The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-06-27
THE A. AND N.

MI w. D. 1S0l0, d m0u1O9E OIL Gu0
Watauga Club, of this city, comes for
ward with what he terms a correction,
this week, as to the originators of the
idea of an Agricultural and Mechanical
College in the State. 1t was not our
intention when writing the editorial
last week to do injustice to anyone.
The Watauga Club deserves much
credit for the part it took. Many
others deserve special mention for
their zeal in behalf of the institution.
But the workers in the cause were not
under discussion. Mr.. Leazar said the
Watauga Club originated the idea of
building the College, or words to that
effect. We said he was mistaken, and
think we can yet convince he and Mr..
Peele that we were on the right track.
Col. Polk began to agitate the mat
ter when he was Commissioner of.
Agriculture, long before the Watauga
Club was organized. He wanted the
land script fund devoted to that pur-
pose. By an act of Congress on the I'd
of July, 1862, there was given to each
State for educational purposes an
amount of land equal to 80, 900 acres
for each Senator and representative
from the State. 1t was known as
the Agricultural College bill. "
After Col. Polk resigned as Commits
sioner of Agriculture it seems that the
matter was quietfor some time. On the
10th Of February, 1886, he started THE
PROGRESSIVE FARMER at Winston. On
the editorial page of the first issue he
published an editorial over two col
umns long giving the history of what
had been done in this State, declaring
the Importance of pushing the matter,
also gave a brief history Of the success
of such institutions in Georgia, South
Carolina and other States. In the next
issue, February 18th, 1886, we find an
other editorial one and a half columns
length, On the same subject, in which
he prints in italics the following
That the fund QandscripD should be
applied to teach such branches of learn
ing as are related to agriculture and
the mechanic arts"
Now we propose to show further on
that the Watauga Club never discussed
anything but IAN industrial school,
agricultural and mechGnicaI' was
not the title of the school they wanted,
but they finally dropped that, as we
will show by Mr.. Peele himself.
Again on the 18th and 18th of May,
same year, THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER
had strong editorials favoring the es-
Enlistment of the college. The one on
the 10Th discussed and opposed the
agricultural department" connected
with the University at Chapel Hill.
The last paragraph in the editorial
contained the following: 1--WE propose
to continue this subject and follow it
up until justice is done the people, or
they know why it is not DONE"
On the 3Oth of June there was an
other strong editorial in which we find
the following: Had the farmers of
North Carolina spoken instead of re-
naming silent, North Carolina's por-
ton of the land script fund would not
have been swallowed up by the Uni,
versity. The 81, 500 issued for eleven
years, and still used by the University,
under the pretense that it is being used
for an agricultural college, would have
been set aside for their benefit as it
should be and as it will be when the
farmers of the State demand in unmis-
taxable language that it shall be-"
That shows that Col. Polk was fight,
ing against the State Board of Agricul-
ture and other officials, and not even
thefarmers were standing by him then,
for they had never fully realized the
Importance of the college.
On July 18th he had another edito-
rial about the Mississippi College. The
closing paragraph was as follows: ga
similar institution would do a world of
good in North Carolina. Perhaps some
of these days when the money which
belongs to the farmers, the 81, 500 a
year which is being used by the Uni
versity, is turned over for their benz fit
we may have such a college in North
Carolina"
On the 22d of September there was
another editorial on the same line. On
the 9TH of August, 1886, the Farmers
Club" of Forsyth county, met in Win
ston. An address was prepared and
published in The PROGRESSIVE FARMER
of September 29th. In that address
they declared: 1--WE believe that the
time has arrived when North Carolina
should have an agricultural college,