The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-18
FRAUDS And HUMBUGS.
A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO THE MISSISSIPPI
CHEAT.
VIII Farmers of To-Day not Learn by
the Experience of the Mississip-
plans?
Michasa,U, Miss, Messenger.

CAichasaw, Miss, Messenger.
We have been handed the following letter
written by IN Intelligent gentleman resid'
Ing In South Carolina and addressed to all
quest that we answer the interrogatorics
"Dear Colonel: There is much being said
at this time in this State In regard 10 an
cultural College is frequently referred TO-
Please give me what iEformation you can
with reference to the Mississippi Agricul-
tural College. How much did the college
buildings cost? How much does the state
Are all students admitted free of tuition
Is the College success?
In the report of the Trustees and President
the years 1867, we find an inventory Of the
college property appraised November l5tll
and 10Th, 1887. Said inventory contains the
following items:
College buildings.......... .......-.SlOl 900 IN
4d,Iis " "
Farm gs....-............."..".... 1Ol95 on
Making total s57 Sc
about as estimated above, but the valuation
Of the lands Is considerably above its cost
Our opinion is, (and we have some knowledge
on the subject the State Invested about SliO,
900 in lands and buildings, to say nothing o.
the creamery, machinery, stock and farming
implements which have been purchased fol
the college farm, and which cost the State
many thousands Of dollars.
The appropriations made by the State bias
varied from SOC, ,32S 75-amount allowed 1882
to S225S6, the amount appropriated for 1883
but It is claimed by the Presjd that the in
stitution cannot be run successfully on less
the average sum which has been drawn out
Of the State Treasury annually since the
college has been in operation-eight years.
Heretofore all Mississippi students In at
tendence have been admitted free OF tuition
but 1t being discovered that q few favored
localities were the principal benefciaries o.
the system, the Legislature at its last session
passed an apportionment act defining the
number of free students each county should
be entitled to and providing that ali students
county should pay tuition.
The attendance OF the College. when the
report above referred TO was made, number
ed 2i7. or this number twelve counties
furnished 1877; eleven IS; eleven %; nine 8; and
twenty counties had no representation at all
The twelve counties furnishing more than
half the students, are properly classed among
the wealthy counties, and the young gentle.
men rs rule the sons Of the weather citiz
ems of those counties; many OF whom were
sense farmers. If the young men thus ed.
to their attendance al the college could be
urged, but such Is not the case.
as the College success?"
Well, that depends entirely upon what con.
sttutes success. If the expenditure Of more
than 100000 OF hard earned tax money. col.
lect from the masses of the people-about
Sl75, 0O0 Of which has been paid as salaries to
officers, faculty and employees, not one o.
whom ever proved himself successful far
mer-to graduate about fifty or sixty young
men, whose parents were, in the most In
stances able to send them to Yale or Harvard
Is a success. then our "Tombsone Industry,
Is q wonderful success.
Pra6nateS
technically trained under the supervision OF
q President who buys corn to run his magni'
ficent prairie plantation. almost every year
not dozen were ever guilty of degrading q
themselves by engaging in practical agrlcul
ture after they left the college, then, as Q
training school to learn boys chow not to dc
It," the a. & NJ Is a remarkable success.
If an Investment made by the State, Of ST..
and the receipts from the sale Of stock, beef,
cattle, butter and farm products amounted TO
only S9,S74,35 for Two years, while the expen
ditures, including students labor and salary
OF Professor of Agriculture, reached the neat
little sum S23, ,253, &c.. couldj be considered a
paying investment then indeed Is the system
Of intensive farming" practlced at our a. &
NJ. C.. phenomenal success.
The truth Is, the Mississippi Industrial
schools are gigantic frauds and hum5ugs
drawing their support from funds that ought
to be appropriated In aid OF the free public
schools; competing with private educational
institutions of high grade all over the State
burdensome to the taXpaying masses, not one
of thousand OF whom have the means tc
incur the expense incident to attending
them, and benlfcial mainly to the gentleman
who receive handsome salaries and that class
oi people who are perfectly able financially to
take care of themselves.
With this conviction clinginng to us, after
long years of study, observation and investi
Cation, we advise those communities not al
ready cursed with so.cnlled Industrial
schools to renounce the luxury before the
iniquitous system Is fastened upon them. for
they are practically rich mems schools oper.
atcd at the prod ucer's expense.