The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 29, 1908, Image 2

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?NIF. LaX.IW.ATVKK. {Continued from Page One.) tlpai t'rumARt wu that it might ?gjgsie an entering wedge for the paar? et a divorce law later nnd that pre* nt ayettin wan therefore good * .sough for the citlteus of this 8tatc. The bei pr vided that the ch rk o* ^oart rhoulJ. on payment of a fee of .taue a license glflng the hfms i. age and residence of the con %adtieg partie?. said certlfeste being ejaHei' warte ?ign->l by the parly per Tftsrsrang the ceremony. U was also ^rosrided that u certified 0 TY of Ifeet-sc c >.iM be u~?-d as prlm.e evidence < f th* tnnrrlnge, In Isfort the ccurts of this When the bill was cal?ld on the <*at *adar Mi. P. L Smith m ved to oat tho i nactiug words. Mr. onp'alned the purp.)v>L of th* urgej its passage with tho thrt the s tate should keep a res? et matt lags contract* I?. Nash alee favored the till and latfawcee whore a r. mid of la this mate wvhld have e ef value to the parties who w-tre ae man aad wife, la his opln the la* had nothing to do with M voice law ad would prove of In bvl*le value In tho mill > illag*a. Mr. Scruggs of rhsstarfield and air. ' e>srha*n of Horrv stated thai i m il : sl*n? oa the beultr couutlet wer^ lad kt the mothert cf girls Ir Marth Carolina. Mr. Durham ro.'c pedj t> the case of * i? tary public fn Tevk ooanty. where It was notorious I MaM runaway couples from North J *^atohna. repecta'.y aicttnd Charm* t\ ecsjaee f> he marrlol an I no record j"{Mfae kept tho cerernoi y. Mr. ' iSrnrnr ?ve also l?v red it for the sar.o Mr. Kvfrshaw^ l tho. el that It would lh) erHcTlnf n* Ige far di\??rce .:?ml Fr?ser, alter iovuo\lug ?Ue po i Of the S'ale on ar.arrltjo and di-. Hhee II? organisation, argued n would t% w-n not tc tQUMV r present Ltws and condition-* inj? by a vote of &9 to ?Jt the ?treck out the enacting won1* MM. 1Tho h< nte ref-uod to r<*comrott the ill (rom Mr. John Marshall of 'baton. cMhJ over fixm I'd had rovlcif |- for a term >t four tor county superlat indents of leatitn. C"uuty ^upor'isor* and hgtste?> of ?.,??? m- convey tmo. , Th.* tJfc was tossed to a third read in? "ets'l.ty and will now be sent to th ? estate Mr. Vv>if.r.rim.tk?e f l.cxtagt?n f >r esfJIy ennounevd the d .' ith of hi ? eedocuf o. J. m ?ptlng. and if Mr V. P. McArth.r .f Ch?rokc?\ an! It van decld'.vl t > hi U exercise* at roon ?lest Wednesday In their momory. A rs?oluil n. KfVred by llr Lane ?ondonir lag the action of the AU: u -srnamy ih?p usarv b >ard was passe 1 e't'iout "IJrctcn. The resolution tales th it the board has placed a flapen*nr> In Neith Auguda np;n>t -ho prateat of a majoiltv of the ciU sc? ef that t ? ? n and that -u -h ac vjaa le la vlotatlen of demoerotic prln '??Vlm end ids** cf good ?'?v? rr.rnent Mr. GvL"? ,,t the Alken delegation **edi yeMeiday lhat the revolution "^NHiid he recalled this mtrnirp; f ?r Tparjw ?*s ef dlsce>A|on. The delesr. 'ejoii U dlvM^d on the quent!? n. At the ??.?*! ?n x^-itinh-.y uftetnoon at??liU"H wts introduced by Repre ' eeaeaUve sawyer .?nd psj>?eii. ia.vitin& rt??r Tillmin tt address the houtw ?rvMitng ut S ??'eloiih on the snb of immtgrati??n and tho race lat?h Columbia, Jan. 14.?The house gave sit rw ? h<ur? oT Us lime ye t r l.iv a d'souwlon of the lion law. Th'To four bilU before the house, two i Mr. Richard*, who Is the reoog 1 leaJer of the lien law llghtr one from Mr. DeV?re and one from Mr. JaVdrhk. Mr. DoVore's bill w.?s );illcd e\y *he h>?#*?? oa motion >f Mr. H'cb hut net j i! ths author had a ntrong *>pecoh In fat >r cf lU The Iv ?: - till provided th it moii? k^aitrs should re>t be issued on crop* wot* not gr??Y\n. but tht aathor thai the legislature couid not *s?J a lsnlh r l or tenent pet to la ?aw> a .n ?rtagag< on a growing CTi p Tho till, hi-wevtr, was killed apd,(uc eoHisi u? agrev.m-nt anu ng tlx* a". %Jsurs or th bllla on the subject. Mr. MskharuV tdl. kriown on the calendar am 714, wo* Innen up next, the other* '%asag pasHed over tempor.*rr.y Mr. JJMchaidrt i ilj that he was willing to Senate the meutuie to a vote of ihe aveawo without discussion. Ht be rod thst ? ma> rity of the farmers ihe s??ic wanted the lien law re? ed and he aloe heHev/ed that thero been enough dlHcus^lou en the Mar last y tar. Mr. #<ell?