The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-03-12
From The Eiyefeld hyormcr.
DR.. Lieber and the College.

Carolna," relative to Or. Lirhcr and our
Stala zSol'c3s, Our correspondent is ra-
ii'ar severe on the Trustees tor having
elected Professor McCav, over DIR. LieLcr
as Presidcntof the Institution, but still W.
concur with his high estimate of Dr. Lie
Der as a scl.alar and liseiplinarian. DIR.
lieber's absence fiom the College will in
dee,l deprive it Of one Of its strongest pill.
lars, and we much i,,sr that the 'iars!;
manner in which he has recently been
treated, will excite the Indignation of his
Duinerous friends and admirers in tue
State, and thereby swell the growing list
Of opponents to the College.
The State Military Academy is fas, be-
coming formidable rival of the College
in the affections both of the Legislature
and of the people. Both Institutions
now receive about an equal amount OF
State aid for their aunnsl support. The
discipline aul curriculum of stu,ilc, arc like
wise nearly the same in both, an,l among
competent judges, the general opinion
prevails that the literary course in the
Academy is almost rs gool rs that IN the
College, while il is universally canreded,
that the sclpnti!ic anl practical training
OF the .nEsnar is far superior to that of the
latter. rs m evidence of the rising pop
uarity of the Academy with the neo,lo.
although that Institution is only in its in.
fancy, yet nearly, if not quite AS many
Carolina Students attend there as 20 to
the COLLEGE. M,n of wealth, and position
anxious to give their sons, the best posi-
bic education arc patroniziny the Aca,lc.
my i'll preference t, the College. Again
the Academy is all the while e,lucatinr
without charge for Board, CiJthinr. or
Tuition large number of poor younr
men, say from fifty to scvcntv-tirc, while
the College with an equal amonnt OF
State aid, does nothing of the soft. This
fact Of Itself, makes thousands of poor men
rcgard tho Academy with peculiar favor,
and the Taxpayers are also mindful Of it.
Snc!i being the ease. and rs tho nnnn!.
Will hardly submit much longer, to be
taxed so heavily for the support Of both
institutions it would not surprise US if the
Academy shoall soon receive monopn.
ly of the States bounty.
Besides the many private scct-rian Col.
legcs, which are sPringin@ up in all parts
of lle State, will soon he able TO combine
powerful iRllucnco in .avor @, stopping
state aid to the College ut Columbia. aud
giving it to the private Colleges. These
private institutions are also supporting
Themselves, either 10y mere voluntary con-
tributions, or by the large amount of pat
ronasc which they receive for the etlicien.
education they give in return. The qucs-
ton is constantly being asked, even now.
II ihcso private Colleges are self sustain.
ing, Why cannot the State ColIogc support;
itself also Before ten wears shall have
elapsed, we predict that tho Military
a'ivnN aad the p:ivate colleges of the
State, wni graduate 1T least FIVE tmes .s
many students, As the College at Culm
bla, and all these alumni will naturally
svmpathlc with their respective .ii,aa
-h1frcS against the pampercd Institution
At Columbus. The mcccssity for State aid
In the Columbia College is therefore li-
miniShing every year. The College is at
this time, dependant Oh students from
distance for being able to issue a rcspec.
table catalogue of names. Hence the
people are beginning to complain at hav.
ing to ba taxed $35,OOO or 10000 n
year, mostly 10 cLucate young men from
other States.
And still otArx caSses are fapidIy un.
dcrmining tho ColIcge in the eati.nation
of the people. Tho belief is daily gaining
ground that it is rather poiiticui machine
than a Literary, or scientific institution
The Trustees aio AL elected bv the I.cgis
turo for their political availability, and
then the faculty arc all !ikcw,. chosen hy
the Irustcos s2r theiS availability. The
President %! the College has a salary of
$4,000 and each of seven Professors also
get, salary OF $4,000. The Librarian.
Secretary, Bursar, DC. are likewise paid
snug salaries all Of lich comes out of the
State Treasury. There is besides An an
nnai appropriation 10y the Legislature of
$4,000 for the purchase of books for the
Library. There is also an average annual
appropriation 10y the State OF perhaps So
900 more for erecting Hew College Bull
dings, or rcpaiyng the old. In addition
TO this, tie whole tetSiUa fund, ranging
from $4,000, to $4,000 per voar is
spcpt f9r tao exclusive benefit of the Col.
i"go Claking aNaI t -; :, 600, which are an
HHalS dlSUuTSeu uuucF tnC sole and nj
most Irresponsible direction of the Trus-
tees. The Trustees ale therefore an i'm
portant set oi officers, who control eight of
the most lucrative and honorable incum
benches in the State and perform other
functions that give them vast power. Yet
these Trustees arc elected BY bailof. and
they in turn elect ;he officers Of the Col.
l"ga by ballot. -Four fifths cf the Trus-
tees age ci,kcr judges in the State Courts,
or they are RerEbeSS &C the Legislature,
and they are yearly Ill aspirsnts tor h;ytcr
political honors. fhcy accordingly use
their Office # Trustee a. many OF the pco-
pie think to advance their fortunes in an
other Gircc i'm. The [. n.tces, faculty
aDl students generally make common
caase in politics, and az the College il
within stones throw OF the State House.
niuch scope is afioried FOX political in
trigue. Indeed, some asye sa;d tb II the
College is part of the Legislature A