The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-15
A HARD FIGHT IN THE SENATE OVER
THE COLLEGE TRUSTEES.

Senator Smythe Fears the Greeks
Bearing Gifts-The So.caIIed Enc.
mics Of the University Protest that
they arc its Friends.
Neus and Courier.
COLUMBIA, December H.
| The Senate Is far too pusnaclous just now to
be efficient. This week hardly bill has been
disposed of without q fight, and the Calendar
has grown to nine pages, embracing about q
! hundred bills.
| UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES.
The first special order was Senator Murray's
bill 10 change the method of eectins trustees
| of the University.
| Senator Murray moved 10 indefinitely post
pone the unfivorable report Of the committee.
| Senator Smy the asked for un explanation of
he reason for this bill.
| Senator Murray knew no rule to compel a
Senator to make speech If he didn't want to-
| Senator Smythe Insisted upon an explaDa-
tion of the bill. Enforcing tuition Ices, 1t
e te
| t0niZed. The judges must he turned out.
Were they not TO be trusted? What good rea-
s.dered that lis passage would be urect fole
OF censure upon the present board.
Senator Murray said That he designed 70
popularize the college by the bill. 1t provided
Tor an election by the Legislature of two
members from each Congressional district
The Legislature ought to elect the trustees
The present composition OF the board was an
ANOMALY. No one had higher respect for
the Supreme Court than he hal. but he did
not think the Judges had time 10 attend to
the duties properly. This bill would bring
peace. . ,
Senator Noise said that the peace would be
| the peace OF Warsaw. Were these three Sa-
preme Court Judges, who were deemed COM
petent to administer the highest trust of the
State, to be voted unfit to sit As trustees 81 mi.
nority of the board? Who constituted the
board? The Governor, Lhe Supreme Judges
the charmen of the Senate and House educa-
tional committees, the master of the State
Grange, the president Of the Slate Agricutur-
al Society and seven persons elected by the
Legislature. How could q wiser, bourd be
| ly, the proposition. The Judges had served
faithfully and without drawing the compcn-
sation TO which they were entitled.
| Senator McMaster explained that the pres
ent constitution OF the board was the same
which had prevailed for seventy-f1vc years.
Only once, in the early history OF the College,
had professor been member OF the Doarn. ,i
He opposed any such unnecessary change 1 IN
a satisiact ory and time-honored system. The
heads OF the State Grange and state a9ricnltu
raj societies had been added When the asricu!-
lural feature had been added.
Senator Edwards would not ask any one 10
vote for this bill as q rebule to the Judges.
He respected them, but thought that the
board ought TO be brought In sympathy win
|
many er o6tcio members of boards. TIE
Jud%es should be glad from motives Of delica-
cy to be relieved from such duties. They
might be called on TO decide cases In reference
| to their official acts as to trustees.
Senator McMastcr ridiculed this last propo-
sition. Provision was already made for the
substitution OF other judges In case supreme
Court Judges were personally interested In q
question How could be get nearer 10 the pco-
Die than through the Judges?
Senator IIemphiil objected to the master or
| Al, rlt a. lF-
ting on the board, and also to the presence
there of the president OF the Slate Agricultl-
raj Society. There was no reason for their he.
ing on the board. lie hoped the board would
Senator BUST thought this bill to bellttle
the College, TO reduce itsprestlse Gentle!ncn
on the other side spoke about being friends OF
the College Why, where was there friend
of the College who wanted this bill passed
! Where was there an opponent or criticof The
College who did not want IL passed? nc
wished 10 Heaven that they would put tnclr
doing the College an injury on some olher
ground than that OF their love for II. Let
| them take off the two AGRICULTURAL representa-
tiveS II they liked, but not the most asslduous
| membership Judges.
| Senate Murray wanted the South Carolina
COLLEGE to be as great as the University OF VIZ
ginia. He wanted 1t popularized In the same
manner. He was as true a lend rs the Col
| Icgc possessed, and had proved 1t By his votes.
lie wanted the management Of the College 7"
conform 10 that Of other state colleges. he
| to men but TO the efficiency OF the institution.
| Senator Smylhe freely admitted Senator
| Murray's support of the College appropria-
J lions, but he maintained that he could not
| properly rank himself among the steadIast
friends of the institution. The gen!
had been appointed on comTnittet by The
denomiIatl0nal Colleges TO come mere and
abolish free tuition In the Interest of such
! Colleges. As 10 the gentleman from Abbeville
every one who rcad his paper knew what a
friend of the Col eye lie was-that In 9ueS-
flNn LAM, \ "a
and the State College he always took the part
of the State College. He feared the gifts OF
! the Greeks. Because the trustees had differed
from the friends of the denominaiion"l Col
Icgcs as 10 free tuition it was proposed to leg
isiStc them out OF office. He explained the
reason for the appointment OF the aSricu!tur-
al representatives. The master OF the Stale
Grange was made n member Of the board at
! the request of the orgnniZut Ion he represent.
cd lie and the president OF the Agricultural
Society were put in 10 represent the asrlcu!-
turisls In their special department.: -,
Senator Patterson woalI favor the bill, II
amended.
that the best farmers were not ineinners oi
SmIsSHSdsrS1o"d SGl;sHe nsa S%i Ri he Wanted was fair
play. The University should be ZEN made lin
Senator Noise replied to several arguments
on the other side. The Virginia colleges did
not fight the University. They Locked i,,, up 10
against the professors; an insnu;ttion that
tIey were unfit To sit on the board. while IT
! waS known that not one was II member. Inc
hin would brand the Supreme Judges MS unht
! He couldn't see how any friend OIL Tile lhStllu-
tion could vote for the bill.
| Senator Patterson gave notlce tpat Wpen
tho hill came up on its merits he would move
To make the Governor the Supreme Judges
and the superintendent of education mem"
bers in addition to the fourteen members 70
be elected By fine Legislature. Was this body
afraid to cnLrust this election to The Leglsla"
u ;ure? ,,o a.,
unf;,vorable report Of the committee the vote
stood: n, c,,..
| Edwards Erwin, Field, Hemphill, Kennedy,
i Mccall. Moody, Murray, Patterson, Sligh,
Nnys-Bicmann, BuiSt. Byrd Iz!ar, McMas.
/ ter Noise Moore, Munro, Rhame, Smythe,
! Williams, Wingard and Sounans-E.
i Senator Wotfurd, who would have voted
"nyo' was paired with Senator woodward.
Threc Of the friends Of the College were ao-
sent. .,.,.t co.or
Pntterson had the clause against Judges and
! professors s.rck ell out. lie then moved 10
make the Supreme Judges and The Slate SUI
nerin ntcndent OF education er.oUtci0 members.
! Senator Moody moved to table.
u YraS-AlrXander Austin, Black, Crews. lEu.
wards. Erwin. Field, Hemphill, Moody, Muir.
ray S(iyl. and Tabcrt-l2.
| NnyseBell, Biemamn, Buist, Byrd Izlai,
Kennedy. Mccall, McMnster, Noise, Moouy,
Munro, Patterson, Rhame, Smith, Smythe,
! Williams and foumans-l7.
So The amendment was adopted: