and Lights" (Senate Journal, 1912, page 8; House Journal, 1912, page 12), I said: "We are paying too much for water and lights for the public institutions in Columbia. From a thorough investigation of the matter you will find that their entire plant is on State property." Now, gentlemen, I again call your attention to this matter, and respectfully ask that you have the Attorney General, or your Judiciary Committee, or somebody whose duty you may decide it is, to investigate it, from a nonpolitical standpoint, to see what is the true status of the contract between the city of Columbia and the State for the furnishing of water and lights for the public institutions of the State, and whose property the present waterworks and lighting plant is located upon, in order that we may have an amicable adjustment of the entire matter, without imposing upon the city of Columbia and without allowing the city of Columbia to impose upon the taxpayers of South Carolina. Some people may think I should wait, and, if necessary, deal with this matter in a veto message, but I think it should be brought up and discussed before your general appropriation Bill is passed, in order that it may be settled without heat or passion and without prejudice, but in a proper, cool, deliberate and legal manner. Very respectfully, Columbia, S. C., February 4, 1913. COLE. L. BLEASE, Governor. On motion of Mr. SHARPE, the message was referred to the Committee on Finance. EXECUTIVE SESSION. Mr. JOHNSTONE moved that the Senate go into Executive Session tomorrow immediately after Joint Assembly, which was agreed to. TIME FIXED. Mr. CLIFTON moved that when the Senate adjourns it stand adjourned to meet Wednesday at 11 a. m., which motion was adopted. ADJOURNMENT. At 10:50 p. m. the Senate, on motion of Mr. SINKLER, adjourned. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1913. The Senate assembled at 11 a. m., the hour to which it stood adjourned, and was called to order by the PRESIDENT pro tem. The roll was called, and, a quorum answering to their names, the PRESIDENT pro tem. announced the Senate ready to proceed to business. The proceedings were opened with prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. C. A. Freed. The Clerk proceeded to read the Journal of yesterday, whereupon, on motion of Mr. BLACK, the further reading of the Journal was dispensed with. The PRESIDENT pro tem. called for Petitions, Memorials, Presentment of Grand Juries and such like papers. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. The following Bills and Resolutions were introduced: S. 239. Mr. MARS: A Bill to regulate the use of the public highways and bridges by traction engines in Abbeville county. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Roads, Bridges and Ferries. S. 240. Mr. WESTON: A Bill authorizing the Railroad Commission to close up East Green street at a point where it crosses the Southern Railway, and change the course thereof. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Railroads. of the South Carolina School Improvement Association. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Education. S. 242. Mr. MARS: A Bill to apportion the marriage license. fee in Abbeville county. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary. S. 243. Mr. RICHARDSON: A Bill to regulate the apportioning beneficiary scholarships in Clemson Agricultural College among counties. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Education. S. 244. Mr. HALL: A Bill to allow J. C. Huggin, of Gaffney, S. C., to take the examination to practice law without appearing before the Board of Examiners, and to be licensed to practice law without appearing in person before the Supreme Court. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary. S. 289. Mr. MANNING: A Bill to authorize and empower the trustees of School District No. 8, in Dillon county, to borrow a sum of money not to exceed ten thousand ($10,000) dollars. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Finance S. 294. Mr. WESTON: A Bill to provide for the extension of the corporate limits of the city of Columbia, and to alter the boundary lines of the city of Columbia and of the town of Eau Claire to conform thereto. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary. S. 293. Mr. MARS: A Bill to authorize the county of Abbeville to borrow money to pay past indebtedness, and to provide for the payment of same. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Finance. S. 290.-Messrs. EARLE and CARLISLE: A Joint Resolution to validate the recent election in the town of Greer for Mayor and Aldermen and for Commissioners of Public, and to validate the election authorizing the issue of bonds, and to validate the bonds voted in said election. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary. S. 291.