The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-08-06
yoked to shower over this land. Grand
Master Izlar then spoke as follows:

have witnessed to-day, are true and |
lawful members of the order of Ancient |
Free Masons, tue to the laws of our |
and Observant Of the powers |
that be and bound by solemn obliga- |
tions to erect magnificent buildings, be |
serviceable to the brethren and taught |
to love God and keep His command
ments. We stand before you to-day |
the representatives of the oldest or. |
ganiZed body Of men known to the his
tory of the world, save that of the
Jewish church. The antiquity which
we claim for ourselves is no dream or
idle boast: With unerring precision
we trace the golden thread Of Masonry
step 10y step back through the dim cen
turies 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 10y the gavel in the hand OF King
Solomon has come sounding down the
Vaulted courts of time, through the in
tervening centuries, to be lost only on
the silent shores of eternity.
Then followed glowing eulogy of
free Masonry, and in conclusion he
said:
We are here assembled to-day to lay
the cornerstone Of an institution which
we pray God may deserve to prosper.
The Institution Is being erected on his
torlc ground-the home Of the illus
trlouS Calhoun 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 peer, and illuminateS the i'm
mortal page. May this become place
where good and wise men will for ages
come to dissemble 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 1t be. Amen.
| THE SPEECH MAKING.
| 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 numbers. There were fully
5000 people OH 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. DIR. Wilson of Converse col
lege and Il number of other distin-
guished gentlemen.
Col Simpson then introduced Cover
nor Tlllman, who spoke as follows:
7 ~ 4
l have been selected in behalf of the
trustees of the Clemson college to eX-
tend YOU a welcome to Fort Hill, the
historic home OF Ca lhoun, a name which
will be famous as long as time lasts.
y on meet here to witness the ceremo-
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 fC~ the emancipation of
the common people and the providing
for them OF practical education. con-
gratulate you that the struggle ended
triumphantly for the common people.
Around the cornerstone which was
Hti" w ooJ uOpSS tllu SIdIlu dS-
plratlOnS are tWined. The idea at the
root of the struggle for this college was
that men should not he trained simply
as men and 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 a 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 diversification. Any de- !
preston like the present low price of |
cotton threatens unparalleled poverty,
even for the most Industrious. So this |
college will have mechanical depart |
ment, where all branches of engineering
and like trades will be practically |
taught. The fOremen OF our factories !
were brought from the North because
they had technical knowledge. Our
own people working in our factories
are underlings. Likewise in every ma
chine shop. Our people blindly fol- |
lowed agriculture and our leaders never
for other education.
One million people are dependent up |
on the fields; yet these people know not |
how to recuperate their fields so as to |
make them compete with the virgin |
fields of the West. This college will |
train men so that it will not be neces-
sary to send to Yankeedom for me-
chanics, and SO that they may know |
how to strengthen our worn out lands. |
low Is all this to be done? BY practical |
first, it is to be demon
strated to the students and the people |
OF the state that it is practicable to raise |
supplies at home, and do it more cheap
ly than the same could be bought. Then |
rotation Of crops will be taught as a
means of improving the coalition of
farmers.
Stock-raising should he a source of
wealth all over the state. More atten-
tion should be given this by farmers,
and all reliance should not be placed on
cotton.
Military training will be given the
not only because it is required
DV the law bnt RI inorIoota loE;t, or