The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-08-23
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.
Speech Delivered by Col. B. ". Edwards
at--Florence, g. C., on August 2, 1888.
Less than century ago our fathers
established the South Carolina College,
from which have graduated statesmen
and orators, jurists and authors, philoso.
pliers and Divines whose names are the
pride of South Carolina and will not
perish for many generations. And how
the South Carolina University, after its
long and brilliant career, is stronger and
better than it ever has been before, and
it and the denominational colleges, the
Charleston College and all the high
schools of the State are throwing down
seeds of light which are making luminous
the surface of the whole body politics.
Like the fires in the Northwestern States
a fewIyears ago, which burned up fields
and woods, houses and barns, and set on
fre--the very ground and burned the
earth, leaping over brooks and drinking
up the water Of the lakes, so the quicken
ed desire for education has swept over
our body polite and laidshold ofthe very
ground stills of humanity, and is burning
what men once called the rubbish of 30
ciety and discovering amongst it many
sparkling jewels. But with all praise to
our present learned State superintendent
of education and his predecessors, it must
be admitted that our common schools are
defective and partially inefficient. We
need better teachers and better teaching
and more time, and must avail ourselves
of every means ofintensyfiing the work.
Hence, without discussing the peculiar
merits of the form of what is known as
the Blair bill, am in favor of the
measure contemplated in it, and despite
the boast of its author, that in five years
by its help he will rehabilitate the Re
publican party 10 the Southern States, if
he will give US the money and the use
ofit in educating the people, we will
make Democrats of the very material OF
which he proposes to build the Republi-
can party. For the inevitable effect of
intellectual and moral training is to make
Democrats of all men. Democracy is
inherent in human nature, and when
there is no more rubbish and ignorance
and corruption upon which the Radical
party was first builded in the South the
foundations will be gone forever.
But I am to speak of agricultural edu-
cation. And tits hardly necessary for
me to say that favor the acceptance OF
the Clemson bequest. And l favor it,
first, because the fundamental law of the
State requires it. In our State there is q
constitutional provision which diferenti,
ates it from the other States. For, by
the very section of our State Constitution,
which provides for the maintenance of
the University, the Legislature is express
ly required to establish an agricultural
college and to apply the land scrip fund
aud any other lands that might after.
wards be given for educational purposes
to its support. And the Hatch bill pro-
yides for the appropriation of $4,000 to
each of the States out of funds arising
from the sale of public lands for the
benefits Of such agricultural college as
may have been established in the States,
with other provisions. Here, then, we
have the constitutional requirements to
establish an Agricultural College, and to
apply the land scrip fund to It's support,
and the Hatch fund also belongs to it by
law.
1 advocate an agricultural college
because it is needed in South Carolina.
1t We train the boys for the pursuit which
they are to follow by teaching them more
of the laws of their own profession, we
shall make them stronger and better able
to take care of themselves and add to the
material wealth of the State. We shall
make them more valuable as citizens by
attaching them to the soil in contentment
with their profession, and, instead OF
leaving the farm to seek some place in
the shade or become dumb factors in the
body polite, we shalt inspire them with
that fondness for their work and that
pride in their calling which comes from
practical application of knowledge and
Intellectual development. And the more
they know of the dignity of their calling
the more will they be proud OF the
avocation. An agricultural college will
become the centre of Influence that will
permeate the whole State, and develop a
sentiment in the interest of farming
which no other institution can do.
We must therefore take the Clemson
bequest and make an institution which
will reach outin its fructifying influences,
and touch every foot of our soil. There
issuch thing as passively consentiDg to its
acceptance, aud there is such thing as &C.
lively advocating it. South Carolina may
accept it and freeze it to death, or she may
take it and warm it up by her generous
support to q grand colossal benefaction
to our whole people. We must accept it
in this latter spirit There are those who
say if the people want an agricultural
college they are entitled to it, and hence
they are willing they should have it.
Another stands at the threshold and says
if you will let the other institutions alone
and if you will be right we'll behaved
about it, you can have it; but it is con.
cealed as with threat. Another says if
the people will say what they want, aud
will agree on any measure Of college or
anything else, will give it my hearty
support. I take it, fellow citizens, that
it is the duty of men in public positions,