The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-07-31

interes. vas used, while by the latter Agri-
saltEra! department In what manner the
Agricultural Department and agricultural
interest is connected or disconnected is q
question for agricalturists to determine
qhG Agricultural Department is The organ
ism OF the agricultural people The Act
creating the Departments. places il under the
supervision OF a Board composed rs follows ::
The Governor Of the State, chairman ex-
o1flcio; the Master of the State Grange of
Patrols OF Hu>baadry. The President OF the
State Agricultural and Mechanical Society.
and two other persons elected by the General
Assembly. condition imposed on the Com
missioner or Agriculture Is that Ire shall be
an AgriculiuraiSt. The Board is required
by the Ac. 10 investigate subjects relating to
the Improvement Of Agriculture, etc. - >.
Now if this Departments '';hr0ttled" with
out qualification, can't he said that The ag-
ricutural people are not affected by it ? Col
y. p. Butler, the preSeut Commissioner,
who>cEpositiOns cnincnlIy Qualities him to
speak with knowledge upon the subject,
~says. R--his 4erer Of July l4th, that the Biii
before the Special Committee. in his opinion,
was necessary for The proper Development Of
the phosphate territory, and that he was
very much surprised that it was reported
upon adversely, is be lad supposed that the
Bill wOuh! commend it,clf 10 at least ma
jOriiy OF .Ihe committee, and when he was
informed Ol .Ir. j. 5 language he felt that it
vas an unwarrantcd and unjusf:fiabc AT
tack upon the Department, for, from the IN
formation he had received he believed that
II was an effort 10 lessen ilIe usefulness Of
the Department; and This he regarded as dst-
riincnta! 10 ihe agricultural interests Of the
Stale. In my interview with Col. Butler he
stated 10 inc that he thought Mr.. john
stone waS taking on Himself Il pretty big
business to throttle The agricultural interest
Of The State " lic did not express 10 me
fear thar anything lie said or had said may
have done MIR. j. an injustice presume,
therefore, that the conversation in which
Mr.. j. assured him that his intentions were
not against The agricultural interest so as to
MAKE an IMPRESSION, WAS subsequent TO our
interview.
Upon the question Of Mr. JUhnstone'S in
tsutton toward the agricultural interest
beg leave 10 Introduce the following letter
from member of the Legislature as sup
Elementary evidence: -''. .... ...-
Woodruff $, s. c., July 10th, 1854
MI JOS. L. Keitt. Ncwberry S. c. ....
DEAR SIG:-,En 1850 Mr.. George Johnstone
IS chairman Of the Ways and Means COM
mittec Of tho House, recommended that tic
take; he collected in May instead Of in May
aIId Oct. rs the custom was male the
point that the farmers could not meet il all
in May, and that !hey would need all their
money to'makc their crops and if the Bill
passed rs Mr.. J0hnStone desired, many of the
farmers would have TO sell their lands 10
meet their taxes or would be forced TO give
Liens TO make their crops, and that every
cent of The money in the hands of the farm
erS was needed TO enable them 10 make their
crops, and that iCwOuld be better for the
State TO borrow sufficient amount 70 run
the government until Oct, than force such
measure on the people, and such bill
would DeceSsiiatC the collection of the taxes
for two fiscal years instead Of one as the
Stale was behind one year. My recollection
IS that Mr.. Johnstonc replied with some
warmth by saying thathe was sick and t,cd
Of hearing this cry about the farmers. The
farmers, rs if we had come here to make
laws tOE no one but the farmers. | replied
that the farmers paid the larger portion of
the taxes, and their interest which is the
chief interest Ofthc State should bc protect
cd AID their cry should be beard Il think
others wac joined with me in The discussion
and those who were present will bear re
out that the above is in substance what
passed between me and Mr. Johnstonc on.
the matter referred 10.
-..'. T am yours very truly, .'"''