The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-06
THE SHELL aIANIFESTO.
Col. McMaster has no Connection with the
University and Explains his Speech
in the Senate.


Democracy of South Carolina, pur-
porting to come from the executive
committee Of the Farmers Association
of South Carolina, published in your
naper Of the 23d inst, l am described
as representing the sentiment OF the
South Carolina University and Mill
tary Academy in consequence OF my
using what appears to be an uncharlta-
BILE expression against the Clemson
College in speech in the Senate last
month.
The honor Of being trustee OF the
South Carolina College was conferred
onme on two occasions, each time with
out my solicitation or knowledge of the
purpose purpose to elect me. But for
the last two years I have had no con-
nection with the University or Military
Academy, and, therefore, these institu-
tions should not be held responsible for
any offence charged against me.
The remarkable philippe published
by body of men who style themselves
1.-THE Farmers Association Of South
Carolin" traduces our people and dis
honors our State. The document is
unworthy Of Carolinians, and has its
parallel only.in the diatribes Of W hit
temore and L. Cass Carpenter in the
dark days of Radicalism. 1t is not my
purpose to answer this manifesto, but
when this committee undertakes to
-arraign me as opposed to the higher
education of the farmers ofSouth Caro-
lima by insinuation and garbied ex-
tract from a speech, I will resent the
imputation as false and calumnlous,
whether it comes from the individual
or an association.
At intervals, during many years,
have given my services for the educa-
ton of the masses of the people and
rejoice in the fruit of my labors, as Co
lumbia does especially. But I will
always oppose, to the best of my ability,
any effort at class legislation which
will show discord and bitterness
amongst our people, and give one class
of citizens pre-eminence over another.
I see no reason or justice why the
farmer shall be favored any more than
the mechanic, the railroad man, mer-
chant or any other calling. Moreover,
have no sympathy with any legisla-
ton which is measured by the horizon
of any little neigh borhood; and any
legislator who works for the benefit Of
town or county at the expense of
the interests of the State is unworthy
of his position. South Carolina IS
small and poor State, and her honor
and prosperity depend upon the unity
integrity and education Of her people;
and whoever seeks to cripple her insti-
tutions or divide her people is not
friend to the Commonwealth. There
fore I protest against against a single
garbled extract as the keynote of my
speech, asst will create false impress
sion. 7, therefore, beg to submit a
short extract of my speech on the Glenn
son College bill, as we'll as can recall
it:
II began with history of the
Farmers Movement so-called, as
originating in the brains ola witty and
able enthusiast, who desired to restore
the grandeur of the ancient planter,
without any reference to the changed
condition of affairs. That after much
waste of eloquence and floundering
amidst figures he boiled down to the
scheme of Farmers College, pure
and unadulterated, as the panacea for
all the ills of State. The Mississippi
Agricultural College became the issue.
Itwas thoroughly discussed throughout
the State, and demonstrated that the
Annex to the University was far su-
perior to the Mississippi model; and
here We thought the matter was ended,
and our schools and colleges would so
on dispensing their blessings as they
have been doing since 1882. But, alas,
about this time a poor cranky A%noStlc,
who sought to perpetuate his name by
allying it with that Of South Carollna's
greatest age, by offering to the State a
few hundred acres of hills in remote
corner of Anderson, which could be
duplicated at two dollars per acre in
Oconee or Fairfield, and an annuity OF
$1,000 a year, and Immediately the
noisy advocates of the Farmers Move
,nent' grabbed at it rs if it was mag
nificent legacy, showing an unholy de-
sire to cooperate with q crank in de-
rsiving descendant of Calhoun OF ner
rlghtful inheritance.
II challenge any Senator to point to
the instance of any purely agricultural
college succeeding-that it would re-
ouire the wealth of a Vanderbilt to es-
1ablish one; that Il technical agricultu-
ral college could only differ from other
colleges in hoeing, pIoughing and at
tending to stock. 1t could not, and
would not, be attractive to farmers
sons, and would prove failures, as all
manual labor schools had. That only
poIvtechnic colleges, where different
arts and science were taught, could at
tract numbers sufficient for \ college
That in these expensive buildings and
apparatus could be used in common
saving thousands of dollars, ana the
variety of branches would increase the
interest Of patrons and pupils. That
the State at great expense has already
established the finest archaeological
school in the South. That there were