The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
The Agricultural Moses.

| 70 the Editor Of tie ~ cce ana
Courier &:
am farmer but am decidedly op-
posed to Mr.. Tillman's movement to-
wards organizing farmers, as class, to
carry any public measure, and l know
that so far as my section Of South Caro-
lima is concerned it is not looking for
an agricultural Moses to lead us into
the Promise Land. We know very we'll
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 farm-
ers. 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 free tuition in the
University, but know Of no one who
sympathizes with the conde mnation Of
the whole concern. The institution is
popular with us and has just about rs
much agriculture attached to it as we
think is necessary for college class to
take in. We want our sons educated in
all that goes to enlarge and strengthen
the mind WITHOUT any regard to what
special business they are to follow. l
have asked several intelligent farmers if
they want to send their sons to an agri-
cultural college, and they all say NO;
We think If you will educate boy as It
is! generally done in the schools and col
| legcs that VIC can very easily teach him
the business of growing crops if he is
disposed to learn"
The fact that majority Of the edu-
Gated young men incline to other pro-
fessions than agriculture, we think, is
due to the fact tnat they suppose fame
is more easily attained in other profess
sions and not to the fact that they lack
capacity for agricultural pursuits. We
know first-class farmers who have been
educated in the different colleges Of the
State, and they like their business.
| What farmers want most is more gener-
al information such as men acquire by
reading and study. If an agricultural
college would inspire us to read and
think more it would certainly be a good
thing but we fail to see how it would do
SO any more than a general 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 commu-
nifty. We want all the money raised by
the pivilege tax on guano for the sup
port Of the agricultural bureau to be ex-
pended by the bureau in conducting
such experiments as cannot be safely
engaged in by farmers themselves. For
instance, if the State had an experiment.
al farm, the question Of tobacco growing
could be settled once for all. and save
perhaps large loss to farmers who are
tempted to try the experiment for them
selves. regard with more interest the
reports of agricultural experiments than
all other agricultural writings bined,
and regard reports of agricultural ex-
pertinent stations, such as Ohio and
New York have, as more important than
reports Of private experiments, because
individual experiments 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 agri-
cultural bureau to spend all the special
fund raised by the privilege tax on qua
no entirely in the interest of the class
which pays the tax, we can have
one of tho finest ani most useful ex-
pertinent stations in the United States.
We will be satisfied when this ar
rangementis is made. We think it can be
made though our representatives already
in the Legislature without any organiza.
ton on our part and without general
remodeling Of the whole governmental
machinery. j. w. BEAslEY
Lydia, Darlington County. s. c., Feb.
lruary Is.