The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-05-11
GAVE A GOOD TALK

V44 ~ ~ SSS~ Ab94SAA
MILLER CITES SOME FACTS ON
THE NEGRO COLLEGE.
Reviews History Of Institution, Its
Hard Fight for Existence and the
Success Attained.
In, bidding farewell to- Orangeourg
and the State Ceiored College. We'd
nesday, President Thos. e. Miller,
who has been its efficient President
since it's establishment, reviewed
briefly his connection with the Col
.1ege, his efforts to secure its estab-
fshment and the struggle he has en-
countered in the administration of
the presidents Office.
In the course Of his address he
cites some facts that will be OF gen.
.eral interest to the people OF both
races. It is recalled that R. S. WI.
.kinscn was recently elected to sue
coed Miller. The full text Of Presi-
dents Miller's address is as follows:
Sixteen years ago the Constitu-
tional Convention met for the pur-
pose of. disfranchising the negroes.
It was composed of not less than
one hundred and sixty members, all
of whora save six were OF the white
race. sanalls, Whipper, Wigg, Reid,
Andersen and myself were the Re-
publican members. The six OF us
managed, by a brave end bold fight
to secure for the negro race this
College.
"Abcut eighteen years previous
two neeres. Bruce Williams and Thos.
E. Miller, made it possible, by their
votes and voice, for the South Caro-
lima College and the grand old Clta-
del to be restored to the white youths
OF the State. That was bitter fight
between the Hampton faction and the
other Democratic faction. The OPP
position to those two colleges had
q major ity of two in the State senate:
It required the votes Of Senator
Bruce Williams and myself to max e
It a tic. The tie was secured, and
that grand commoner, Gen Kennedy,
voted with US; the tie was broken
and these institutions were once
more made the shrine Of learning to
and for the white youths Of the State.
At that time the faction led by Gen.
Hampton promised US this College,
but 1t was more than eighteen years
before I was able to force the white
people Of South Carolina to redeem
that pledge. Some day 1 will give
the people of our State a full history
of how I won this College in the
Constitutional Convention for my
people.
II had no intention Of becoming
president, but could not have secur-
ed the school for my people without
leaving active political life. I made
the sacrifice; we have had the Col
lege these fifteen years. The past of
its existence Is secure; the verdict
of our people is that we have done
we'll; we have made good in this
College. We have matriculated more
than 10000 students; we have grad
uated more than 700, and those who
have attended here have gone out in
the world Industrious, prudent, sue
cessful citizens. We never left God
out of the equation in the manage
ment Of this school. The College, s
motto Is: The Glory of God and the
Good of Man. by the sweat of
thy brow thou shalt eat bread is
the command Of God, and our aim
here las been, and Is my fervent
hope ever will be, to inculcate Into
every and all OF our students moral
rectitude, lofty idea OF patriotism,
thrift, obedience, frugality and a
-clinging devotion to the Golden Rule.
every many presidents have only
to look to the government and man.
agement OF the 'Coiiese: and their
task should be; easy; but. mine has
been a duplex administration. When
I came here some of the white peo-
pie of the State were against the
higher education of the negroes. The
negro denominational colleges were
fighting us and the one across the
fence, through its president, vowed
our humiliation. Hence, it became
my lo& to so act and speak as to
show to the white people of this
State, that it was, and Is their duty to
plant, support, protect and maintain
this Institution for the negro youth.
l had to prove to the negro that the
best school in South Carolina is this
school. Then. again, was surround
ed in the beginning by cabal of
--oooLo poon1ty uybn n