*r3. who led the fight again Ml tJso repeal of tin; law last seaalon. ?g?m made u ft rung ipcevh for n^ K He pros? iited facts and ?lg? from sereial of the countle-*, ing th ? numbor of HetM In each hold that the settlement of the was against the rcpe?l of the au* There wsre about 10,900 hens In SQss gAasa, if th? average of each conn <M *M taken, and so far as ihe saajtl agaa was concerned this would be enough If divided into votes to seat a ninn in the executive chamber down? stairs, with only a few votes against l)im. The farmer* were compelled to use the Hens as a basis of credit and to destroy the basis of cn-dit meant the ruin or the small farmer. Mr. Alan John>tono urged the re? peal of the present law and spoke aleng th?- lines which he so ubiy pre? sented last year when the bill was up for discussion. Mr. Norton and Mr. Carey opposed the Richards bill, the latter seeing no reason that a change should be made. He thought these meetings urging Uli ropeal were attended mostly by land? lords and that the tenants had* little shewing. Mr. Johastonc asked Mr. Carey if he was willing to submit the repeal of the lien law to the people. Mr. Carey replied that he was willing to do this, but until they had taken a veto on the subject he would'n >t be willing to re? peal the law. Mr. Rucker alro spoke against the repeal of the law and after his re? mark* the house adjourned debate un? til this morning on account of the Jol.\l session called to hear (Jen. Leo. The text of the Richards' bill la o-s fr;io\ri? *8oc. 1. That >ection 3059 vnlumo 1, code of laws, >'outh Carolina. 11)03, relating to Hens for advances, be, and the same Is hereby, repealed. Sec 2. That ali acts or pans of acts inconsistent with this act be. and the the same are hereby, re pi ah d. "Provided. This act shall lake effect on the first day of January, A. D. 1909." The bill Introduced by Mr Hydvick Is as follows: "No moit^ngo oi any crop or crops f hsll te good and effective to convey to the mortgagee any interest in an> crop or crop^ other than the crop or cron3 to be rnJs^d during the year in wh.'ch uaid mortgage is given, and unless the land whereon said crop or crcp.s.are to be raised shall be described or men? tioned In said mortgage, and unless the , orop or crops herein referred to shall be up and growing at -he time cf the execution el the mortgage. '?That said amend nr. nt shall not take effect until the first day of Jan? uary, 1909." There are majority ajvl minority re? ports on both of ttvse bills. IThe dispute over the establishing of a dispensary at North Augusta by the Alken county dispensary board was again thi subject of discus-ion in tho house yesterday and as a result the resolution offered by Mr. Lane of Marlboro tho day previous was ttrick en from the record ard it was decided to leave the entire matter to tho dis? pensary committee, which has nov before It several petitions for prohi? bition, for amendments to the present dispensary law and for submitting to the voters of Alkcn county the ciuea tlon of dispensary or no dispensary. The ncf'on war not tiken *?y tho he use, h('\Vevor, until therv was t >n ?fucrable disv^slon. It was brought up by RcprcaentMlve Crolt of Alken after Mr. Oyles of that same county movod that the resolution oTered by Mr. Lane be recvlle !. This resolution condemned tho rctlon of tho Alken county bonid la establishing a dis paaaary at North Augusta. ?# undem ce-ratlo and again t the wish, s o' the I eople of that seeil ?n. Mr.* Croft went into the history of the establishment of the dtfpt j&ary. -tatjng that out ei (ho 63 signers of tho peMtlon ag.'lni?i the da-p.