Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-25
THE STORY OF CLEMSON.
TContinued from First Page1.

er type than the UNCONVENTIONAL COL
leees. was sufficient and declared that
there was no need for. another state
college. They had attacked the south
Carolina university after the over
throw of the carpetbas government IN
'76, clamoring against free tuition, put
were unable to prevent its being re-
organized and reopened. They felt
that as the proposed agricultural COL
lese was intended mainly to teach
Door boys along practical lines, II
would prevent many students from at
tending UNCONVENTIONAL colleges and
thus destroy them. The "ring" having
a large number Of the hold-over sena-
tors, the victory for the acceptance
OF the Clemson bequest by the general
assembly was a difficult thing To
achieve, and the deciding vote for the
bill, which had passed the house, yeas
s7. nays 4s, was cast in the senate In
behalf of the acceptance Of the Glenn
son bequest by Lieut.. Gov. Mauidih'
II is we'll to state here that after the
beouest was accepted by the legisla-
ture, Gov. Richardson withheld his ap-
proval by what is known as a pocket
Veto" thus preventing any action look
ing to work on the proposed new COL
leye for two years. The seven hfe
trustees had met at Pendleton shortly
after Mr.. Clemson's death, had organ
lied, signified their acceptance OF the
trust in legal form, and set about get
ting the estate into such shape as to
take the necessary action to carry out
Mr.. Clemson's purpose with or with
out state aid.
The progress of the struggle for
mastery between the two contendins
ideas Of education was watched with
deep concern by all parties interested
in public affairs in the state, and II
became evident that the choice OF GOV.
Richardson's successor would cause
bitter fight. 1t has been the purpose
and work of the ring" to excite dls-
trust of the reformers and to cause
timid people to be very much alarmed
over what was proclaimed as the i'm
pending effort to "split the Democratic
narty." though the friends of the ag-
ricultural college always stood by the
Democratic party organization In eV-
ery county, and when beaten, as they
were in SO and 'Ss, they had moved
to make the nominations unanimous
and smilingly informed their antago-
nists that they would try again.
The movement for the college hac
by this time broadened into many
lines of reform in state affairs, and
the agitation which had acted as
tonic, coupled with the organization
of the alliance, had taught the far
mers their strength, as well as rights
and the means Of accomplishing their
purposes.
The Third Battle.
It is not my purpose nor is 1t neces-
sary to enter into any details concern
ing the hot and bitter political fight
in South Carolina in 1890. The asri-
cultural college was one Of the burn
ing issues in that campaign and the
signal triumph Of the people with the
transfer Of all the funds donated by
the United States government to
Clemson college, the abolition OF the
agricultural department, and the do
nation Of the privilege tax to Clemson
for agricultural and technical educa-
ton are all Of too recent occurrence to
need recapitulation here. The great
work which the college has done Is not
denied by any one; and its future USE
fulness Is sure in spite Of the opposi-
ton Of its old enemies who seek to
undermine and injure 1t, while pre-
tending to be its friends. I would not
have written this story to be publish
ed at this time, leaving 1t to see the
light after I am dead, but the active
agitation now going on in the state
has caused me to feel that it Is my
duty to recall some facts which the
younger generation are unacquainted
with. They will interest all our peo-
pie.
The legal status Of Clemson college
is we'll defined and understood by ev-
cry intelligent lawyer in the state.
The agitation for the change In the
condition has no good reason for its
existence and the friends of the COL
lege will see to 1t that neither old or
new enemies do it any injury.
B. r. Tillman.
U. S. Senate,
Washington, June IS.