The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-06-02

sure, will never find favor in South
Carolina Legislature, even though it were
composed entirely of farmers"
"Lct not the shoemaker go beyond his
last" The News and Courier, too, bet
tor stick to 'frce trade" and let agricul-
ture alone. The legitimate duties of this
officer would be the encouragement, ,,ro-
lection and advancement Of our agricul-
tural interests. The collection of the
phosphate royalty should be given to
the comptroller general, and in all hui
mility L ask, Why may not the farmers
OF South Carolina be allowed to control
that department of the government
which they alone support, which is, or
ought to be, devoted entirely to advanc.
ing their interests? This method of
choosing the secretary or commissioner
is not new or unusual. A board of agri-
culture thus chosen, and who elect their
own secretary has existed in Ohio since
1917. The same system of agricultural
administration exists in Maine, in Con
nccticut, in Indiana, III Illinois, in Iowa
and many other Northern States.
If the News and Courier can tell us
why the agricultural societies, free from
political Influences, cannot select IL better
board than the Legislature, and why the
board thus chosen cannot select their
own executive officer and thus secure n
prompt and efficient one, | would like to
have it do SO. Without the power to
dismiss an incompetent or unworthy
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 the News and
Courlcr's bookkeeping. They say Gig
ures won'tlie, but have always thought
it all depende' q: who set down the
| figuros, and with what motives. AS the
News and Courier enters some "words'
from my speech in its column of ''prom-
| lsc," and then charges up 1868, 600 in
creased taxes in the column of "perform-
ancc" alongside, / may well ask permis-
SION to show that its figures 'lie" if |
can And, first, let me say that the
present value of the plant of the NIissis-
slppi College does not represent its cost
The original cost of the buildings and
farm was i'll the neighborhood of SlOO,-
600. There have been additions in stock
and other appliances out of each annual
appropriation during the five years since
| 1T started, but large per cent. of its
present valuation is increase in the value
of the farm by proper system Of cult
vatlon and natural increase in the large
herds of cattle, etc, etc.
Rome was not built in day, and we
do not ask or expect that our agricultural
college 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 and let it grow. An
appropriation Of $75, 600 with the S25.-
900 from the tax on fertilizers. which
can be used the first year to build and
equip 1t, is all we want The board of
agriculture already possesses complete
chemical laboratory which would thus
not have to be bought. Many of the
books in the State library can be spared
for the agricultural library Convict
labor can be used in cxcavating the
foundations of the buildings and in max
ing brick, etc, provided they can be
spared from that blessed "Columba
ditch, and guarantee thnt with these
helps and with the money mentioned
the college can be opened on the 1st of
January, 1888.
As for tho experimental station, if
Congress don't give the $15, 600 then the
faculty will, rs they now do in NIissis-
sippi and Michigan, carry on expert.
ments without it. My information is that
the bill will pass if it is reached on the
calendar before Congress adjoums. IfI
1T is appropriated the money becomes
available lst July prox., and if the pres
cnt trustees of the South Carolina Col.
legc spend it on the agricultural annex
Mt Columbia the demand next winter for
a separation of the agricultural college
from the South Carolina College would
he met by the argument that the expert
mental station had already been cstab
iishcd ut Columbia, and another link
would be forged in the chain which now
binds the two institutions together. This
argument, which ] used in the Conven-
ton, oyerthrew oil of Colonel Duncan's
specious arguments and promises on be-
hall OF the trustees, and the farmers
passed the resolution because they pre-
ierred whole loaf hereafter to crumb
now. If the Legislature grants our
wishes in December r"yt then the cx-
perjmental station can ,e provided for
in planning the college.
am satisfied, also, that there is going
to be lively competition among the
counties to secure the college, and |
hope to enter Edgefeld in the race if /
can wake her up. This element in the
estimated cost will amount to no small
item, l imagine. II we allow the rres
ent appropriation for the Citadel to leep
it up as school for girls; if we give the
South Carolina College $5,7OO in place
of the land scrip fund and its tuition
fees, both institutions, it would seem.