in the annual report of the board, show-d that many of the feeble mind ed in this state are absolutely unpro tected and consequently propagate their kind at will. others are given lit tle or no proteetion in county alms houses, some are in prisons and on chaingangs, and all of them are a burden upon the state, the carrying of which is costing a tremendously large sum. All the findings of the board point to the necessity of segre gating the feeble minded in an in stitution if the Laurden of caring for then is to be lightened and steps taken toward solving the social prob leis they complicate. Action against the state is contem plated in a billI introduced by Sena tor Banks of Calhoun which would em Power the administration of Thelma Sanders and Minnie Sanders, deceas ed, to sue for damages, it being alleg ed that the death of the children was induced by antitoxin sent out by the state board of health. Senator Manning of Dillon county introduced a bill which would exclude from the state patent medicines, bit ters and other nostrums, the chemi cal formulae of which show heavy alcoholic contents. Further definition of the powers of county sheriffs, constables, and other officers, relative to seizure of contraband liquors, is asked in a bill introduced by Senator Ridgell of Lex ington county. Members of the General Assembly went to Charleston Wednesday to look over the state institutions. This was the last trip to be taken and the Solons have now gotten down to real work, and during this week and next the program of important legislation should swing into rapid pace. Legislators from several counties have introduced bills, calling for large bond issues for road improvements. Bills, covering the proposed program of legislation, as outlined in the inaug ural address of Gov. Manning, will in all probability be introduced. This would incluide pr-oper provision for the feeble minded, for which an appr~iopria tioni will be asked to build a training school; restricting the pardoning pow er of the chief executive; modification of the taxing system and several other implortant measur-es. J. C. Townsend, chief eler-k of the engr-ossing dlepartment of the gener-al assemblly, believes that a saving of $1,000 or $1,200 will be effected by the reorganization of this dlepartment, whereby only ceimpetent stenographers and typists are employed. Pr-eviously 22 elerks wvere engagedl in the work of tr-anscibing bills5 in long hand. Only 14 are employed this year. In addition to the saving incident to redluced clerk hire, the bills are pre lparedl more legIbly, thus greatly di minishing the possibility of typo graphical errors. The work is also (done more rapidly. Selection of emlboyes in the depart ment is by examination in stenography and typewr-itng. By this method the authorities hope to eliminate coin pletely politic'al preference. Those in the deparlItmlenlt this year nre: Removal of the disqualiflcation from testifying of p~ersons1 convicted of cr-ime is prlovide~d in a bill introduced by Senator Bonhami of Greenville, Convicithon, the author explained, is often contingent on tihe testimony of another who, under the present stat utes, is disqualified for minor offenses, 3. C. Townsnd, chief clerk. Colum lila; Miss Harriett Stroman, assIstant chief clerk, Springfield; Miss Mary G. Sledge, Chester; Miss Cecila Mcin tosh, Columbia; Miss Mayo Reese, Wedgefld; C. R. Spencer, Ulniver sity of South Carolina; Miss Fannie 0. Wald, Orangeburg; Miss Emily S. Boilinger, Spartanburg; Miss Virginia Simpkins, Edgefield; Mis~s Helen Can son, Florence; Miss Elma Evans, Bishopville; Eugene Pollard. Green ville; Miss Sallie McMillan, Mullins. Approximately 300 bills have been introduced in tihe two houses of tile general assembly this session. Many of these are duplicate, the bills being introduced in both houses, often sim uiltaneously. Tihe average number In troduced in thue two sessions of each assembly approxImates 1,000. New members usually provide the hulk of these the first session. A bill, providing for an extension of the time for the payment of com mutation taxes in Newberry and Lex ington counties, has received two raings in the seate. WILL MAKE STARCH OF SWEET POTATOES CLEMSON AND FEDERAL AGENTE PROPOSE BIG PLANT FOR THIS STATE. W.W.LONG DISCUSSES PLANE Project Has Already Been Tried Ou on Small Scale.--Would Create Market for Sweet Potatoes. Columbia.-The extension divisiot of Clemson college in co-operatio with the United States department o agriculture has been working fo some time on the problem of findin markets for the different agricultura products of the state, realizing that I is absolutely necessary to creat greater markets if the farmer is t4 practice diversification. 'his was thi object in urging the establishment o the packing houses at Orangebur and Greenville, to provide a marke for hogs and beef cattle and indirectl: for surplus hay and grain. The estab lishment of the cream routes was t< develop the dairying industry. The creation of a market for swee potatoes, that woul( justify the farm er in planting a large acreage, hai been more o," less perplexing, as th< transportation of sweet potatoes t the Northern markets is a hazardoui undertaking. Clemson college come years ago under the direction of the late M. B Hiardin, one of the foremost chemisti in the country, took up the problen of working out the manufacturing o starch from sweet potatoes and Dr lardin was ably assisted by Prof. C C. McDonnell, now in the bureau o chemistry of the United States de partment of agriculture, the late Prof P. S. Shiver and later on by Prof. T E. Keitt, chemist of Clemson college These chemists worked on this prob leni from the laboratory end and It order to establish the practicability o utilizing sweet potacoes for the man ufacture of starch, a small plant wai established at Clemson college through the co-operation of B. Rem mers & Sons, chemical and. consultinj engineers of Philadelphia. The