The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-02

oueial4Ou VI ftIl k)tIllcS COuueCtSu WILL IL
from blame. The farmers accepted Col.
Buffers explanation as satisfactory, so far as
he IS concerned, but they do not approve of
any such Jobs
TO return to the election of the board Of
agriculture: The Register says it is to be
chosen under my resolution by popular
farmers convention" The resolution reads:
"a Convention composed Of delegates from
each county agricultural society" There is
vast difference in such a convention and
"a popular farmers convention, such as the
one recently assembled. Those who have
tried to build up a county agricultural soci-
ETY. know that the men who will take the
trouble to give the time necessary to such
work are the very best Of our agricultural
population. do not hesitate to say that if
the county societies have this duty imposed
on them 1t will, as it has done elsewhere be
an incentive to keep them alive, and be the
means of enlarging their membership and
usefulness, and this annual agricultural con-
vention will compare favorably with the
Legislature in every respect. But this syS-
tenn is now new or untried. A comparison
Of its workings at the North with our pres
ent political system will satisfy even the
Register, # it can be satisfied with anything
enlanating from the UNFRAMED colt who
has suggested it to our farmers. may be
pardoned if suggest to the Register to stick
to its statistics, and it will command more
respect
The next question which has narrowed
mems minds and caused argument and
much unfavorable comment IS the propos-
ition to double the privilege tax on fertilizers
to support the college, &c. None Of the re-
ports Of the proceedings have ever given the
argument used to convince the convention
of the justice and expediency Of this resolu.
ton. 1t was this: The farmers will have the
same privilege they now do to send their
children to the University and to the girls
school, the same as other classes, and they
will largely avail themselves of it, while the
agricultural college will be patronized al
most soley by the farmers; but the main
reason was the desire to give this college a
liberal and permanent support from the State.
The history of the Michigan and MisSissip-
pi colleges is one of the trial and niggardly
appropriations. If this agricultural college
IS to 60 to the Legislature every year asking
for money for equipment and support the
| old fogies who disbeieve in industrial and
| technical training and cannot believe any
''good thing can come out OF Nazareth, >
would be continually growing and finding
fault. TIE institution, starved for lack OF
funds, would fail to achieve the results hop
ed for. and the II tolt, you SOS" would all
fall at my door. The last letter I received
from Gen. Stephen D. Lee said that the
Legislature Of Mississippi had only given
them about $50, ,0G0 this year, and that with
that sum they could not keep the 4l2 stu
dents now there, but would have to cut
down to 800 or $50. It is generally known
that this college has turned away large
number Of applicants for want Of room. It
| is shameful for it to have to refuse applicants
for want Of support
have been accused of trying to deceive
the farmers" by taxing them without their
knowledge; of ''dodging around" &c. We
have had loud protestations of willingness
to support the college by directappropriation
from the treasury by those who were while
since bitterly opposed to any agricultural
college but one connected with the South
| Carolina College 1t is queer way of de
ceiying' men to tell 300 Of them how the
money is to be raised, and mostly every
newspaper IN the State has published the
! plan, as I knew they would. am not we'd
ded to this scheme. If assured Of liberal
support from the Legislature to the college l
will willingly forego it. but again repeat
thai no farmer worthy the name will grudge
this pittance Of indirect tax" to be even
: secure Of pure and unadulterated fertilizers,
! to say nothing of the college and other
work of the board of agriculture in hold
ing farmers institutes and conducting ex-
| periments, &c. am not dealing in senti-
mental politics or mere theorizing and l
can conceive Of no scheme which promises
! so much at such small cost, and whether it
is class legislation or not l always thought
those who derived benefit from a measure
ought to pay for it. At the same time we
reiterate the demand that the tax on fertili-
zerS be abolished, or that they who pay it
control its disbursement.
There has been much talk of the farmers
making the department Of agriculture a
power for good by cooperating with the
commissioner" &c.
AS soon as we endeavor to do so by ask
ing to have control both of the department
and of the Commissioner too, we are met
with the cry from the worshipers or bureau
cracy, THE commissioner is bonded off,
Ger and must not be elected out Of doors"
Farmers cannot be trusted with money; they
might stealit. The Register did not say this,
but the inference is too plain to be misun-
derstood. If one hundred and sixty farm
ers are put to watch over that agricultural
pie" never again will any Of it be wasted.
Mr.. Tillman and his friends are not con-
v;nced that this department is conducted
literally without expense tc the people" :"
and the Regists. well knows it. Ifthls mon
ey is paid by nobody, and does not come
out Of the pockets Of the people" let US
raise all the State tax that way, and stop all
this grumbling.
Twill now notice The Ne,rS and Cc,ricr's
comments on placing the college under the
control Of the board Of agriculture without
allowing the mechanics voice in its man
agement. I am perfectly willing to give the
mechanics one on two representatives on
the board, if a way can be found to secure
real boau .fide representative of that calling.
But, considering the fact that the resolutions
propose to tax farmers alone to sustain this
college, and that the pro rutu share of the
mechanics in the land scrip fund would be
very small, think the farmers might be
trusted TO take care of the mechanical feat
ure Of the inst!tutian, especially when all
the intelligent ones among them realize that
a diversity pursuits and the introduction
of manufactures among US are among the
best means for rendering farming itself re-
munerative.
But the -Ne,cs and Courier has even found
grounds to doubt whether we can count on
getting the land scrip fund at all. I ac-
l-,,o .1al1 xbot ~ -