The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-15
1IjLlLMAN TALKS
Makes Speech to the Graduates Of Glen.
son College aud Creates
AN AFFECTING SCENE

to EstabIish Clemson College,
Which Has Ever Been Near to His
Heart-Eighty-Seven Young Men
Receive Degrees.
The graduating exercises of Glenn
son College which took place Tues
day, were of unusual interest. The
events were the splendid address to
the graduating class by DR.. James 4.
Patterson of the University of Ken
lucky, the powerful speech Of Alan
Johnstone to the graduates, the eio
quent short speech of w. D. Evans In
presenting the trustees medal for
oratory to M. w. Call Of Marion,
the remarkable ovation given Sena'
tor Tillman when he presented the
D. X. Norris medal given to the best
all-round man in the graduating class
to A. M. Salley Of Orangeburg.
The exercises were most gracefully
presided over by President Riggs,
| who seems to be the right man in
the right place at the head of Clem-
son. The graduating class this year
consists of eighty-seven young men,
who 20 out into the world well
equipped for the battle of life. The
college has closed the best year in
many respects, in it's history. Sen
ator Tillman was present and made
speech to the graduating class. 1t
was great day for Clemson, abound
ing in many pleasing and memorable
Incidents.
One of the most notable Of these
was the affecting scene when Sena'
tor Tillman stod waiting for the ap'
plause to subside, covering his face
with his hands to hide the tears. and
in a voice choking with emotion be-
gan a characteristic speech, in which
he told Of being forbidden by his
physician to make an address, He
reviewed his career briefly, telling OF
the vision he had in 1885 when ne
offered resolutions at the grange
meeting in Bennettesville which were
defeated, calling for department OF
agriculture at the university, and OF
his subsequent letters advocating the
establishment Of separate agricI--
tural college. FIe said few men live
| to realize their dreams, but he mad
lived to see more at Clemson and
Winthrop than he had ever dreamed
There were occasional flashes OF
the old time fire and force in the
senator's address and the audience
listened in rapt attention. Never has
such a ovation been given man al
Clemson as greeted the senator when
he, seemingly unwillingly sat down
He stood the fatigue of speaking very
we'll, and seemed supremely happy
Senator spoke as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen: My ply
sician has forbidden me to make a
speech, but l cannot on this occasion
refrain from expressing to YOU my
great pleasure at being here. and
above all, to return to you thanks
for the heartiness Of your welcome
I shall not take long, but there are
some things 1 think ought to be
said, and if my strength holds out
will attempt 70 say them. Our
honorable president Of the board. OF
trustees has spoken of Mr.. Clemson s
dream and of his vision years ago.
also had a dream and vision, and
will tell you of it. In 1885, twenty,
six years ago. the 5th day of next
August, attended the Joint meeting
of the State Grange and State Agri'
cultural Society at Bennettsville, In
Marlboro county. I offered a series
of resolutions there, which were moi
/ adopted by the meeting but the
speech I made on this occasion mel
with such a spontaneous outburst. OF
approval from the assembled farmers
Of the State, that I felt sufficiently
encouraged to march forward along
the line 1 had marked out.
"That fall ! wrote a series OF let
ters for the News and Courier, which
was then the leading paper of the
State and reached almost every farm
house. In these articles I advocated
q different education from that which
We had in the State. l urged the
establishment of a separate college
although the Bennettsville resolu
ton had only demanded that the
Legislature establish department
in the University of South Carolina
which would be devoted to agTicul
ture and mechanical arts and tt
which women would be admitted.
have see. the time when l would en-
joy very much talking to you.
have addressed thousands and hun
dreds of thousands of my fellow cit
izens in this and other States. ant
enjoyed the stimulus of a large au
dience, but my mind will not RESPOND
to my will as it once did.
"I will go on and tell you about m!
vision. I dreamed that there ough
to be college for boys and girl
that would equip them for the battle
of life; college where the studie
would be not only Latin and Greel
and the classics, but snch as woult
prepare d man to make his bread ant
butter. had vision not of thi
school, but of something like it; no