The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-20
THE CLEMSON COLLEGE.
A Decisive Vote Against Postponement-
Mr.. Benet Stands to it Brave!y-A Clear
aud Safe Majerity-Intense Interest
in the Voting.
[ Special to Greenville News.

Clemson Agricultural College is no
longer an uncertainty SO far as the
present House of Representatives is
concerned. The first direct test vote
on The question Of the States accept
ance of the bequcst was taken to-day
and developed a strength of numbers
of the friends of the college which has
surprised its warmest supporters, baf-
fled its opponents and insured ma
joTity that minor changes cannot offset.
The measure came up squarely af-
ter long previous notice, was squarely
faced by a full house and won.
1t was i'll very truth a day big not
with 1.-THE fate of Rome" but big
with the fate, perhaps, Of practical ag-
ricultural education in South Carolina.
The party of the people had the call
and swept the stakes with strong
play.
The measure came up as special Or
der, its calendar title being "Bill to &C.
cept the devise and bequest of Thomas
Il. Clemson, and to establish an Agri-
cultural College in connection there
with" There was rustic of awak-
encd attention when Speaker Simons
called UP the special order, and the
House paid close attention as Reading
Clerk Anderson, in sonorous tones read
lis text, after the request of Benet, of
Abbeyille, that the bill be taken up for
second reading. That done, Mr..
Hazard, of Georgetown, moved TO
strike out the enacting clause, but
yielded his motion 10 one by Brawley,
of Charleston, that the measure be
postponed to the next session.
Mr.. Brawley advocated the post
ponement in ten minute speech al
lowed by the chair, arguing that the
State bad three years in which to ac-
cept the bequest, and that there was no
sood reason why action should be
taken at this time. He had been in
formed by an ex-Attorey-G General of the
State that suit was pending in the
United States Court to recover the
property of Mr.. Clemson's estate for
his granddaughter, Miss Floride Lee.
and that the chances were that the suit
would succeed. He did not see why
this bill should not be put off till the
next session when it might be that the
legal contest would have been decided.
1t would be unseemly, he said, for the
State to engage in squabble with the
great grand daughter of John c.. CAL
houn over part Of the patrimony she
claimed.
Mr.. Benet replied with similar brew
ty and with force. This bill, be said,
was necessity, and immediate action
was right and proper He would ad-
wise the State to accept this bequest
now just as he would advise private
client to accept a gift made to him and
not to be frightened by any suit. He
limited at the political aspect of this
contrast which had been delayed 70
the very last moment by the meeting
Of the Legislature, and asked why this
coincidence? 1t was unparalleled thai
any legatee should refuse to accept
grand gift like this, and there was no
good reasons why the State should not
accept Mr.. Clemson's princely bequest
and do 1t now. BY accepting the be-
quest now it would be to establish an
Agricultural College in South Carroll
ma; it would show to the people that
their representatives had seen their
duty and done it.
The vote was then taken on Mr..
Brawley's motion to postpone the bill!
to next session. There was intense
interest in the result and many
members kept private tallies. Before
the list was half called the victory of
the ':'nays' and the triumph of the
College was seen. The final count
showed, ayes 50, nays 81, there being
twelve absentccs. The vote Stood as
follows:
Aycs-Simons, Abney, Adams, Bax-
ter, Beatty, p. l.. Black. Boatwright.
Badger. Hrawley, Cannon. Causy,
Chandler, Childs, Clements, Clini-
scales, Cobb, Dantzler, Edeas, John J.
Evans, Ficken, Fox, Gold, Guess, Ha--
per, Harrison, J. G. Haskell, Hazard
Hayward, Hughes, Hutson, Jenny
Lee, Mayhe., Meas: Miller. Mo,rell,
McCaw, McCrady, McHugh. Mckis-
sick, MckinsIey, Netlles, O'Brien,
Pringle, Rankin, Raysor, Tupper.
Turner, Washington, Williams. Total
so.
Nays-Arnold, Austell, Beam, Benet,
Brown Broyles, Byrd, Cappleman'
Carmichael, Cleveland, Connor, Con-
nors, Counts, Davis, Dukes, Evans,
W. d. Fishburne, W. J. Carey, Glenn,
Harden, Harrison, Hill, Hunter, Irby,
Johnstone, B. J. Johnstone. J. NJ. Kel-
ly, King, Lancaster, Miles, Morrison,
Moseley, Moses, Mower, Mcdaniel,
Purifoy, Plowden, Sanders, Shaw,
Simmons, Smith, Stanland, Stepp,
Stewart, sirom, Tipdal, Thompson,
Trantham, Vandiver, Wallace, Wal
Ter, Watson, Wharton, Whitlock,
Nhitmire, Virgins, Wilburn, Wilson,
Ieldell, Zimmerman. Total-G2.
There was disposition among the
friensd of the College 10 appl;ui when
the result was announced, and hurried
consultations followed among the
leaders of the opposition.
Debate then opened on the merits of