The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-07-25
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glorious State Government, but that
ruined me. See what heaps of politi-
clans jumped on the agricultural wagon
till they broke it down. He then pro-
ceeded to give in detail his version of
the failure of the farmers movement in
sc, when it controlled the House Of
Representatives, because of the opposi-
ton of ofice-holders and lawyers. The
story has often been told, but the crowd
seemed to think it fresh. He had q
grave charge to make here, and it was
this: That the trustees of the South
Carolina College since '79 had been en-
gagged in conspiracy against the agri-
cultural interests of the State. This is
grave charge because the trustees are
among the most honored of onr, citizens.
He would give them credit for not in
tending it, but he would prove that they
were conspirators. He then outlined,
as at various times in his published let
tiers, the course adopted for the revival
of the South Carolina College and the
disposition of the agricultural scrip fund
moneys. The conspiracy he referred to
appeared to be the establishment of the
so-called agric lltural annex instead of
an agricultural college. He highly
praised the South Carolina University
and said he would like to see it grander
than ever, but these proceedings of the
trustees s.had. made the blood to broil
in his bosom." He then made the usual
attack on the annex. The South Caro-
lima College had inch by inch fought the
farmers movement. He said that, in
his opinion, President j. NJ. McBryde
is the man who stood more in his Gill
man's) path than any other. He might
do MIR. McBryde injustice, and some
other man might be the "head devil" of
the opposition, but he believed him to
be the man. He read with ridicule
students essay on the South Carolina
collegian, in which it was stated that
the students, after having their boots
blacked by colored janltors, rose to
their breakfast at s O'Clock, and con-
trasted it with the achievements of the
students of the Mississippi College, who
made eight cents an hour for extra labor
on the farm, A boy raised on the South
Carolina College plan was sure to re-
turn home either theorist or feeling
himself above his people. This
ohgarchy, this little gang of opponents
of his, would have trundled Fort Hill
down to Columbia if it had not been for
Mr.. Clemson's provisions giving control
of the bequest to the farmers themselves.
Capt. Tillman was very severe on the
Chow de-do" political towards in the
Legislature, and accused majority of
the Edgefeld delegation of breaking
their pledges to support the college. He
attributed their detection and that OF
others to the seduction of the Columbia
Club. At this point he proceeded to
explain why he had, after the last State
Convention, become q guest OF the club
himself. 1t was just after he had told
the truth, and Col. Haskell had denied
it, that that gentleman urged him SO
strenuously to visit the club; that be al
lowed himself to be grabbed by the arm
and taken there rather than appear per-
sonally spiteful. He drank there glass
of lemonade only. 1t was "monstrous
nice place." and no wonder the corn
bread and bacon fellows liked it. Some
of the legislative deserters from the
farmers movement had been rewarded
for their action. One Senator had re-
ceived an $500 position. He pre-
dicted that at the very opening
of the next session Gideon Lee
would serve notice of suit to con-
test the Clemson will, and that this
would he made the excuse for failure
by the State to accept the bequest. If
the farm ers did not make the coming
Legislature act at once, they would not
likely ever get the college. He had
never seen any good in the agricultural
department. Six or eight thousand doll
lars should suffice for its maintenance.
The other $4,000 of the privilege tax
should go to the college with the Hatch
fund and land script fund, and it was
only by pledging Legislative candidates
to push this explicit plan that the farm
ers could hope to attain their ends: they
must swear by the holy gods to have
school of their own.
Taking various official reports and Sc
lecting figures from them Capt. Tillman
undertook to demonstrate that his state
ment at the State Convention as to the
increase and expenditures over 1879
was correct. His figures would be given,
but they were not made Ineligible to
his hearers on the stand. He announced
that Comptroller General Werner, whom.
however, he considered an honorable
man, had misstated the facts and played
the partisan in his declaration as to the
comparative expenses of the periods
under discussion.
Governor Richardson having made
correction of one of Capt. Iillman's
statements, the Moses OF the farmers
remarked to him, II give you credit for
being a3squaIe old gamecock." !"
He characterized the railroad commits
sion in language the brief equivalent OF
which is that that body constitutes fos-
silized aristocratic excrescence upon the
BODY polite. He compared the salaries
of State officials and Judges in Georgia
with those in South Carolina. He was
not, however, in favor OF cheap Judges
for South Carolina, nor drunken ones
either. This agitation had gone too far,
the speaker said, for him to give up now.
The people were laboring under burden
some Radical laws which should be re-
pealed, and the aristocrats should be
pulled from the public teat. But for the
s.Edgefeld devil IN the speaker he
would long since have given up this
well-nigh hopeless fight. He was incur
ring heavy pecuniary loss by making
this canvass, but if he had said anything
to make his audiences think over their
wrongs and arouse themselves he was
satisfied.