The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-06-28
NOT A TROJAN HORSE.

NOT A TROJAN HORSE.
The Clemson Bequest is safo as well as
Opportune.
an Open Letter to Col. D. K. Norris.
The article of the Columbia Register,
copied into other papers of the State, is
not likely to trouble the legal profession,
and far less the practical statesman.
Does not the writer know, if he has
examined the abstract of Mr.. Clemson's
will, as published in the News and C0u.
rier of April 20, that the trustees named
therein could not, by any act of theirs
defeat the right of the State to the legal
ownership and control Of the property
for the purpose Of establishing an agri.
cultural college as provided? If the
persons named have organized under the
directions ofthe will, for the purpose of
preserving the property, it is puzzle to
any ordinary thinker to conjecture how!
that inaugnrates g "private college,"
which cannot possibly have an existence
under three years, unless the State sooner
comes in and positively rejects the offer.
As we'll might the writer say that the
acts of the executor in marshaling the
property and preserving it, as required,
had defeated ! the ends of the will, de-
spoiled the State and converted the
property to private uses. The State has
this offer, which stands open for three
years, against all claimants under the
will.
It is wholly gratuitous to assume that
the trustees named by MIR. Clemson have
organized private college, or that they
are demanding of the State to take the
appropriations from the Citadel Academy
and other institutions and turn them
over to the Clemson College. On the
contrary they are only asking that the
muni6cent donation of distinguished
citizen shall be accepted by the State and
made efficient. And why should the
State hesitate to accept it, and even add
TO itifsneed be, such liberal provisions
as will make it 8 blessing to the whole
people 3
It isidle to say, that the State cannot
accept donation upon condition that
she will devote it to the purpose speci-
fed.
Has she not accepted the lsndscrip
fund on condition that it be applied to a
certain kind of education 2 and is she not
fulfilling that condition by the training
given in her University Has she not
accepted the provisions of the Hatch bill
upon conditions now being fulfilled I?
Have not all the States accepted of aid
from the General Government to be
devoted explicitly to educational purpo.
SEES? Has not South Carolina, in conven-
ton, committed herself to the policy of
not only. accepting, but Of soliciting
donations from the Government for the
specific purpose of educating her people?
Has she not already devoted and appro-
priated funds for the enlargementof an
Institution founded blythe private bene.
factions Of Mr. glaain. which institution
is alike honoring to him and creditable
TO the state7 Has she not appropriated
funds for the education of teachers in the |
Winthrop Training School, in connection
with the private Peabody fund.-
And what more need be said /? Perhaps
the Register does not object to the last
named appropriation, and the blending |
of State aid and private provisions for
this desirable work. And possibly no
objection would be found to the States
assuming the administration ofthe Glenn.
son fund, and enlarging it, too, if it we're
practicable to invest it in connection
with the experimental station of the
University, BY those at least who sup |
ported the University scheme. And why
this narrow policy of limiting and cen.
tralizing education? The argument has
been that the State could not
afford to establish an agricultural college.
And now that the property has been
donated for its establishment, the oppo.
sition seems fain to find some inadequacy |
in the scheme some ground ofrejecting |
the proposition. This opposition bears
close resemblance to that policy which
denies to others the enjoyment of things
which you cannot enjoy yourself. Is
there jealous antagonism of every
institution of learning that claims public
favor, except that which has been the
pet, and just pride too, ofSouth Carolina
for two or three generations ? Or do the |
friends Of the University really see phan.
toms of destructive mien in every propo-
sition to enlarge the benefits Of higher
and diversified culture? That party in
South Carolina which cries for more
light and wider intelligence is no phan-
tom-its name is legion.
If he is a benefactor who causes two
blades of grass to grow where but one
grew before, what shall we say of him
who sows the seeds of knowledge abroad
And what shall the harvest be for the
State that "sows beside all waters?"
And how will she vindicate herself to
the next generation if she neglects the
present opportunity 1t is surely most
unreasonable to deny to the youth of the
State that culture for which they pant,
and which will better fit them for life's
fierce battle, when it is made optional
with her to supply it without burden to
CL. Q.a,l