Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-25

therefore,, Resulted III uisor6duizSu
movement by the farmers to control
the Democratic state convention,
which was to meet in July, 1885, for
the nomination of state officers. Gov.
Thompson had resigned to accept a
place in the treasury under Mr.. Cleve-
land, and Lieut.. Gov. ]. c. Sheppard
had succeeded to the governors Of
flee, and was naturally candidate to
succeed himself as nominee Of the
Democratic convention. He was OPP
posed by Hon. John p. Richardson,
who had been slated for the place by
the political clique which we had come
to consider as the ring"
The First Battle.
The prominence into which I had
sprung, by accident rather than de-
sign, caused those Of my friends In
various parts Of the state who were
supporting my demand for technical
and Industrial education to expect me
to take leading part in the struggle
for the governors Office. was en-
tirely green and wholly lacking in ex-
perience as a manager Of political
forces, but lent what support / could
command to my former school fellow
and friend, ]. C. Sheppard, citizen
Of my own county Of Edgefield. He
In a way was as closely allied with
what was called the ring" as Rich
ardson, and was so considered; but
Richardson opposed the agricultural
college, while Sheppard promised to
support the idea, and this, together
with his own popularity, gave him a
very strong vote, but not enough to
prevent Richardson's success, and he
was nominated by the convention. The
"ring" thus triumphed.
The legislature which was elected
was also antagonistic to the separate
college idea, but the current of feel
ing was 80 strong that the politicians
who were in control of our state at
fairs felt compelled to do something,
with the result that the state univer-
sity was broadened to embrace an
agricultural and mechanical course,
the very thing which I had advocated
at Bennettsville and which had been
disdainfully rejected by the influences
which controlled the Bennettsville
meeting.
The original land scrip fund design
ed for agricultural and mechanical ed
ucation under act Of congress Of 1852
had already been donated, one-haf to
the Clafin university, and the Hatch
fund of $4,000 donated for experiment
tai purposes by the United States
was also given to that college, An Of
.ficer of the United States navy, Lieut.
]. r. Edwards, was detailed to estab-
lish and teach the mechanical course.
His department was installed in the
large brick building southwest Of the
South Carolina college campus, known
as science hall. I will say in passing
that Mr.. Edwards was very worthy
and competent man and as far as could
be done made q fine start In teaching
the mechanic arts, but there were none
or few indications Of any change In
the curriculum or development Of the
agricultural side in the university.
Lands were purchased for experiment
south Of the city, and two other expe-
riment stations were established, one
at Spartanburg and one at Darlington.
The farmers advocated separate col
lege, with one experiment station at
It, supported by the rs cents tag tax
on fertilizers. The establishment OF
three separate experiment stations and
the university gave the opponents OF
the agricultural college great salts
faction, as they believed they had
completely hoodwinked the people and
successfully sidetracked those Of Us
who advocated the separate school
My advocacy Of a separate agricul-
tural and mechanical college which
should be devoted exclusively to tech
nical and industrial training combined
with such a curriculum Of English,
mathematics and the applied sciences
as would give the student long start
towards making living, as soon as he
graduated, had taken deep hold on
the minds Of the farmers Of the state
and also attracted widespread atten-
ton among all classes Of people, CIV
ing me great prominence and popu-
larity.
Meeting With Mr.. Clemson.
I was invited to make speeches In
q great many counties Of the state to
which I had never been, and as oppor-
tunity offered I accepted these and
made addresses, thus extending my ac-
quaintance and knowledge Of condi-
tions throughout the state, and In
creasing the number Of supporters Of
the farmers college idea. Among
those who had been reading the pa
pers and thus becaIme familiar with
the subject was M. Thomas G. Glenn
son, who was then living the life Of a
recluse at Fort Hill, Calhoun's old
home. AS I afterwards learned, upon
visiting Mr.. Clemson at his request,
he had long had in mind the neces-
sity for the state to do something In
the interest of industrial and scientific
education, and on the occasion Of that
visit I went to Pendleton in the fall OF
1886, was met by Mr.. Clemson in his
carriage and carried to his historic
home, Fort HILL" where I spent the
night.
wish I had the faculty Of describ-
ing the appearance of things at the
old home Of John c. Calhoun as 1t then
appeared and contrasting 1t with what
appears at Clemson college today.
Col. D. K. Norris, who had been one
Of my strongest supporters in the ad-
vocacy of a separate agricultural COL
lege and Col. r. w. Simpson met me
at Mr.. Clemson's (being invited by
him to dinner), and the four Of US
spent nearly the whole day In talking
over the new project which Mr.. Glenn.
son had in mind and which he unfold
ed to us. At the time Mr.. Clemson
had made a will, which he showed me,
in which the scheme was outlined to
make Of Fort Hill a sort of Mount