-usury 51 depended upon Augusta f ?r their Jiv? ing and were Influenced by the peoole of that city; the c!ty that sent a dele? gation to Atlanta to lobby against prohibition and had nev^r beer km-wn to protest against South Caro him -i . patronizing Augia ta barroom*. He c mid not seo why any other county should condemn the : ctlon ol Alken county, capable of taking ct< of Itself. Mr. Oyles, who made the motion to reconsider the resolution, sale", that he 0. (tared the facts stated therein were fOffOel and according to his Infor? MSlttl n the people who protested against the dispensary w. r > taxpay? ers and citizens of this State How (Vir, be did not think the house should condemn tho county ui iil a hearing was given. Mr. linker, chairman of the house committee on dispensary, als*? spoke along the same lines, stating that the matte? was now before the commit* tec and that it would not be right Ii? condemn One Mde without the other being he ml. Mr. K? i h iw made an argument i:i favor of the rorotuttota He lud hoard 1. commlttte n eelInr;, he vii.', that women and ehltcar?*n were dully tub Jeei'd to ItiSttlt on aOCOUnt of the en unk? u nun wh ? paaod i'V'-r the I ridge across tht Suv.nuiah liver. Mr. LaaOi the author Of he resolu? tion, said that he hml no Intention to reflect an Alk? n court,- and would f Luve mndc a metlon him; elf to re? call It. but be did not WtffJl to pat him? self on record as be'ng opposed to the action of the Alken dlapeasary board and his predictions, made at the last Jioslon. that the county dispensaries ' would j rove as cerrupt as the Slate ' dispensary, wero being verified. Finai'y. by a vote of 76 to 23. tho house it .culled the resolution and Mr. (Creft had it str'cken from tho record. A report from the dispensary com mit too rn the- proposition is txpeeted in a few days. THE SENATE. Tho senate was in session yesterday from 11.SO a m. 1c 1 o'clock, at which hour the Joint sfffion of the two houses met ir. the house chamber for tho purpose of hearing an .id Iress by Gen. Stephen D. Lee. After the meet? ing of the Joirt assembly th) lenato Wag in session bul about J5 minuted, ueltourned to meet today at 11 a. m. After the introduction of new bills t r.ly gKOOnttittd senate bilh: were taken up as the first business follow irfc and quite a number of bills pars? ed second reading. When penal- bill ko. 626, which' was Introducer", in the house at tho last ses>1on, hut reached the senate too h'te to become a law, was taken up a lively dieousslm ensued. This hill was Introduced by the he use commit'ec on ii corpcrations. It is in relation lo the establishment of new count es and was prorr.pteel by the fight b?*ing made a year ogo to hove a now county es? tablished w:th Ncrth Augus'a us thr county real Cemshh ration was post? poned on account of a point e?| order yesterday. There was s^me discussion on Sena? tor Ra>r<?r's joint resolution to pi 3 vldo for a commission to Inquire and report on the feasibility of erecting a supreme ?ourt building in the city of Co'v.mbla, and to present a plan the refer. Senator Graydon moved to strike cut th* n solving word., t.dding ibht he did not think that such a com? mission should he apoointed for such a purp reg "for the reason ihat the Stato heoj.se is the- proper pl io?. for the fchpremc court to meet ar.d that at no e xtant date It will be found crsolutefy necessary to enlarge the capitoi build? ing. ? Senator Ravecr suqrg*sted that *h ? I 111 be allowed to go ovir for the pres? ent, wh'.< h wai nyrcid to. A motion was made by S3nator Otis to strike out the vnaetlng words of aeitetJf Chrisens? n's bill to regulate refcons e i libel ani sla?id?r, but OWlng to the temporary absence from *.h? s. r ote chamber of the senator from Ee cufort Ihe matter was a Mowed to go o\or. , On n.^ii^n ol Senator Maul din the Vill oi Senator Oriilin providing that timber owned by e?lh.rs than ihr- own? ers of the land upan which it stands .'' all he aaoeeftod for taxation was re eommittecl. Senator GrWNa hi tirst edijer.ted tlremmu'dy to this procedure end by vote the s-cnate refused to re ce mmlt tho bill. F;es;dent Mt<L<?0? easting the dee'ehng vote, but Inter Ihe tothor aT.ounc d thnc by rpe c'al request ef Stnatcr McKeilhan he wrojid agree lo a'low the bill to he re? committed in oroer to allow certain parked interested to bo h wrd on the kill. ItHPKAL OF LIEK LAW Rill Pawed HOuse by Large Majority and Will Likely Fnsa Senate?Foul Year Term far Supervisors aiul Su I erinte nd< nts of Leliu-athm?Other Matters in the Legislature. Columbia, Jan. 25.?By a vote ol 21 to 14 the senate yesterday refused to strike out