The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-05-26

the Legislature, and why the board thus
chosen cannot select their own executive OF
iccr and thus secure o prompt and efficient
one. would like to have it do so. Without
the power to dismiss al incompetent or un-
worthy officer, the board can accomplish
nothing, and If the Legislature cannot trust
the farmers to manage their own department
we had better abolish it altogether.
will next briefly notice Che Ne'cs and
Curriers' bookkeeping. They say figures
won't lie, " but have always thought 1t de-
pended on who set down the figures, and
with what motives. AS the Ne,cS and Cours-
er enters some words" from my speech IN
its column of promise" and then charges
up $500, 900 increased taxes IN the column
of performance" alongside, I may well ask
permission to show that its figures ''lle II
can. And, first let me say that the present
value of the plant Of the Mississippi College
does not represent its cost. The Original
cost Of the buildings and farm was IN the
neichborhood of fsl00,0G0. There have been
additions in stock and other appliances
out of each annual appropriation during the
five years since it started, but large per
cent. of It's present valuation is increased IN
the value Of the farm by a proper system OF
-
herds Of cattle, &c, &c.
Rome was not built in day, and We do
not ask or expect that our agricultural col
lece shall come, like Minerva from the brow
of Jove, armed and equipped for battle. All
we ask is to plant it on the right foundation
end lei it grow. An appropriation OF So
600 fro. the tax on the fertilizers, which
can be Used the first year to build and equip
it, is all we want. The board OF agriculture
already possesses o complete chemical labo-
ratory which would thus not have to be
boug ght. Many of the books in the State IL
brary can be spared for the agricultural IL
brary. Convict labor can be used III exca-
rating the foundations of the buildings
and IN making brick, &C., provided they
can be spared from that blessed '.Colum ola
ditch, and guarantee that with these helps
and with the money mentioned, the college
can be opened on the 1st of January, 1883.
AS for the experimental station, If Con-
eress don't give the $4,000 then the faculty
viii, as they now do in Mississippi and
Michigan, carry on experiments without it..
Nv information is that the bill will pass If
it is reached on the Calendar before Con-
cress adlourns. Fit is appropriated the
money becomes available on July prox., and
If the present trustees of the South Carolina
College spend it on the agricultural annex
at Columbia, the demand next winter for a
separation of tie agricultural college from
the South Carolina College would be met by
the argument that the experimental station
had already been established at Columbia,
and another link would be forged IN the
chain which now binds the two lnstltut-
ions together This argument, which l US
ed in the Convention, overthrew all OF Col.
Duncan'S specious arguments and promises
on behalf of the trustees, and the farmers
passed the resolution because they prefer a
whole loaf hereafter to crumb now. II the
legislature grants our wishes in December
next. then the experimental station can be
provided for in planning the college.
I am satisfied, also, that there is going to
be q lively competition among the counties
to secure the college, and hope to enter
E6nefeld in the race if can wake her up.
This element in the estimated cost vii!
amount to no small item, Iimagine. # we
allow the present appropriation for the Git
adel to keep it up as a school tor girls; If
we give the South Carolina College SIS, 700 IN
place of the land scrip fund and its tuition
fees both institutions, it would seem, could
De CCClS DOUll44uAiS SooS'AAASSA' ~ 0AAs'S >--~N
would be really 40 call for any money save
the S5,70U.
Noy, as regards the Constitutional con-
vention, cannot see why it should cost ex.
acrly 100000. Why not say $1,000, 900:
Il would appear that the changes needed IN
our organic law could be secured in at leas;
as short Q time as the Legislature takes to
make an annual addition of patches to that
alreads over patched volume, the Revised
Statutes, which won't stay revised, and
feel sure the savings which might be secur-
ed in our county government, by return
to our old way Of managing these things,
say nothing of many other leaks which
might be stopped, will amount. many times
over in one year, to what this convention
would cost. There are many other urgent
arguments why we should have Constitut-
ional convention, but will not give them
here will sum up as follows:
Additional expenditures recommended:
Real Agricultural and Mechanical
college. ......- Io'ooS
Additional tax on fertilizers. .. 25,00C
Made up to South Carolina College -.
for land scrip. ................ DIV
Cost of Constitutional convention $4,000
1OlS4 . ~, w
There are those who believe constltut.
ion Of our own making is worth this much,