The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-05-03
THE FARMERS MANIFESTO.
CAPTAIN TILLMAN AND HIS COL
LEAGUES SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE.

CAPTAIN TILLMAN AND HIS COL
LEAGUES SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE.
suggestions of Reforms In tho Admins
tration of the State Government--AI
Appeal to the Farmers.
TO the People of South Carolina
The Executive Committee of the Farm
ers' Association, feeling that it is incum.
bent upon them, as tho Representatives
of the organized farmers of the State, to
outline policy Of retrenohment and re,
form in consonance with the aims and
purposes of the farmers movement, and
to explain the grounds upon which We
shall ask the support and aid of oul
Democratic fellow-citizens in the coming
election, would call the earnest attention
OF all persons in sympathy with our aspi,
rations for agricultural education and q
more economical and efficient govern
ment to the facts and reasons herein set
forth.
We claim only our just share of edu-
catlonal advantages for the agricultural
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, we be compelled to support
only such institutions as are inaccessible
to most farmers, and which do not
furnish the cheap and practical education
needed. We make no war upon the
South Carolina University as place for
obtaining scientific and classical edu-
cation, and reiterate our desire to see
the South Carolina College literally sup
ported, and to become real university
worthy of our State. But we assert with
out fear Of successful contradiction that
farmers cannot be educated in city and
remain farmers; and that in all efforts to
fret has been overshadowed; the agricul-
tural students have been few, and the
attempt an utter failure.
The demand for better facilities for
cheap and practical education for farm
ers has been heretofore refused on the
plea of expense, and the opposition has
not hesitated to scare the taxpayers with
largely exaggerated estimates of the
probable cost of q separate agricultural
college. With consummate cunning and
unblushing Inconsistency they have taken
advantage of the agitation for q separate
agricultural college to build up that won
derful ten students "annex," and, while
crying out against duplication of plant
and teaching force, have actually increas-
ed the tax beyond what the farmers asso-
citation thought of asking for. Not
satisfied with robbing the s'industrial
classes of the benefits of the Gland
scrip" fund, they have stretched forth
their greedy handsa and grabbed the Hatch
fund also; and a State which two years
ago was too poor to support any expert
mental station at all, now supports three,
with their duplicated attaches, thus frit-
tering and wasting the funds appropri-
ated for scientific investigation. In 1856
the University, including Clafin and the
Citadel, had an income of ABOUT 800, 900,
and the Trustees claimed that, as then
constituted, it afforded all the practical
training for farmers needed by the State.
Its income is now approximately $97, 900
per annum, but as an agricultural school
1t Is bigger and more costly deception.
MR.. CLEMsoN's BEoUEsT.
But while our efforts to obtain re-
cognltion of our rights and needs have
hitherto failed to secure college for
educating farmers, fortune has unex-
pectedly smiled On us. The munificent
bequest of Mr.. Clemson, whose affection
1oh LILO oeoPGCo k1pdVO uul nlSC luSlRuU
has removed the great stumbling block
in the way of providing q suitable site
and farm for the college, gives us the
coveted opportunity. BY this bequest
not only do the farmers come in posses
sion of property valued at we'll nigh
$780, 600, but also of an estate eminently
suited for the purposes for which it is
given, and hallowed by the sacred mem
orles of Carolinas greatest statesman
We have the authority of General
Stephen ID. Lee for saying that 500, 600
is ample for building and equipping O
school like the Mississippi College.
Without counting anything donated by
Mr.. Clemson except the Calhoun home
stead, we propose to show the needed
money can be obtained without increas-
ing the taxes one single dollar; and while
many have believed that the building of
separate agricultural college was and is
the only vital issue represented by the
farmers movement, we shall call atten-
tion to other reforms which we deem of
equal or greater importance. The pur-
chasing power of money is much greater
than 1t was ten years ago. The tax-pay-
ing power has not increased at all, while
the price OF our main money crop-cot-
ton-has hoVered very near the cost of
pEOuucUlOus Lie reQuCGlOQ or GXp6nQl-
lures, when possible, must then appeal
to the common sense as we'll as the
pockets OF our people, and no good rea-
son can be given why salaries in our
State should remain fixed higher than in
North Carolina and Georgia-both larger
and wealthier States. We invite the
careful attention of taxpayers to the fol-
lowing figures, taken from the Comp
trouers' reports of the three States:
NORTH CAROLINA, 1887.
Executive Department. .....$ 5000
Comptroller General Department $500
Educational Bureau. ......... 3, LOO
Judiciary Department Counting
only 8 out of IL Judges) ..... $4,000
Board OF Health. ............. 1000
state Department. t........... 1000
Militia .:................. 1900
treasury Department. ........ 5000
Adjutant and Inspector General. 1900
State House Keeper. ........... 75O
Total. .................. $40, 300
SOUTH CAROLINA, 1886.