The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-07
CHI A R L E S ON
WEDNESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 7, 1868.
In, President. .HURATIO SEYMOUR.
Eor Vrcs. President. .FRAECIS p. BLAIR.
A Matter of Business.

Ths elections which will be held in this
city on Tuesday, the tenth day Of Novem-
ber, should be thought of as matter of
business in which every man in Charleston
is deeply interested. They will not deter
mine the victory of the Democratic princi-
ple, or the downfall of Radical corruption
but they will undoubtedly determine the
fate of Charleston for at least three years
to come. Upon them it will depend whether
the city affairs are to be honestly and
economically directed; whether our COM
mercial policy is to be liberal and progress
sive; or whether we are to sink lower and
lower, until it is out Of the power Of a new
administration in 1871 TO help US out of the
mire.
Business men can understand, and do
understand, that the municipal elections
are of more immediate aud practical con-
sequence to the residents Of Charleston than
any other elections about to take place. The
finances of the city are in such o state that
only the most careful and sagacious man
agemen. can restore our credit and save us
from bankruptcy. A new and strange order
of things has surrounded us with danger
GUS elements, which demand cautious and
delicate treatment. Commercial rivals en-
deavor to steal away our trade, and require
incessant watching And the amount Of
municipal taxation, the behavior and use
fulness of the colored people, and the pro-
gress of our trade, are all governed, wholly
or in part, by the character and policy Of
the Mayor and Aldermen. They can make
or unmake our fortunes; upon them may
be said to depend the value of every day Of
labor, of every kind of business, and of
every inch of land.
No man leaves his doors uubarred while
burglars prowl about. No man fails to in
sure his house because it is not yet on fire.
No man grudges the cost of conducting the
trade by which he lives. If these princi-
plos, plain and simple as they are, be ap-
piled to the city elections, there is no doubt
of our success. But if a man declines to
give up moment of his time. if he refuses
to do those things which are indispensable
in an active municipal campaign, he is
either blind to his own interests, or relies
on being able to pluck the fruit Of safety
from the orchard planted by his neigt5ors.
The nominations for Mayor and Alder
men will probably not be made for some
time to come When they are made, every
respectable man in the community is ex-
pected to work untiringly to make the elec-
ton certain. But before the nominations
ore made, before the decisive day, the ne
cessary organization must be prepared, and
the whole system must be put in thorough
working order This cannot be done with
out time or trouble, and no one should re-
fuse to give to those engaged in the great
cause all the assistance in his power.
Waiting for tomorrow, trusting to something
to turn up, will not make us win the fight.
Each must do what he can, and should
always remember that q refusal, in leopard
izing the public good, may lead to the de-
struction of his individual snd personal
prosperity.