the enacting words of Senator Slnkler's bill to make terms of office, of cau.nly supervisors and county superintendents of education four y?ars, instead of two years, and it is eiuite certain that the bill will prvis that be>dy, with some minor amendments. The consideration of the till was token up Immediately after third reading hills, a large number e>f which were paired and ordered sent to the house. Senator Dinkier spoke briefly in support ti tho meaaure, directing his remarks principally to the work of the offte? of superintendent of uiu callon, w.tich he declare d is one. of the Meet imp irtant in any county govern* ir.'.nt and should he, as Tar 00 possi? ble, divorced from politics. Senator Out lis le, applying his re mirks to tho olhce oi' c' unly .-.upervi sor, In tho main, nude a Streng argu? ment for Incrtaalng the term of thht olhce to f ?ur years, He declared ihll to be, in foot, the most Imp..run of Bce in the county and vet it Is (Hied, p.s a g< noral rule, by me n who ere ur? fit for tht position. Better men are Hooded for this positl ?n, pi n who have nerve and backbone and Whfg Will carry out a dellnlte, progressive policy, regardless of the whims and special pleas of prominent citlsei;! in ilMferenl parts of tin county who are [prompted by selfUh motives. "And nervi? and backbon? declared Sena? tor Carlisle, ".are vory unpopular In I?rief peiiods of authority. Make thi I term of Office four ye ns and belt, r men will offer for (in position! OA? 'when they are elected they will have ? time- to carry out a fixt i policy and I win not hi- bothered, ;ts iu put visors j now are, about making preparations , to secure oh a Hen another two years hor.co." I Sen.itor Johnsem offered an amend ment provlndihg that the t< rms of the bill he limited to county superintend? ents of education. On a yea ane l.ar vote this was loet. I Senator Graydon spoke acalmt the bill, arguing that when a ge.od man wan elected to the offes of county supervisor for a term of two years ho j need not fear if he does his ful? duty fearlessly and without favor that the people will turn him out of off.ee; and that if an incompetent or ether wise objectionable person should be elected the people could get rid of him at tho expiration of the two years. Senator Otts announced that while he expected to vole for the bill *n its present form he preferred to have it amended so as to make a man who is elected to either of these offices ineli? gible to re-electicn. He offered an amendment to that effect, but it was lost by a vote of 2 9 to 8.* Senator Appelt offered an amend? ment to include the offices of county auditor and county treasurer in the bill, but owing to the fact that these offices are appointive and not elective it was thought that by adding the amendment of the senator from Clar? endon the constitutionality of the bill might be jeopardized. On a yea and nay vote his motion to amend was lost by a vote of 22 to 7. Senator Crouch moved to amend by providing that the terms of office of county supervisor and county superin? tendent of education shall begin on July 1 after their election to office. This motion was lost by a \iva voco vote. Senator Graydon. after failing in hi* efforts to defeat the bill. s.'cured an amendment providing that the terms of the bill snail net apply to the coun? ties oJ Abbeville. Union. Lancaster and Aiken. Other amendments were offered proposing to exempt also the counties of Fairfield, Chesterfield and EcVcflela. but be l ore these amend? ments were put to a vote considera? tion of the bill was postponed until today, to allow for an investigation to determine whether or not the consti? tutionality of the bill would be affect? ed by making exemptions of certain counties from its operations. Mr. Toole's bill, which came ever from last session, to prevent unrea? sonable delays ir. the shipment 01 freight and baggage, was recommitted to the committee en railroads. Mr. Croft's joint resolution, whlcr paatfd the house last session, propos? ing to am^nd sec:e n 2 of article 5 of the constitution so as to authorize ai. I empower the general assembly to thrt the number of supreme court justices and fix their terms of office, came