Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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frie THE NEWBERRY SUN PAGE FIVE The Spectator SoTTW oomm&ulalor* in tpeculating on South Carolin* legislative affairs have suggested that the Free Con ference on the General Appropriation Bill might attach to -the report an authorization for the Santee-Cooper to purchase the two Columbia Power Corporations. That seems hardly likely, though the opponents of the purchase might welcome such a strategy. It seems unthinkable that any six members of the General As sembly would put themselves into such a position for a devastating .po litical attack. Then, again, an up roar throughout the State could be expected. Our people are quick to think that subterfuges and sharp practices prove that something is wrong and unable to stand the light. So, remembering that the fight against the Santee-Cooper so far, ha s brought out the charge of in siders and outsiders, and that the charge of secrecy has been hurled, one cannot believe that astute legis lators would run such a risk as to try bob-tailing or getting through an authorization by adding an enabling provision to the Free Conference Re port. The opponents of the purchase would probably welcome either a bob-tailed effort or an enabling sec tion in the Free Conference Report, because either course would be re garded as a confession of weakness and as a political trick. In such a case both the Senate and the House would hear the appeal to thwart po litical trickery. Such an appeal would leave the Santee-Cooper in very bad odor. The opponents of the purchase might also attack a rider or bobtail ed bill in court and keep it in court until popular feeling might be organ ized so powerfully as to bring about repeal by the Legislature next year. Next year, you see, will be the eve of the election of all the members of the House as well as half the mem bership of the Senate, including such powerful figures as Senator Edgar Brown. Senator Jefferies is said to be a candidate for the United States Senate. So the gentlemen of the Leg islature who advocate the Santee- Cooper as a political topic next year. All this talk of a free conference committee suggests the question What is a Free Conference? The free conference is an effort—some- tines a considerable effort—for three members of the House and three members of the Senate to seek seme common means -by which the differences between the two houses may be reconciled. This may be very dry, but let us look at the Legislature together and see how it works. Let us take the Santee-Cooper bill for an illustration. Ail bills may be first introduced in either the Senate or the House, ex cept bills to raise revenue, or im pose taxes. Such bills are supposed to originate in the house, according to the Constitution. The bill to author ize the Santee-Cocper to purchast the Columbia Power Companies, not be ing a bill to raise revenue, it could have been introduced in either the Senate or the House. Strictly speak ing, and confiding in the little fold er sent out by somebody, a nd refer ring to itself as “THE TRUTH ABOUT SANTEE-COOPER”, the Santee-Cooper bill should not be in the Senate, but in the House, as the folder says: “Th e plan of acquisi- “I told you it was a gyp—the car doesnt run a bit better in SPITE of that insurance.” Now is the time to put that— New Roof on your home You Save in Reduced Upkeep See Us at Once for Details Clarence T. Summer, Inc. Phone 110 Newberry New honors are being heaped upon Bonnie Beth Byler, 1943 Maid of Cotton, as her tour of the nation as cotton’s goodwill ambassador continues. At top. Miss Byler is shown inspecting one of the planes at the Army Air Forces Southeast Training Center, Greenwood, Miss., where ehe was a guest of honor for two days. Below, Miss Byler receives a corsage and the bast wishes of her native state, Arkansas, from Robert W. Griffith, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Miss Byler was queen for two days at the Army Air Field, with both cadets and enlisted men competing to see who would be her escort for dinners and a dance. At Little Rock, capital of the State of Arkansas, she received a commission as an “Arkansas Traveler” from Governor Homer M. Adkins and appeared before the plate’s General Assembly. fPhoto at too by Army Air Forcea.) tion will enable an interest savings of approximately a million dollars a year . » . etc.” Continuing it says “No money need be set aside for dividends, as Santee-Cooper is entire ly a people’s profit organization”. A little further it says: Surplus reve nues “Will go periodically into the State treasury to reflieve the tax burdens on the people of the State”. “These profits would go to the people of this State in lower rates and to the general fund of the State of lower taxes.” Now, though the Santee- Cooper itself, the present Cwmparvy, has not paid any state tax, nor con tributed anything to the State in or der to lower taxes, as the purpose has been declared, it may be said that the avowed purpose of the Santee-Coaper being to RAISE REVENUE, the bill to enable it to do so should have originated in the House, for the Constitution says: “Bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives, but may be alert ed, amended or rejected by the Sen ate.” The proponents of the Santee- Cooper enlargement might ponder this, since their zeal is declared to b§ primarily to raise revenue to help the taxpayers. Perhaps they are not ] so sure about raising the revenue; and we who oppose it are so doubt ful, that we do not insist on this Constitutional requirement. But let’s get back to our Confer ence: The House of Representatives had a bill to provide for the support of the State Government. It was in troduced in the House by the Ways and Means Committee. According to the Constitution, it is necessary that a bill shall be read three times h three different days in each House. It requires that “Every Act or reso lution having the force of law shall relate to but one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title”. I call attention here that the limitation of an Act to one subect is absolute. The practice of covering several subjects by mentioning them in the title does not validate an unconstitutional pro cedure. So you see that the tacking on of the Santee-Cooper to an Appro priation Bill would make it extreme* ly vulnerable. The bill when it passes the House is sent to the Sen ate. If the Senate should pass the bill, exactly as it was passed by the House, nothing would be lacking but the signature of the Governor. 