The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-06-25

mitted.
Another reason which our recent
experience with the legislature made
us urge the life trustee idea strongly
was the fear that board wholly con-
trolled by political influences might
warp and twist the college from its
purpose and finally cause it to drift
back to the ordinary literary type.
We were anxious to keep down the
danger Of negro domination Of the
school and at the same time to pre-
vent the prostitution Of the institu-
tlon to ends not intended by its foun-
er. None Of the life trustees were
known to Mr.. Clemson, except the
three men who were then advising
with him. Cols.' Simpson and Nor
ris. living in the neighborhood, were
we'll known to him. [ had never seen
him before. and never saw him after
ward. MessrS. NJ. L. Donaldson, John
E. Wannamaker and J. E. Bradley,
all of whom had been prominent III
tthe agitation for an agricultural col-
lege, were suggested and accepted by
Mr.. Clemson, and Col. Bowen, prom
iment farmer Of Pickens coun-
tv, whom I had never seen, was the
seventh man.
It is we'll to note the personnel OF
the original seven life members and
to remember that at that time there
we're no factional differences in the
State. It happened in the alignment
in 1890, three Of these men were my
supporters and three were not, and 1t
is worth remembering that in filing
vacancies caused by death among the
life trustees since that one "reform-
err and two "conservatives' have
been chosen.
No political influences or feelings
were considered Or involved in the
selection of trustees then or since, and
while at times there have been. some
political differences among the seven
life trustees, I do not feel that l am
speaking too strongly to say that no
one of the seven has ever allowed his
political bias to influence him in the
slightest in any action affecting the
college or its organization and man
aeement. Those who are trying to
inject politics into its management
now are no friends to it and never
have been.
The establishment Of the agrlcul-
tural and mechanical annex IN Colum-
bia and two experiment stations had
caused the separate school agitation
to die down, but it was only smould-
ering. The fire was not extingulshed.
| The farmers movement association
continued to hold its annual meetings,
and reiteerate its demands.
Mr.. Clemson's will had become
noised around among the leaders and
J his death, April 9Th, 1883, with the
knowledge, that there was a large
plantation and 100000 in cash for the
purpose for which we had been strlv-
ing, was the signal for reviving the
demand for the farmers for separ-
ate college in full vigor.
In the meantime another State dem
ocratic convention had been held IN
1888, in which the battle between the
farmers and the "ring' was renew
ed; the people we're becoming aroused
to the necessity Of political organlza-
tion and control Of the democratic
clubs. The court house "rlngS"
found their hitherto undisputed sway
! ieopardized in many counties and ov-
erthrown in many others. so that IN
the convention Of 'SS nothing pre-
vented Richardson 5 defeat except the
fact that the man whom we had chos-
en- to oppose him. Jos. H. Earle. was
under pledge to support Richardson 5
denomination, and his name was with
drawn after the balloting began by
his own brother, one of the delegates
from Greenville. Nevertheless we
came within dozen votes Of VIC
tory. without even having candl-
date. The struggle then turned to the
control of the legislature, and IN the
primaries the opposing factions were
aligned; over the question of accept
inc or refusing to accept the Clemson
bequest. It might as we'll be UNDER
stood that the friends and support
ers of the South Carolina college and
the Citadel. the two then existing
State institutions Of learning. we're
bitterly opposed to the separate agr1-