up for second reading and the discussion on the measure was grow? ing g.me ra! and interesting when a motion to recommit the resolution to tho jud'eiary committee was adopt ox The same COUWO wras pursued as to Mr. Croft's resolution proposing to amend section II of article 5 of the constitution, relating to the judiciiry department. Mr. Raysor's Jo'nt resolution to pro slue kr a commission to inquire and report ?in the feasibility of erecting c. supreme court building in the city of Colombia was passed over tc permit the author to draft a substitute, which will probably be offend and conoid t n d today. Several >f the Senators announce that they favored enlarging the State house by the addition of a wing at e ther end rather than the traction of a separate building for the supreme passed Mr. Rh hards' bill f ?r the ro proposod In the resolution. The sub? stitute which Sen&tQr Raysor will of fctr Will, it is understood, authorize tho ? imfl Usion, which the resolution calls for, tG re port upon the fea.-ibiUty of enlarging the State house for the ac? commodation of tho supreme court, as well as upon the feasibility of erect? ing a separate and distince building. Among the now bills Introduced in the. senate yestetday was the follow? ing by Senator Walker of eJorge town: "Be it enacted ty the general .is icmbly of the state of South Caro linn: ''Section 1. That members of the general assembly shall receive as e*e ? m pel i r a li >n for their services the sum of *$2&0 per annum and mileage at the r.'.te i f 5 c^nts per mile for ?he actual distances traveled in the nnst direct rent.- going to and returning frc m the place whtre tho session of the general asfonrbljr shall be he'd. '?Sec. X. That the provisions uf thi.? cct shall not go into effect until Jan? uary l. 1W. "Sec o That section 14, volume 1. code of laws of s< uth Carolina 1"?02 bo, and th?- same is hereby repealed." THE HOUSE. Au overwhelming vote in the house pases l Mr. Uieharda' bill for the re 1?. al of the hen law to a third rending yesterday morning and it is conceded by all that the houpc will not obj et t<> Its passage and that no motion to recommit the bill will he made today. W hile there was not much debate on the proposition as compared wich last year, when the senate defeated the efforts of Mr. Richards, still the advo? cates >f the Hen law made some' stremg argument*. The e ntlre morning sea* I ion wafl taken up w ith the bill and no other business was done. An effort was made to have a night s? ssion and adjourn until Monday, but the excellent attraction at the theatre proved too much for the members who be, and the same is hereby, repealed. '?Sec. 2 That all acts or parti of acts inconsistent with this act b*, and the same are heioby, repealed. "Provided, This act shall take ef? fect on the first day of January. A. P. ltOt." When special order bills were .leached Mr. Richards at once called for the lien law meaaure. Mr. Rocker, who had the floor the day before, when the ptccecdlngs were interrupted by Gen. Lee's speeeh, was recognized. Mr. H?cker stated at the outset that he was In a hopeless minority, but he thought the funeral assembly was making a mistake in passing the Rlchar-lH bill. However, if the argu? ments made by the maj >rity were cor rcct ho wanted the repeal to gc into effect (it once, and asked Mr. Richards it' he W?l'# willing for thlr. Mr. Rich ards said that he was not. Mr. E. E. Verne r, one of the most earnest advocates for the repal of the low, talked at s:me length in favor are interested' in studying graft prob? lems. The hill passe.1 was very thoit. be? ing as follows. "Section 1. That section 2151?, vol? ume 1, code of laws, South Carolina 1^02, relating to Hens for advances, of the passage of the bill. He was fol? lowed by Mr. Harrison of Greenville, who argued against the repeal of the law. Mr. J. P. Gibson stated that he had called a mass meeting of farmers ir. his county, Marlboro, to discuss the matter, hut aftorwards this meeting was called off/ With present la^or conditions and tho fact that there arc now |n the fields of his county GOO bales of unpicked cotton he thought the repc.il of the law unwise. Mr. Garris also