-Mr. JOHNSTONE: A Bill to authorize the County Commissioners of Newberry county to condemn lands for a public highway, provided for by an Act entitled "An Act to authorize and direct the County Commissioners of Newberry county to construct a steel or iron bridge across Saluda River, to appoint a special commission," etc. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Local Legislation. S. 292. Mr. MARS: A Joint Resolution to provide for the payment of one hundred and four dollars and seventeen cents ($104.17) to J. O. Cann, for services as rural policeman in Abbeville county. Read the first time and referred to the Committee on Local Legislation. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. Mr. JOHNSTONE, from the Committee on Local Legislation, submitted a favorable report on S. 211. Mr. Earle: A Bill to provide for making new indices. in the offices of the Register of Mesne Conveyances and Clerks of Court, and for filing and indexing the records of the old court of equity, in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Greenville county. Ordered for consideration tomorrow. Mr. BANKS, from the Committee on Finance, submited a favorable report on S. 225. Mr. Weston: A Bill to authorize and empower the city of Columbia to execute a mortgage of the property now used by the State Agricultural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina for the uses of said society. Ordered for consideration tomorrow. Mr. JOHNSTONE, from the Committee on Local Legislation, submitted a favorable report on S. 233 (H. 131.—Mr. Harvey): A Bill to amend Sections 1987, 1990, and to add another Section 1991a, of Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1912, with reference to working the public roads of Berkeley county and kind of laborers to be employed, and providing penalties. Ordered for consideration tomorrow. Mr. JOHNSTONE, from the Committee on Local Legislation, submitted a favorable report on S. 237. Mr. Christensen: A Bill to regulate the working of roads in Beaufort county, to provide the appointment of overseers, and a commutation tax and the manner of its collection. Ordered for consideration tomorrow. THIRD READING BILLS. The following Bills were read the third time, passed and ordered sent to the House of Representatives: S. 127. Mr. Beamguard: A Bill to strike out Section 4 of "An Act to create the school district of Yorkville, in York county, and enable it to organize a system of free schools, and to levy a tax in support of the same, and to purchase and hold property," approved December 22, 1888, and amended December 23, 1889, and February 17, 1911, and to substitute therefor a new section. S. 173. Mr. Young: A Bill to provide for the filing and recording papers with reference to insurance and amending charters. S. 186. Mr. Hough: A Bill to amend Section 1 of an Act entitled "An Act to provide for election of Township and County Commissioners for Kershaw county, and to provide for the performance of the duties heretofore incumbent, upon them in reference to the assessment and equalization of property for taxation," being Act No. 380, page 679, Acts of 1912, so as to increase the salaries of the Commissioners therein mentioned. AMENDED. S. 114.-Mr. Appelt: A Bill to amend Section 938, Volume I, Civil Code of 1912, by increasing number of Commissioners for Clarendon county. Mr. CLIFTON proposed the following amendment, which was adopted: Amend title by striking out the word "county" and insert the following after the word Clarendon: "and Sumter counties." Line 40, page 3, strike out "four" and insert "five." There being no further amendments, the Bill was passed and ordered sent to the House of Representatives. LAID UPON THE TABLE. On motion of Mr. CLIFTON, the following Bill was laid upon the table: S. 73.-Mr. Goodwin: A Bill to amend Section 470, Volume I, Code of Laws, 1912, relating to fees and charges for collecting delinquent taxes. SECOND READING BILLS. The following Bills and Joint Resolutions were severally read the second time, passed, and ordered placed upon the Calendar for a third reading, with notice of general amendments: S. 90 (H. 14.-Charleston Delegation): A Bill to provide for a special fund for the purchase of the property, erection of buildings and their equipment, to provide additional school facilities, and for educational purposes in the city of Charleston for any one or more of said purposes. S. 219. Mr. Earle: A Bill to repeal an Act entitled "An Act to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a rural police system in Greenville county, and to discontinue dispensary constables in said county," which Act became a law on the 27th day of February, 1912, it having been presented to the Governor on the 23d day of February, 1912, etc. S. 208. Mr. Sullivan: A Bill to amend Section 406 of the Criminal Code of 1912, Volume II, relating to the enforcement of the provisions of said section. |