starcl from the sweet potatoes was used it some of the cotton mills of the state The experiments by the mills prove< very satisfactory. The movement for a starch mil has now been revived by W. W. Loni director of the farm denonstratio forces, and a series of conference with business men has been arrange for the building up of the new indui try in South Carolina. "In bringing this proposition b( fore the business men of the. state, said Mr. Long, "I want my positio clearly understood, that from the lal oratory and scientific end the matte of producing starch from sweet potf toes has been clearly demonstrated Pr'of. T. E. Keitt, chemist of the Soutl Carolina experiment btation, and Mr TI. Renmmers, chemical and consultin, engineer of Philadelphia, will atten the dlifferent meetings that we pr'opost to hold( in the state and in conferenc< with the business men, when the ques tion of the advisability andl feasibilit' of establishing starch factories will hi taken up andl discussed. These gen tlomen will throw light on every angli andl it will rest with the business mer to determine whether the profits thal might be expected from the enter prIise wvouldl justify them in erectinj a plant and wvhether they would bi able to pay the farmer a pice for hi potatee sthat would justify his grow in,; them." Industrial chemists, business mer andi farmers met in Columbia Monda' to discuss plans for trying the new in dustry. Conferences will also be heki at other points in tihe state at earl: dates. Material For Bridge Arrives. Chester.-The steel bridge that wvil span the Catawba river 0on the South ern1 railway between Catawba anm Lancaster has arrived and a larg< crew of wvorkmnen is now engaged Ii getting it together. The new struc ture will be considerably higher that the older one. $20,000 Threatre For Spartanbug. Spartanburg.-A new theater, t< .cost $20,000, is to be biuit on East Main street at once. The contraci has already been let, and the worn will begin in a few days. C. L. Henry who is proprietor of the Rex Theatre in this city, designed the plans foi the theater, and it will be the larges1 in the state. The seating capacit: will be over 1,000, and the audlitoriun will measure 60 by 100 feet, with balcony in the rear', andl a large stag< in front, Tile new building wvill be fireproof, Girl Killed in Auto AccIdent. Charleston.--Marie Monseratt, 1 years of age, is dead here as the reOsul of an automobile accident. With hei mother and other wvomen and two mer she was enjoying a ridoe shortly afte1 midnight. Coming back to the city seven miles from Charleston, the auto mobile overturned turning a corner ir a bad liace ill the road1. Mario was fatally hurt, receiving internal inju ries and severe cuts. She died on th< way to the hospital. The others in thi iachine escaped without much more than a shaking up. WHEN TOKYO'S STOCK. t A.......... t t t eelle iI tle stock exchainge of Tokyo, .Japan, when it that followed the issuance of Germany's note. EMPERORS OF GERMANY f i 'K 1 This is the first photograph to arrive In Ia th I count Franeis Josq)h and the elevation of Karl Franes Joseplh is wearing a crepe band on his left arm it memory of the FLOATING AMBULANCES ON THI U a S 4 Parilt of it th ec~ielet equllp~'i nt of t he 1I aa arm floating ambluhlinees that are ini se on the Isonzo4 river LARGEST FLOATING WOODEN D i~ A' [ I Ths latngdyd ck helagstevrbulto w od strutio . I is 50 eetlon , wt 2 -oo ltfr s nt ends an 80 eetwidebeteen he ing.I a a dthisngaig dcc the larndgewhchtee ul fwol Ptecio.at ioes 4bout longeveth foo thfem n l arointf Irlanadd.st r s tWted TH ti 40,000,00 tonst-eihtgf A proces hasbbeeninwarteeineGer wl ma fozng war pies ihuby' rze r o ( lacuring the groua. ientrvifuga thyma-dtf - chino wcers bute-ventn motefe st au Omated ctaint,0,0 frona ofMight ~ u(In -fsockt,*atwo-fan electicwinnilatr Areshas been invente fice n r-All-be- aioii dncesfo thtinning etai artisdow, zbrwo o placsin tremh i and cexnersfta ma- Pi'sls hl Operted y curen fro a lghtSropetayhy go ~ockt, tw-faneletri venilaor n fallrded wia lbs ~ee inentd fr oilcs ad rst- Ivn teforgst'il (lecestha, wen et n awinowtio drnkite Staer I drws n feshairandexpls hatAll-hon-Haof undE reay i a oomZfrmnzusharwo.o EXCHANGE SHUT DOWN j ...... -~ -- ----- closed on account of the turmroll caused by peace rumors AND AUSTRIA TOGETHER eIV , showing the Iwo eulperorls ogetler Since the death of to the throne of Austria. It wI i be noticed that the kaiser late Austrinn emperor. ISONZO IN HIS WINTER UNIFORM IX YDOCK forzrr of' white t hat makes him almost nvisible to the enemy in the snow We.qhty *Stuff. Flatbutsh---Thalt speech I made at qof Amierienn enn-(O the dinnfer was sent to the papers by eoverhan rg nt bo0th wireless, incihed at flunters Blensonhuitrst--I notieed the air was very heavy today. I watch fobs hnve WVhat is believen to be the most : -yees" of the South- dlurable highways in the world have Iwho did( emicient been mnade ini Fran1ce of' a concrete ring tihe last year. composedl of iron shavings, cement tinder a point sys- and Band. many units being More than 8,000 persons aignedl the ,s which are classi. visitors' boo0k at Shakespeare's birth d( the number of place at Stratford-on-Avonin14 b iy each. Last year the total number was *254. aupp~osedl neither TJhe miners of Spitzbhergen aire apt to eat pork, but to get their mail only at intervals of bhroned sultan of eight mtonthts, butt they get the news lives affluently in of the wor'ld twice a day by wireless. - ri origial way of A waterproof electric motor hats 10 table he places been inivented by adt 'AAustralian to in, urges "Oh, holy drive brushes against lthe hulls of yes, oran protect me," uels to clean them without dry-dock--. -vli ing.,r months last year Apparatus with wyhich photographje nniorted 18,500,000 plates can be loaded into holders or eet seeds, mainly renmoved and developed in daylight has been invented by a South Dakota masa. - r -Ma-.