made a vigorous fight against the repeal of the law, citing labor conditions and the need fjr encouraging the small farmers. Representatives Krantley, Wyche and A. G. Bricc all spoke in favor of tho repeal and derided the statement that the repeal would enslave the small farmer. Mr. Richards, the: author of the pro? posed repeal, then spo're. He called attention to the fight year after year, the agitrtion by the fai mers and urg? ed his argument that the repeal of Mie law would not be a hardship on the tenant farmer, as was claimed by the opposition. In answer to Mr Rucket he would &ay that the reason he did not wish the repeal to go into effect at once was because it would woik a hardship en those holding liens. H<- therefore wanted t> give the "landlords or farm owners time to prepare for the change. Ho believed that tho repeal might temporarily af? fect some of th.: tenants and some oT the landewners, but in the long run it would preve a blessing ard would take cut of the grasp of the merchant farmer, who charged anywhere from ti to 100 per cent, for supplies, th?j pooi roan who worked a small por l!oii of farm. The heute voted down the proposi? tion by 91 to 24 10 make th? law ef? fective at once and by a vote of 81 to 23 voted down Mr. MeMa-ster's prop? osition to extend the time for the en? forcement of the repeal u .til lfio. Mr. Richards believes tha the act will pass the senate by a majority of at least four and possibly five He has canvassed that body thoroughly and the repeal is certain. He will now suport the bill offered by Mr. Hy drick, which will protect the formers and tenants, in that a mortgage on a crop before it begins to grow is forbidden. Mr. Kydrtck't bill is as follows: "Xo mortgage of any crop or crops, shall be good and effective to convc: to the mortgagee any interest ir. any crow or crops other than the. crop or crops to be raised during the veer in which the mortgage is given, and un erop or crops Other than the crop or crops arc to be raised shall be de? scribed er mentioned in said mortgage, and unless the crop or crops "terete referred to th&ll be up and growing I at the t'me of ? the execution of the mortgage. "Thai said amendment shall not take effect until the first day oi Jan? uary, 1'j'j'j." Columbia, Jan 2 7.?The tengt*i convenes tonight III S o'clock with a heavy calendar to dispose of Satur? day debate was adjourned on Mr Kershaw's bill to provide for a board of examiners for railroad telegraphers and, after the Introductions, etc., this will he the first matter to be consider? ed. Senator Chriatensen's bill to author? ize the use of $10,000 of the money in the hand.-- of the dispensary commiss? ion In the prosecution of those ac? cused of graft will probably be dis? posed of this week in the senate. The finance committee made a majority and minority report upon this bill, tne ma? jority favoring the bill, with an amend? ment providing that $i5,ooo be appro? priated from the dispensary funds in? stead of $10,00, as originally asked for The sentiment e>f the tOJiati is large? ly favorable to the bill, though there lire two or three members who will make a fight against it. In the com? mittee there wes a strenuous protest from one se nator, whose law firm rep? resents at le?ast one of the whiskey houses having claims against the State dispensary and is also employed at counsel for at least one member of the former board of directors against whom indictments have b?en made to assist in the prosecution of whom this money is asked for by the legal de? partment of the Slate. Attorney General Lyon says that 115,000 in none too much for the gen? eral assembly to appropriate for the prosecution of these cases, as it will be absolutely necessary to employ assistant counsel as well as to collect certain other evidence not now In pos? session of the prcsecuting o:fictrs of the State. ( Agents of the liquor concerns who are charged with conspiracy to de? fraud, as well as the former me mbers of the bcard3 of control, will have as good legal talent to defend them as can be secured in this and other States and, with the number of indictment* brought, and the importance of mak? ing a vigorous prosecution, the