The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-03
For the HERALD AND
nFarmer" TilIman.


rn,os,1me your very valuable siaIBic-
ant forthis week will contain sfarIaers
,T:,In,on,s I,H,, last letter in which he accept
- tho temporary leadership OF a farm-
ers, organization. I would strongly
oon, ~ r,end it to the attention of all your
roo,1ers especially tc all who are inter I
estcd in improving and elevating the
oonditioa of those engaged in agricnita-
uOI u nnrsnits, as every body in NewbeiTy,
tho merchant. the lawyer and the doc
for as well as the farmer himself, Ger
to;nlv ought to be. LIDO not know any
tbins Of Capt. Ti.lman personally. He
probably has his faults like the rest 81
re One of these, should be inclined
70 snnpose from some Of his letters, was
combatitiveness too strongly developed.
But this he probably owes to ms Edge
field blood. a considerable degree OF
combatitivepess is, however, often neces-
sary in overcoming great evils and ae-
comnIishing important results; and
have no doubt Capt. Tillman will have
need of all the activity and energy and
perseverance he possesses to accomplish
the purposes he has in view. His OBJ
iect is certainly most praiseworthy
one. A very large proportion OF the
population OF our State are directly en-
gagged in agriculture, and may be SAID to
he directly or indirectly interested in its
success And yet it is safe to say that
no important interest has so little done
for it BY the legislation OF either the
State or nation as the farming interest
II has to pay very large proportion OF
the State taxes while it gets almost no.
thing in return, not even passable ROADS,
or the streams kept open so asto drive
out malaria, and allow the use o. the
| hest lands for eultivation. 1t has to pay
the EXPENSES OF State University to
educate lawyers and doctors, and q MILF
tary Institution, of no u2s to any class
in our day, while nothing can be done
TO educate our farmers Capt. Tilman
would have all this changed. What the
| farmer has to pay for in the way OF
taxes. he would have at least partially
expended for his benefit. He would
have a first class agricultural college
/ with an experimental farm attached
where the sons of farmers may be edu-
cated both in the theory and practice OF
farming. The advantages to be derived
from such an institution in our State
can hardly be oYer-estimated. The
great cause of the unproftableness OF
farming at present, and the consequent
low price OF our lands, is the rude and
unintelligent way in which cur farming
is generally conducted. Give usaweN con-
Quoted agricultural college with an ex-
perimental farm, and this will very sooa
begin to change. Our farmers will soon
see how much more profitable it is to
/ cultivate less land with more care; and
how much more comfortable IS well as
more profitable it is to cultivate less cot
ton; and live more Independently at
home. II the agricultural fund no#
spent on tie State University, and we.
Fmay say almost absolutely squandered,
so far as agricultural interests are con-
cerned, and the fund spent for che Cita-
del Academy, OF almost no use to any
one, were devoted to the support OF an
agricultural college, it would be suff-
cient, perhaps TO sustain it without any
additional taxation. Caa any one doubt
that the money thus spent would be far
more wisely spent than at present? In
addition to the farmers college, as /
understand Capt Tillnan's idea be
would. have a State and county organi-
cation of farmers, something Ia the na-
ture OF "farmefs Institutes, I" that is for
the mutual instruction and benefit OF
farmers. Such institutions, If properly
conducted, might be OF great benefit and
. at very little expense in every county.
The objection to the Agricultural So
ciety, now i'll liquidation in Newberry,
was that it was made too expensive by
, the annual fairs. With considerably
less expense should think a comfort
able reading room might be kept open in
Newberry, supplied with good agricul-
. tural papers; and have perhaps a sam
n
: pie room attached where farmers could
{ exhibit samples OF their products and
what they had 5r sale. have known
such permanent exhibits abroad very
' useful, very interesting and at very little
expense. Such place too would serve
as comfortable meeting place for farm
ers, especially in bad weather, where
they could exchange their views; and
where periodically they might have lee
: lures on subjects OF interest from speak
ers chosen for the purpose.
. But my object was only to call atten-
!. ton to Capt. TiIlman's last letter, not to
>. write one. b.. U. u.
The Biggest Yet.
q Who can tell the biggest tale now
= III Nn