New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05
EX-SLAVE. COLLEGE FOUNDER
THOMAS f. MILLER AND HIS WORK IN
NEGRO EDUCATION
How HE INDUCED TIE sOr'TH CAROLINA LEGGs
LATURE To ESTABLISH THE COLLEGE
AT ORANGFV-KG- CONNECTED ny

LATURE To ESTABLISH THE COLLEGE
At ORANGEBrRG- CONDUCTED ny
NEGROES FOR NEGROES
Orangeburg S c.. March 4 (specaD.-A negro
conspicuous In the advancement Of his race. whose
influence always DO counted upon as rational
and conservative Is Thomas l.. Miller president Of
the State College FOR Coored Students at Orange
burg. s. C. This college. although only two years
Old is doing work effective and beneficial IN
It's way the Industrial Institute at Tuskegee
Five hundred students gain free tuition there. and
are housed and taken care Of at as low rate OF
expense az IS possible Every factOtum and work
man about the buildings and premises. from the
head member the faculty and his stenograph"r
down the most ordinary servitOr. Is negro
even the architect who planned the buildings Is Il
native negro. educated in the schools Of the
State and the artisans who put UP the machinery
In the various Industrial classrooms. and who set
I'D the machinery and appliances in use for the
agricultural operations arc negroes FROM hrst 10
last this is negro institute TO demonstrate negro
efficiency and negro capability. and Thomas h
Miller is its founder as wei president since But
for his insstent urging and instgation the State
Legislature would not have made rs existence pos
rhic
Ever since emancipation South Carolina mas ap
piled a certain proportion OF her school fund 10 the
,ause Of higher education for negro Students pu'
until lately this money mot deemed enough to sup
port an independent college, was given 10 th'
treasury Of the Clafin University. hourishing
Methodist institution maintained at orahscou's
nv Northern philanthropists. Three or Iour cna'S
az instruction IN this university were supported ny
tho state fund and generous share OF GROUND
was likewise contributed Nearly all the professors
~ .bfs college were white and the Methodist ial'h
was insisted upon as main feature In the admin
lstration Thomas f. Miller negro ih''I'S''u !"
public affairs. looked upon this stare iu"o WIN
ealous eve He felt that a state coieRe S"o"'' ."
undenoninational. and that II this same sum u
money that the State gave to the MethoulS' 'o
lcoe yearly should be economically ana Juul''"uSS
,,oraood with the grounds that the state cou"
snare such private subscriptions as ne 'o"iu '"
and adIitiona. aid In the way OF teachins ana WIZ
o. l.ritr,ate negro college could be establlsheu 'l"'
would be broader and far more Satisfactorily III 10
u.o-l,,,cs then any privately administered lnStIu-
tion For wears and wears ne kept IN nina inns '"'"
Of q college for his race. and when at 'aS' ne go"
his way clear as to practical means anu " NAM
to succeed with his plan before the hes'SIa'u' -, nv
betitioned certain Of his white friends III 'n"' '0O'
to MEAD the cause and came OF winner
Tho TeeI.lature held that II was perfectly WHINE
., rnho,l a separate State institution, ana "ou'"
have done so long ago mad thert "''H any
to see TO it and undertake the lash Oh 'u''.s
an the small appropriation that was d" ''e 81
,rro,eurv could AFFORD II this negro cou'u eu'i
- -. or, e. under way and make II pracu'"''
- ,,,,ile institution on that stipulated SUI" p.i
Gov ho was welcome 10 the State erou"uS ".o
such machinery and working app"""' a. 49, I'D
bad contributed 10 the Cahin University ne 49,
have the whole faculty and stan VI 49,, ,net,,u-
III ,eonle n he desired. ana run 'le
10Y ,,-din, 10 his own notions; only me no"'"
-, rr,,e,oes appointed TO look after the 0''' T.,
49,. o,,,d he COMPOSED 81 white men, h"u !"
