The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-19
THE CLEMSON COLLEGE.

The Legislature has been engaged the
past week in legislating on, and discuss
Jug the Clemson College bill, and it has
passed the House and will be taken up
tonight "Wednesday in the Senate as
the special order.
The bill in its present shape passed
the House by small majority. Many
of the minority did not oppose the es-
tablishment of the college but were OPP
posed to some of the provisions of the
bill before the Legislature.
The provisions Of the measure as
summarized by The News and Courier
are:
First, to Withdraw one-half Of the
land scrip fund from the support of the
State University and vest it in the six
trustees of the Clemson College elected
by the General Assembly.
Second, to Withdraw from the control
of the trustees Of the University the
annual grant Of 900 made under the
Hatch bill for the establishment of ag--
ricultural experiment stations, and
vest it in the trustees Of the Clemson
| College.
Third, the payment by the State
! Treasurer to the trustees OF the Clemson
| College of the money collected by the
sinking fund commission during the
last fiscal year.
Fourth, the payment by the depart
ment of agriculture to the Clemson
College trustees of three-fifths OF the
money collected during the last fiscal
year from the privilege tax on fertll-
iZerS, and now remaining in the State
treasury, and for the animal payment
hereafter to the trustees of the Clemson
| College of three-fifths of the revenue
derived from the privilege tax on tertll-
izers.
Fifth, to vest in the six trus' ees OF
the Clemson College elected by the
General Assembly all the real and per
sonal property heretofore under the
control Cfthe department tofagrlculture
and to sell the agricultural experiment
stations now established i'll Rlchland
and Spartanburg counties.
Sixth, detail of not more than nifty
able bodied convicts from the Penlten-
tiary to be employed by the trustees OF
the Clemson College in the work OF
erecting the college buildings.
Seventh, the erectian of the college
buildings on Fort Hill plantation, in
Oconee County, and the immediate
pavment of $4,000 by the State Treas
urer of the moneys appropriated by
the bill 'to defray the cost Of plans and
specifications and estimates OF suitable
buildings as aforesaid
Idol Tx me
bill! for the establishment of the Glenn
son College amount for the first year to
SOS. 600, in round numbers, as follows:
Land scrip funG, $500; Hatch fund,
SIS, 900; privilege tax on fertilizers, sl9,-
OO0: sinking fund balance in the State
treasury, $4,000; sale Of agricultural
buildings, SIS, 600; sale OF experimental
farms, $4,000. 1t is estimated that the
annual appropriations for the Clemson
College will hereafter amount to S39,-
OOO."
What the college wants with that
much money the first year we are un-
able to see. To appropriate $4,000 to
secure plans and specifications, does
not look much like economy.
We think it unwise to take the SINK
ing fund money and appropriate it to
the college. The land scrip fund and
the Hatch fund should go to the Agrl-
cultural College. 1t makes no differ
encc whether the money comes from
direct appropriation or from these
other sources. it comes out of the peo-
pie anyway, and the people cannot be
fooled and made believe that the col
leee is costing them nothing. The
privilege tax and the sinking fund
money should go into the treasury, and
ifthe other funds are not enough for
the support of the college let appropria-
tions be made for this purpose, as any
other appropriation is made. 1t is no
use to try to deceive the people by tell
ing them the college is costing them
nothing, when in reality it IS the same
thing as if the amounts taken from the
sinking fund and the privilege tax were
appropriated directly, for the places
where this money has been going will
have to be filled by direct appropria-
ton, and in the end it is all the same.
We have never thought the Clemson
College was the thing the people most
needed, but it is no use to discuss that
now. They seem to want it, and we
are willing to give tEem all the help we
can to make it a success, but the appro-
priations and expenditures for its
establishment should be guarded as
everything else.
Besides that. it seems to US that the
plan proposed is giving to the trustees
a great deal of power. But we hope
that it will all result III benefit to our
I ~,