5.ut the Senate amended it by increasing some items and by introducing new ones. Then the bill, as amended, was sent back to the House for its accep tance, or concurrence. The House re fused to concur. What should be done? The House insists on its bill and the Senate is equally firm and resolute for the bill as the Senate passed it. Right here we have a blank, for the Constitution says nothing about such a condition of disagreement. Perhaps the chival rous spirit and magnanimity of those zealous framers of the State Consti tution, as well as the great founding fathers of the Nation, could not con- caive of strivings and contentions be tween the august legislative bodies. So our General Assembly invented a method of bringing about a meeting of minds: it provided that three Sen ators and three Representatives should met as a free conference com mittee to iron out the differences and to propose an adustment to the two houses. The House favors a nine- months State-aid for schools; while the Senate prefers to buy and operate all school buses. How will they get together on that ? You see, then, that the Santee- Cooper issue is in no sense a part of, or germane to, the State Appropria tion Bill. That is, unless it really were a revenue measure and had been approved as such. The introduction of any new mat ter in the Free Conference Report constitutes a direct violation of the Constituional requirement of a bill being voted on three times on three separate days in each house, and be ing presented with one sufbect in the title. It is true that free conference committees have done such things, but never in a ny case of the magni tude of the Santee-Cooper. In very truth we have never had any matter of equal financial magniude before our Legislature. The Highway mat ter was not a forty million dollar is sue; it was a general authorization, limited to annual amounts for a pub lic service which is clearly a part of the State’s duty. No one will ques tion that the State should build great arterial roads and span the rivers with bridges. Private investment could not build and operate the main highways of the State. But a techni- zal business enterprise, such a s man ufacturing or operating a power plant, is a widely distributed interest. Since I’ve referred to the building of roads, let me ask you: “Did the politicians content themselves with arterial roads? Hvae you heard of a county so criss-crossed with State paved roads that nothing remains to be done but build a cement walk from the farmei’s back-door to his barn ? But not all counties were so liberally provided for. Is that not precisely the danger inherent in political con trol of power? Even if the sponsors today are gentlemen of such exem plary practice an dcharacter as to en velop their present proposed power aggrandizement with a robe of celes tial purity, is it not possible that some day a few men may rise to pow er whose purpose a nd methods may be less exalted ? Mrs. C. J. Purcell returned to her home in Newberry last week after spending a month in Miami, Florida, with her son, First Lieut. C. J. Pur cell. Lieutenant Purcell has been transferred from Miami to Alamemia, California. Tommie, Fred David and Alice Jean Riley, of Ladson, were recent visitors in the home of their grand mother, Mrs. Viola Werts on Hunt atraet. 31%'0F HjS SALARYt IS NOT TOO MUCH FOR CURTIS SANDERS!! Says it will help shorten the war and prepare for peace Sanders has two lovely chil- ! dren, and he hates to see them i grow up in a world at war. Such a father would do every thing in his power to hasten • the end of the war and hurry a better day for his children. Sanders, a weaver in a North Carolina textile mill, realized that one way in which he could help shorten the war was to buy War Bonds. And he certainly is doing that! To the tune of SI percent of his income! “Don’t think that putting that much of my salary into War Bonds has been easy,” says Curtis. “We’ve had to do without many of the things we’re used to.” But each $3 that we put aside now means $4 that we’ll have to share with the kids later. And, be sides, what is there left to buy now?” If everybody follows Curtis Sanders’ example and invests every cent they can in War Bonds, it will help shorten the war and prepare for the peace to come. Perhaps, like Curtis San ders, you too are fighting on the Bond front. But make it a good fight—make it the best fight you can. Boost your Bond buying through the Pay-Roll Savings Plan, right now . . . today! You’ve done your bit—now do your best! MRS. ESSIE STILWELL Mrs. Essie Wheeler Stilwell, wife of Kemper S. Stilwell, former resi dents of Silverstreet, but recently of Clinton, died Sunday morning after a short illness at the Clinton hospital. She was a daughter of the late N. B. and Frances Pauline Feagle Wheeler of the county. Surviving .besides her husband are two sons, Harold K. and J. V. Stil well; two daughters, Miss Gladys Stilwell and Mrs. Evelyn Miller; one brother, Ernest Wheeler; two sisters, Mrs. Corrie Fulmer and Mrs. Ellen Epting. and nine grandchil dren. Funeral services were held Monday afternon at 5 o’clock at Silverstreet Lutheran church with Rev. P. D. Risinger in charge. ’ Interment fol lowed in the church cemetery. CLOSED for Remodeling Due to damage to our building in a recent fire we find that we cannot continue our business in a proper maner, therefore we have closed until the remodeling is completed, which we hope will be at an early date. When we open again we will be in better shape than ever to serve you, as we intend to make a number of improvements. Watch the papers for opening date soon. BUSY BEE CAFE How’s the old car running? Is it doing its best? Is it getting proper mileage per gallon.? How about wear? , Are you helping it? Are you giving it good gasoline? Do you use PURE OIL motor oil? . Do you have it lubricated every 60 days by a Pure Oil Specialist? Do you have your tires inspected promptly? If you are not doing this You had better start doing it today, for that car may have to last you a long time. Don’t cheat your car by giving it poor gas, oil, and lubricants and then expect it to last. C. D. Coleman Company Phene 400 " > ' t r-