Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-05-09
THE FARMERS OF THE STATE.
ADDRESS OF THE EXECUTIVE COM
MITTEE OF THE FARMERS ASSO-
CIATION.

utlve committee OF the Farmers AS
sociation at Columbia, for consul
tation with friends Of the farmers
movementand the proposed Agricul-
tural College, the following address
to the people of South Carolina was
adopted and ordered to be published
as statement of the plans and aims
of the Association, and as an appeal
to the sovereign people for their ap-
proval and endorsement at the polls.
- . THE ADDRESS. ~"
To the people of South Carolina:
The executive committee of the Far
mers' Association, feeling that it is
incumbent upon US as the representa-
tives of the organized farmers of the
State to outline policy of retrench-
ment and reform in consonance with
the aims and purposes of the agita-
ton known as tbAStagmers' move
ment, and to explain the grounds
upon which we shall ask the support
and aid of our Democratic fellow
citizens in the coming election, would
call the earnest attention of all per-
sons in sympathy with our aspira-
tions for agricultural education and
a more economical and efficient gov
ernment to the facts and reasons
herein set forth. @ ..." r..
We claim only our just share of
educational advantages for the agri-
cultural and industrial classes, and
that the same shall be placed within
the reach of the average farmers
son, and not, as is now the case, shall
we be compelled to support only
such institutions as are inaccessible
to most farmers and which do not
furnish the cheap practicable train
ing needed. We make no war upon
the South Carolina University as a
place for obtaining scientific and
classical education, and we reiterate
our desire to see the South Carolina
College literally supported and be-
come real university worthy of our
State; but we assert without fear Of
successful contradiction that farmers
cannot be educated in q city and re-
main farmers, and that in all efforts
to mix practical and literary training
the first has been overshadowed the
agricultural students have been few,
and the attempt an utter failure.
The demands for better facilities
for cheap and practical education for
farmers has been heretofore refused
on the plea Of expense, and the oppo-
sition has not hesitated to scare the
taxpayers with largely exaggerated
estimates of the probable cost of a
separate agricultural college. With
consummate cunning and unblush-
ing inconsistency they have taken
advantage of the agitation for sep
arate agricultural college to build up
that wonderful ten-student "annex,"
and, while crying out against "du-
plication ofplant and teaching force"
have actually increased the taxes be-
yond what the Farmers Association
ever thought of asking for. Not sat
isfed with robbing the industrial
classes of the benefits of the land
scrip fund, they have stretched forth
their greedy hands and grabbed the
Hatch fund also; and State, which
two years ago was too poor to sup
port any experimental station at all
now supports three, with their du-
plicated attachees,, thus frittering
and wasting the funds appropriated
for scientific investigation. In 1885
the University, including Claflin and
the Citadel, had an income of about
10000, and the trustees claimed that,
as then constituted, it afforded all
the practical training for farmers
needed by the State. Its income
now is approximately $97, 900 per
annum, but as an agricultural school
it is only bigger and more costly
deception.
FORTUNES FAvORING SMILES.
But while our efforts to obtain a
recognition of our rights and needs
have hitherto failed to secure col
lege for educating farmers, fortune
has Unexpectedly smiled on us. The
munificent bequest of Mr.. Clemson,
whose affection for his adopted State
and wise insight has removed the
great stumbling block in the way of
providing a suitable site and farm
for the college, gives US the coveted
opportunity. BY this bequest not
only do the farmers come into pos
session of property valued at we'll
nigh 100000, but also of an estate
eminently suited for the purpose for
which it is given, and hallowed by
the sacred memories of Carolina's
greatest statesman. We have the
authority of General Stephen D. Lee
for saying that 100000 is ample for
building and equipping a school like
the Mississippi College. Without
counting anything donated by Mr..
Clemson, except the Calhoun home
stead, We propose to show how the
needed money can be obtained with
out increasing the taxes enc single
dollar, and while many have believ-
ed that the building of separate
agricultural college was and is the
only vital issue represented by the
farmers movement, we still call at
tention to other reforms which we
deem of equal or greater importance.
REFORM ALL ALONG THE LINE.
The purchasing power of money
is much greater than it was ten years
ago; the taxpaying power has not
increased at all, while the price Of
our main money crop, cotton, has
lowered to very near the cost of pro-
duction. The reduction of expendi-
lures, when possible, must then ap-
peal to the common sense as well as
the pockets of our people. No good
reason can be given why salaries in
our State should remain fixed high
er than in North Carolina and Geor-
gia--both larger and weather.
States. We invite the careful atten-
tion of taxpayers to the following
figures, taken from the comptroller's
reports of the three States:
No. Ca. So. Ca.
1887. 1886.
Executive Department.. $500 $1,000
Comptroller general""~. $500 $500
bureau...... 3,l0O 1850
Judiciary department
counting only 8 Of II
Judges as in South Car
Olina) OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 81, 900 56,75
Board of health. ............... 1000 9,lOO
State department......." 1000 4,lOO
Militia ....... ................... $500 $4,000
Treasury ....... ....".""".. 5000 7,lOO
Adjutant and inspector
general. ........ minimum. 1900 4,4OO
State House keeper."..". $50 1850
Total....... .................s7o,3 300 sl15,9OO
Difference for doing same work S45,60O
Then here is another table of equal