The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-09-18
aRsENyrLLE AND cHIcoaA.
A Statement About the College and
Its Proposed Removal to Laurens.
The City's Position.

On July Q last, large party of
prominent citizens, living in the city
OF Laurens, came into Greenville by
night, for purpose-as it develop
ed later--a very definite purpose.
Good business men OF Laurens, as
elsewhere, do not go off at tangent
and seldom do they go on a wild
goose chase" They usually pursue
definite object, and have obtained
from some source assurance, or at
least strong basis of hope, for ul-
innate success in their undertaking.
The people Of Laurens knew when
this committee of it's citizens came
to Greenville that the object of
their visit would meet with a def
mite support from certain Of the
membership of the board of trustees
of Chicora college, or they would
not have come.
Greenyille, on the other hand, had
not the remotest reason for thinking
that any matter of so grave import
ance and radical nature as the re-
moyal of Chicora college from her
midst would be even considered.
much less taken up and concluded.
What reason did the nine trustees
less than a third Of the entire
board-have for forcing their views
upon the other members of the
board?
They took such action as no board
OF directors Of a business organiza-
ton would have considered for a
moment.
No previous notice was given that
the question of removal to Laurens
was to be considered
TO claim as the motive, that they
were prompted sorely by their de-
sire to- free the college from debt is
puerile for moments thought
would convince any thinking man
that greater profit could be real
lied by a different mode of "sell
ing-out." Laurens though and Laurens
only, was TO be considered. Neither
Greenville nor any other city of South
Carolina was to be in the running.
The proposition to Laurens from
nine out of total of % trustees
but the nine constituted majority of
those present at that meeting of the
board-was something like this:
Raise $4,000 in cash or good notes;
secure suitable site in your midst
and then we Will eXpend the money
you raise in your own town; bring to
you about 100000 that we think will
be left after the payment of existing
debts, and placing behind these the
prestige and support of all the Pres
oyterians of South Carolina, we will
give you splendid thing; and no
other town in the wide, wide world,
not even Greenville. would be allowed
to get in the way of Laurens.
or course Laurens took up their
offer.
Not to have done so would have
been a discredit to their intelligence
and business acumen for all time.
Genuine S. gold pieces at the rate
of about dollar and a half each will
always be bargains.
The alienation of the more than
200 Presbyterians Of Greenville, to-
gether with hundreds in other parts
of the State, from Chicora-and this
alienation would be justified in the
minds Of all who understand the case
is OF no moment to these nine men.
Nor does 1t seem to matter that the
almost vindictive fight some men
who are connected with other
of the churches institutions are max
Ing, have engendered anfmosities
that may reasonably be expected to
adversely affect these places.
The fancied injury to Laurens must
be salved, though South Carolina
Presbyterianism is sorely wounded in
its application.
Practically every dollar in net value
vested in Chicoras property has been
put there by Greenville. Every one
agrees that there is good margin
between the indebtedness on the
college property and the actual value
of the property.
The president of the college is
quoted as saying. there seems to be
no reasonable ground to doubt that
given little time and the property
properly handled would bring not
less than $150.0O0."
1t is probably safe to assume that
this reference to value, only includ-
n ~