,o-re iesues the president WouH "c 'NP
defer them. ,,c
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN TWO iN"i''
less than two years ago ground was VI ",,,a
the new college buildings. Inc colese r.
r.s were laid of and the ground OF 'ne 90" 80,
college proper divided definitely from 'ne hod
- .t 6a,ominational college that the STATE INV
hid to s,nport so long. II Is seldom 'n"l d -,
&c a good nnancier. and certainly the e'" ' ,,ot
tho race have had little chance ior P'"'"O "
d,rection but the president ci thiS ne"''
ushed college has found means to TIDE over en-,
barrassment That Wleh' ""'
energetic manager. 200 o.o ., ,a
Il am getting q $4,000 building our OF S--''
said lately TO a party OF visitors WHO '""' "
s"lU ,l ,i.r, "Our workmen are en-
tbuslastic and anxious 20 SHOW no" We" ''r -'
=, .,e,, mt OH their own responsibility. nav
- ,ire talent and homc-raised mai"r" III
- o,s ,,ssille I'm building and conducting 'he
u,ee and my aim is 10 bring ont the NATIVE ~
dustrie- o. the State as much as p'77'"le.
.vuerlrn,nting with making sassafIHS OH lI'", 80
got out OF the ground near ny anu '''" 70, ,'
=, do hotter and better with the farming minus
.,.7.. a.. have raised phenomenal crops OF P'"S'
,orr osts and cot ION. and in 50 FAR as j. pi"''
oila ,h. college IS 10 be Il self-supPor''"s "''''
tion Nearly all az the professors anu
Southern negroes the descendants OF s'"F'' W
CORY one Of them f. in earnest ana P''"7'u az
the idea OF having college In these par ""
,o,s.I,es and dependent them for It's repui"-
tion. . .,t ,,. ,,r..si-
dent .but believe in the saving virtues o' WI
| Ds, rov for the Southern negro. ana. above "i'
| as t-ffh h.
having sound principles and being Sra'Sn'o' "''
| ,, s,,,.r. I'm their dealings with white men ana
black before they can hope To- advance III the WON
| ! toll tho negro that he must expect I" NV III Wv
! south where he was born and raised ana '''' ~
| &C, u,.. ca as TO prove by his acts that ms Only
ham. f. confined to the limits OF the 9'"''' anu NV
! hl 80, Natiouol aid or National protection "'
| ,-.t,..,l interference IN our behalf teach anu
| rreach always that each state Is soVere's" "'"'
! ts confines having the right 10 manage I9 ''"N
AMI their rights FL politics. business ana P",''
| i .reve that there should be no taxation "'tnou'
| r..,,,otton In, if this representation Is I"
! r ~ ms II can and will come only by the per
mission of the people of each township an" county
| and state that we 1--we among
Il know that this Is not what some o. III! raw
want 10 hear say but consider t'a' ]" -
nnor nhvslcian who having diagnosed the case HhI
| -, -. On the medicine needed. allows the pa
-. 60 t.la tl. remedy that he thinks preiriape.
| teach the young people of TINS college " P''''''
! remedy for the race problem. ana wh"h l"es ~
| hack TO their homes they WIN spread the 'ea'eh'
! fell Them that when the colorel man income
! worthy Of respect and th" laws coi'S'ue''' o' "
! yiu nav. IL whether f. thc North. South OF VIM,
| - -.io, and that II f. needless for MN 10 LOOK
! :, tbe president al Washington to get MN OUT 81
a -crap. unless he first shows some AFFINITY ioi 20,
| ,,,g ont himself or gives warrant 81 creoi'""'
! citizenship wher be- il reinsiaied. Educ.'"I III
! dustry and energf are 10" c'r'-"" ''' " -
ms His are mis- only hope. In fact. ana IN =" la'
49, n. ,ossille with the means AT hand this college
! is going to help him phil upnii.
! Mr. Ainor's philosophy is self taught Iar' o,
h, odrrat,on is also soii-acquired. and doubtless