The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-06-03
Mr.. Til1man Answers Objections.

of Agriculture, the Register SAID tnaI
such scheme looked to placing this
department under "the control OF a
board elected by popular farmers
convention" and that over 100000 Il
year will be placed in the hands of one
"who is to be elected out of DOORS" &c.
In reply, Mr.. Tillman says that the
farmers of this State have not eNerted
an appreciaOle influence in State affairs
for years and they do not mean to re-
main "out Of doors" any longer, but
they do propose to take control of the
Agricultural Department and also the
money which they alone contribute tor
it's support. They will see that no
more of this money is paid to lawyers
Of the Legislature for any purpose
whatever. With regard to the resolu-
tior exonerating the Commissioner OF
all blame in this matter, Mr.. Tlllman
says that if he had been in the hall
when it passed the convention. ne
would have interposed these two Oh
iections Q) The reason, why the suits
could not have been transferred to the
Attorney General and Solicitors, may
be explained by the fact that the law
yers of the Legislature did not care to
handle case one of their number
already had on hand; (2) Why did not
the Senate. of which this attorney was
a member, after his exposures last De-
cember, join the House in taking the
money of the Agricultural Department
out Of the control of the board, but
made g. specific appropriation for the
same from the treasury. Mr.. Tillman
disclaimes having advised this investi-
CATION of the Chisolm Island suit. 1t,
however, was a proper subject of in
quiry and the vote to eXonerate from
blame applies only to Col. Butler and
not all the parties connected with it.
Farmers do not approve of such jobs.
As to the election of the board OF
Agriculture, Mr.. Tillman says there is
a vast difference between popular
farmers convention" and a "conven-
ton composed of delegates from each
county Agricultural Society,"" If such
a duty he imposed upon the Societies,
it will keep them alive, increase their
membership and make them more USE
full to the farming communities.
His argument in support Of the pro-
position to double the privilege tax on
fertilizers to support the College, &C.,
has never been fairly reported by the
papers. 1t Was this The farmers Will
have the same privilege of sending
their children to the University as they
now have, and the additional one OF
sending to the girls school us other
classes, but the Agricultural College
will be patronized almost solely by
farmers; also he desired to secure d
liberal and permanent support for this
college from the State. The appropria-
tion Of $4,000 this year to the Missis-
sippi College was niggardly and totally
inadequate to keep 412 students, its
present number, and to avoid going to
the Legislature every year for money
was his main reason for the PROPOSE
tion. 1t was poor charge and badly
sustained to say that he desired to de-
ceive the farmers by taxing them with
out their knowledge. This argument
was announced in the presence of 300
farmers and the reporters of all the
leading papers of the State, who, he
knew, would give it to the people.
Evidently this is queer way of de-
ceiving. Mr.. Tillman is not welded to
this way of raising money and will
yield to any one who will offer better.
Objection to putting the college un-
der the control OF the board of Agri-
culture without giving the mechanics
Il NOlCC LII I'D ultslo9OlAISAo, hhtNeS ~
the News and Courier, is candidly met
with the statement that he is willing
to give them one or two representa-
tives on the board ii real bona tide
can be had Of that call
ing. But as the farmers alone pay the
tax to sustain the college he thinks
they might be trusted to take care of
the mechanical feature Of the institu-
ton.
The News and Courier doubts
whether the land scrip fund can he
counted on with certainty. The amDi-
gious wording of the act gives some
shadow for this doubt, but the same
act provides that this money shall lie
applied to supporting at least one col
lege where the leading object shall be,
without excluding other studies. to
te,ch S1ch branches rs relate to agri-