attor? ney general feels that the State should give him all the assistance possible Senator Christensen's bill does not provide for a direct appropriation from the State treasury, hut provides that the amount expended shall come from the funds in the hanels of the. dispensary commission. It is confident? ly asserted by members of the lispen sary commission and by the attorney general that a big saving will be male to the State as a result of the inves? tigation now being made bv ihe com? mission and from the indictments which will follow In one case alone, that of L'lman & Co., unless a higher court should overrule the decision of the comimssion, a saving cf about $30. 000 has been made, with grounds on which to base suit for almost that amount in addition. Tomorrow It the date set for be? ginning of the discussion of the Hen law in the senate. Senator Crouch's bill is or. the calendar under the head of "speeia' order," which gives it right of way. so to speak, over all matters lmme 1 lately after the cousidei ation of third reading bills. Representative Richards' bill, which passt 1 the house Friday by a large majority, is row In ihe hands of the agricultural commit? tee, hut will probably bo reported at tonight's session and tomorrow will he- placed rtn the calendar along with Senator Crouch's bill. 13very indication points to a clear majority In the se.iate in fav r of re? peal and should the Crouch Pill b3 passed a motion will be made on third reading to substitute lor it the Rich? ards hill to prevent the necessity of the house acting on the quivtira any farther at this session. Senator Laney has a resolution on the calendar, unoer the same special order head, providing that ihe nuee* lion of the repeal of this law be sub? mitted to the people at the next Dem? ocratic primary election. Tomorrow Senator Graydon's bill to prevent the operation of *'de<uble headers" comes up under the h -ad of special orders. It passed second read? ing in the senate Saturday, with no? tice of general amendments, on third reading. With the exe ? ption ? f Senator Toole'B spech on Saturday wh n the bill to provide that all railroad teleg? raphers shall be licensed was up for discussion, there has been nei dc'CU* etcn of railroad rates in the senate, The real road committee of the ten-' ate has had referred to it a number Of hills the past week prppovlng a re? duction *n passenger fares All of these bills were reported unfavorably by the committee with the t xc ption of that offered by Senator Toole, and an amendment was effered t? this by proposing to strike out all after the enacting words and insert in lieu there? of the body of the bill offered by sen? ator Carlisle, which is tho prevention made to Gov. Ansel by President ."in ley of the Southern. There has been thus far absolutely no talk In the senate on tho dispen? sary. A number of bills to amend tho present law have be? n introduced and Senator Talbert has a bill pro poslng to abolish the dispensary and declare prohibition throughout the State, with a provision that licensed druggists may sell pure alcohol on the prescription of reputable physi? cians. Senator Tallert's bill is on tltV cal? endar ami may'be reached this week, lie expects to make a spe ch on his bill, but does not say whether or not he hopes to have it acted upeui favorably by the senate. A number of petitions asking for a prohibition law have been presented from senators representing about one fourth of the count!ea in th^ State. Senator Appelt presented a number from his constituents last week and a number wore road Brom Alken, ?dge lielel, Collet- u, Rlchlaad and other cot-n ties. It is very likely that an emend* ment to the present law will he ruin? ed at this aesalon, providing that up? on petition of a majority of the quali? fied electors of any township against any dispensary already established or which it Is proposed to establish the county dispensary board shall remove or refrain from establishing same. The special bill offered for the relief of the people of North Augusta re? ceived an unfavorable report from the dispensary committee, but. by request I of Senator Toole, it was allowed to go on the calendar.