The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-03
THE AGRICULTURAL MOSES
His Leadership Repudiated by Dar-
lington Farmer.

MIR. TlLLMAN,S PROPOSED LINE NOT THE
ROUTE By WHICH SOUTH CAROLINA
FARMERS CAN BE BROUGHT FROM
| THE DESERT OF DISTRESS TO
THE PROMISED LAND OF
PLENTY.
TYhc Editor Of the Nears and Courier:
! an farmer, but am decidedly
opposed tc Mr.. Tillman's movement
toward organizing farmers, as
class, for carrying any public meas
ure, and l know that so far as my
section Of South Carolina is con-
ccrned it is not looking for an agri-
cultural Moses to lead us into the
Promised Land. We know very well
that the State IS eminently an agricul.
tural community, and we know equally
we'll that the Legislature of the State
is composed very largely Of farmers,
and we are not aware that we have
any Just reason to complain either of
the laws or their administration.
There is some difference Of opinion
on the question of fr"e tuition in the
University, but know Of no one who
sympathizes with the condemnation
of the whole concern. The insSitu-
ton is popular with US and has just
about as much agriculture attached
to it as we think is necessary for a
college class to take in. We want
our sons educated in all that goes to
enlarge and strengthen the mind with
out any regard to what special busi-
ness they are to follow. l have
asked several intelligent farmers If
they want to send their sons to an
agricultural college, and they all say:
No; VIC thinl if you will educate
boy as it is generally done in the
schools and colleges, that we can very
easily teach him the business Of
growing crops if he is disposed to
learn.
The fact that a majority of the ed
acated young men incline to other
professions than agriculture, we think,
is due to the fact that they suppose
fame is more easily attained in other
professions and not to the fact that
they lack capacity for agricultural
pursuits. We know first-class farm
ers who have been educated in the
different colleges of the State, and
they like their business. What farm
ers want most is more general infor.
nation such as men acquire by read
ing and study. If an agricultural
college would inspire rs all to read
and think more it would certainly be
q good thing, but we fail to see how
it would do so any more than gen
eral education in all the sciences.
What we want in my country is
an agricultural experiment station
where important problems shall be
solved for the information Of the
whole community. We want all the
money raised by the privilege tax on
guano for the support of the agricul-
tural bureau to be expended by
the bureau in conducting such ex.
pcriments as cannot be safely en-
gagged in by the farmers themselves.
For instance. if the State had an ex-
pcrimental farm, the question Of to-
bacco-growing could be settled once
for all, and save perhaps large loss
to farmers who are tempted to try
the experiment for themselves. /
regard with more interest the reports
Of agricultural experiments than all
other agricultural writings combined.
and l regard reports Of agricultu-
raj experiment stations, such as Ohio
and New York have, as more impor-
tant than reports Of private expert
ments, because individual expert
menters are more liable to jump at
conclusions.
If the State will pay the expense
..of collecting the phosphate royalty
out Of the royalty itself. and allow
the agricultural bureau to spend all
tie special fund raised by the privi-
lcyc tax on guano entirely in the in
tcrcst Of the class which pays the tax,
W2 can nave OEE Ot tllC uIIcSG alll
most useful experiment stations in
tie United States.
We will be satisfied when this ar
ranoement is made. We think it can
be made through our representatives
already in the Legislature without
any organization on our part and
without Il general rcmodel'Dg of the
whole governmental machinery.
J. W. BEAsLEY,
Lydia, Darlington County, S. c.,
February Is.
WHAT'S the use of closing the sa-
looms on Sunday? The police won't
90 to church anyhow. If the saloons