The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-19
ERSKINB COLLEGE SAFE.
AN ABLE LETTER FROM HON. W. c. BENET
He Believes that Law, Justice and
Equity are on the Side OF Due
West-..A Practical View Of the Sit
uation, and Practical Suggestion.

Editor Press and Banner:
II was out OF my power TO he presen Mt the
Erskine College meeting held in the Court
House las: Friday night. This regret; for l
had accepted the committees Invitation, ana
with the deep interest feel ana always nave {,
felt In the welfare of the college, IL was my
purpose to present some views for the meet
iug's consideration which might aid the
friends Of ErSkine at this crltlcal JuncIuIe.
Permit me to throw them Into brief from lor
publication.
In the first place. 1t is not clear to my NINA
how chartered college can be removed lrotn
one place to another The charter or such an
institution necessarily includes the name an q 2
site. Only by an act Of the Legislature could
the charter De withdrawn from Erskine Col
lege, and new charter granted 10 colieee
OF the same name TO be sltna.ea IL, no'ne ac.
tion Of board Of trustees can not 40 tnis. =.
The power to control college Is vested IN
trustees; but this power does not confer on
them the right to remove 1t from place 10
place, or to sell 1t to the highest bidder.
Secondly. Even should the Legislature oe
induced, by strong pressure ana nuSn ms
representation, to deprive Ersklne CoaLeee,
Due West, of It's charter. and TO giant cniI-
ter to new Erskine College, to be situated
say, at Rock Rill-there is no power that l
am aware of in the Legislature or Inc ooalo
Of trustees to authorize and compel the trans,
fer OF endowments (made In good faith 10
Erskine College, Due Wcst), from that college
to u new Erskine College at Rock Hill, Rock
Hill may, If she wishes, establish riVnl W
Due Vests College; but, rem3Xe Erskine
College from Due West to Rock Hill she can
Thirdly. If proper steps were taken to
show the Legislature that Due West Is a co..
lege-and.school town; pure and slmp,,eb ,b t,a' nni
lege; that the handsome houses anu costly
stores and churches and other buildings were
all built there as safe inveslment because
built around the, college !, that tine tne
nf would
both public and private buildings lar more
than half their value, thus depriving 1nno
cent aud helpless property-owners ol more
than half their property at one stroKe e5I Ti sne
pen-not to speak of rendering the Eolrse
buildings and the Society halls utterly value
less;-lf all this and more were made plain u
the LEGISLATURE, 1t would be seen thai JusIlce
and equy hG sde Of ens ssfne Goese
Due West, and no Rock Hill charter Wou!o
be granted; no charter would be granted tc
invade vested rights.
Another thing: II Is well 10 increase sup
scrlptions and multiply endowments, Dut
think the one thing needful at Due west u
preserve Erskine College In perpetuity Is q
railway running to the very g"tes OF the No'
lege. D,,o yros, ord
A bbeville consider II. A railway ccnnectlne
Due West with the G. & q. and with the u. U
& N. at Abheville, would give the CoiieIe Ine
facilities 1t needs and the accessibility IL IaGks
Chester, Rock Hill, and other points, Wouid De
in short and easy reach and no more would
Erskinc College be in danger OF removal
Can this be done? Well :; eleven miles o.
railway can surely be graded by two SucL
towns rs Abbevi!le and Due West. BotE
would be benefited by the rail way connec'
tion; both would put hands IN pockets Ia
build it. Such road would pay, whether
run in connection with the q. q G, or the ".
G. & N: while a four mile railway from Due
West to Donnnlds could scarcely be kept up.
These are my views hastily written ana
necessarily condensed.
Respectfully, w. L. Benet.