The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-20
THE COLLEGE INVESTIGATED.
REPRESENTATIVE SWIFT OF THE
BLAL0CK COMMITTEE HERE.

Looked Into and Found 10 ne -
AppIe-Pie Order-Mr. Swift Talks
Freely of the Work of the InVe~-
tfeatfng Committee and scores
COmmissioner Of Agriculture Nes-
mt SevereEy-Chancellor Hogs
Got ting 5000 a Year ont of the Col
1e,.e- This Is Not Right, says Dir.
swift.
Hon r N Swift Of the Blalock inFesti-
eating comm ttet. Of the Georgia legis-a-
ture which has I .ept the Office holders OF
,l,a state on pins and needles for the last
several months. spent yesterday in the
o,,,. The obieet Of his visit here vas 70
investigate the ac .counts OF the Georgia
Industrial College for colore1 youth
Mr. Swift called upon Mayor P. W Mel
ar,n, chairman OF. the board Of trustees
n sbe college. in the morning and stated
tba object OF his visit. Mayor Meldrim
turnea over to rim all the records and
a.co,,nts Of the college for the last two
vears Owing 10 the heavy rain which
prevailed during the day M swift did
not go out 70 the coll eye. but as his Cd
SECT was confined to the financial workings
NJ the college this was. not matter OF
importance
Mr. Swift was seen at the Pulaski last
night by a Morning News reporter ana
talked Interestingly and at some length
,,,o, the work Of the committee. He
stated that the work Of inves-
,tqating being nearly completed 1t
occurred to him that no attention had
as vet been given the colored college
~ vteffFIIriGD sighted
he wrote TO Chairman Blalock about the
matter and was instructed by him TO pro
coed to Savannah and Investigate the col
Iege finances.
II am happy 10 say that found every
thing in excellent condition" said Mr..
Swift "AH the money used is accounted
for. Not a nickel has been paid out VIII
out the approval Of the chairman OF the
hoard. The attendance at the college
during the year 1866 was 49, and the per
csnita cost TO the state was $3.50. The
ner capita cost at the state university IS
$I79 %"
81 found one thing which do not ap-
nrovA Of" remarked Mr.. Swift. i ma
III Chancellor Boggs Of the State Uni
1-ersitv receives a salary Of $50 from the
coaored college, despite the fact tnal ne
s. paid $500 year as chancellor OIL tlls
state University. AS he mas the sauie
supervision over all the oranch conese9
If the state connected with the ui4lFtI-
eftv and receives no salary from any OF
these branch colleges with the eAcsPttoi
If the colored college, 1 am at a loss 70
know why this should be the case 90
not think this is right, ana lnteha u
say 80 plainly.
the committee. which, he said Is now
nearly completed. I'VE have Inspected all
the state educational institutions ne
said. with the exception Of the academy
for the deaf and dumb at CartersViile,
which win be inspected by myself anu
Mr.. Berry of Whitfield on Thursday.
Mr.. swift expressed himself much pleas
ed with the management Of the North
Georgia Agricultural College at Damon
ega, which was recently inspected by MN;
'This school Is in very fine CONDITION, said
he The poor boys from the mountains
are given every opportunity TO OBTAIN an
education there. AS an instance OF now
they are doing II. know Of one boy there
who brought all his -four, meat and meal
from home does his own cooking and Is
attending college at an expense OF Sz.30
month. The president, Joseph 5. Stew
art Is a splendid man, and the college
has a fine faculty. The treasurer ana
purchasing agent of the college Is dr. r.
w Hall a wealthy business man OF
years ago without a dollar, and Is to-day
worth half a Million He gives portion
of each day TO the college and charges
nothing for his services. AS an instance
of the character Of his purchasing ne
paws 81. p per 1,0Q0 for MANILA envelopes,
in which the college catalogues are sent
out. while another college in Georgia pays
SO per Loo for the same purpose
Mr.. Swift did not say what college ne
referred to, but he remarked that some of
aha of ~ al g. Z
finances do not seem to care how much
they abuse them, while others are as care
full as if they were expanding their own
money.
Mr.. Swift gave a brief review Of the
work of the investigating committee The
committee was appointed at the last ses-
sion OF the legislature for the purpose OF
investigating the manner in which the
states money is expended by those 10
whom 1t Is entrusted. II began work June
T. and has since that time put in alto-
Rether, about three months time. 1t has
gone into every department with the ex-
ception of the treasurer's and the attorney
generals. These Il VIII not have time 20
Investigate. Among the finances investi-
gated are the incidental expense account
of the state. the expenses of the capitol
and the executive mansion. OF the supreme
court the railroad commission, the CON-
missioner Of education and the agricul-
tural department, OF all these the latter
will receive the seVerest criticism, MT
Swift said. though some Of the others vii
not escape without hard shots.
If the committees report be half SO
severe upon Commissioner Nesbit of the
agricultural department Mr.. Swift Is
in his comments upon the management
of the Office the commissioner will receive
the worst scoring that has been admins
tered to O state official in Georgia In many
wears Mr.. Swift is the man who tackled
Commissioner Nesbit upon the subject OF
fertilizer tags, the result being a discus
sion which was carried on at great length
as to the prices paid by the commissioner
for fertilizer tugs.
"You can state" said Mr.. Swift draw
ing a paper from his pocket. that 1 have
In my possession letter from the com
missioner Of agriculture Of South Caro-
lima, giving the prices paid by him 70
tags for the years 1890 TO 1897, which rang,
from IS cents down 10 43.H% cents pc
100. whereas Commissioner Nesbit pail
e 10 $3.50 per thousand for the sam