The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-08-04

we trace the golden thread of Masonry
step by step back thruughthe dim GEN.
turtles which lie entombed in the eternal
past, until the sound of the gavel is
heard falling in the east in the temple
erected upon the threshing floor of
Ornan, the Jebusite. The echo awak.
ened by the gavel in the hand of King
Solomon has come sounding down the
,vaulted courts Of time, through the in
teryening centuries, to be lost only on
tho silent shores of eternity.
Then followed a glowing eulogy of
free Masonry, and in conclusion he
said:
We are here assembled to-day to lay
the cornerstone OF IN institution which
we pray God may deserve to prosper.
The Institution is being erected on his
toric ground-the home Of the illus
trious Calhoun a name, around which
clusters memories which should i'm
prove the youths of Carolina for all
ages to come. While many honored
names adorn the pages of the history of
our grand old state, Calhoun alone is
without a peer, and illuminates the i'm
mortal page. May this become a place
where good and wise men will for ages
come to dissemole knowledge and in
culcate friendship, morality and broth
erly. love. That their labors may be
abundant, pursued in great harmony
and bear much fruit TO the glory of
God and the great prosperity OF the
state. So mote it be. Amen.
SPEECH-MAK1NG.
After the benediction was pro-
nounced the crowd adjourned from the
foundation to q stand which was erect
ed near by. Seats had been arranged
for large numDers. There were fully
5000 people on the grounds, but as it
was raining only about one.half of the
crowd, a large portion was ladies, lis
tened to the speaking. The balance
were in the various houses. On the
stand were the trustees of the college,
the members of the Grand ledge, Col.
Polk, president or the National Farm
ers' Alliance; Senator BUST, of Charles
ton; Adjrtant and Inspector General
Farley, Congressman George John
stone, Rev. DR.. Wilson Of Converse col
lege and u number of other distin-
guished gentlemen.
Col. Simpson then introduced Cover
nor Tillman, who spoke as follows:
GOVERNOR TILLMAN's WELCOME.
/ have been selected in behalf of the
trustees of the Clemson college to eX-
tend you u welcome to Fort Hill, the
historic home of Calhoun, a name which
will be famous as long as time lasts,
W. q w "l|hSoo phO SClSlllo-
MES which inaugurate this agricultural
and mechanical college.
The clouds lower and the skies weep.
This weather is but typical of the strug-
gle which preceded the establishment
Of this college. This college was not
established by. chance, but after one of
the most desperate conflicts in political
history; a fight for the emancipation of
the common people and the providing
for them Of practic Il education. CON
graduate you that the struggle ended
triumphantly for the common people.
Around the cornerstone which was
laid to-day many hopes and grand as
p%irations are twined. The idea at the
root of the struggle for this college was
that men should not be trained simply
as men aud then left to fight for Il
knowledge OF pursuits; but that men
should be trained in the pursuits them
selves. This college is intended to give
practical education at such Il slight cost
that any boy in South Carolina, if only
he be diligent, shall be able to obtain it.
The people of South Carolina are ag-
ricultural, and are to-day surrounded
by conditions almost terrible to con
template. The lands are old and worn:
brought in competition with the virgin
soil of the West. The farmers Of this
state can see not an iota of profit in the
raising of cotton. This college will; do
more than simply to teach men how to
farm without Investigation. Any de-
preston like the present low price of
cotton threatens unparalleled poverty,
even for the must industrious. So this
college will have a mechanical depart
ment. where all branches of engineering
and like trades will be practically
taught. The foremen of our factories
xx,or,N ~ o,,x f.~,N, {hN \'@~th aNr-
they had technical knowledge. Our
are underlings. Likewise in every Ina
chine shop. Our peopla blindly fol-
lowed agriculture and our leaders never
prepared for other education.
One million people are dependent up
on the fields; yet these people know not
how to recuperate their fields so rs to
| make them compete with the virgin
fields of the West. This college will
train men so that 1t will not be neces-
sary to send 10 Yankeedom for me-
chanics, and SO that they may know
how to strengthen our worn out lands.
How is all this to bedonep BY practical
strated to the students and the people
Of the state that it is practicable to raise
supplies at home, and 10 it more cheap
ly than the same could be bought. Then
rotation Of crops will be taught as Il
means of improving the coalition of
farmers.
Stork-rajsing should be Il source of
wealth all V the state. More atten-
ton should be- given this by farmers,
and all reliance should net be placed on
cotton.
Military training will be given the
students, not only because it is required
by the law, but to inculcate habits of
order. Allthe boys will be clothed alike.
in uniform, SO that no poor boy shall
feel ashamed because IL rich mans son
might wear broadcloth, and he only
poor clothes. Rich and poor shall fare
alike. The poor shall be lifted up and
the rich pulled down, if necessary to
establish that simon pure democracy
that we fought so hard last year to
establish.
Five years ago the idea Of an agricul-
tural mechanical college was broached
in the State Agricultural Soeiety. The
politicians of the state wished to furnish
the semblance of such an institution at
the University at Columbia. They
scorned our idea, and whipped us IN two
campaigns; but we didn't give it up.
Last year the grand battle was fought
and won. The beQuest OF ~. G.. Glenn
son gave us the opportunity Tor win
ming the fight. Still 1T was accepted af-
ter tremendous struggle only by a ma
jority of four or five in the house and
deciding vote of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
an in 4 ha cnnnfn