The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-29
The Pilotnge Question.

| we invite lLleullOu W Ille letIeF duureestu
to Governor Scott, which appears i'll another
column over the signature Northern Ship
owners and Underwriters. It is absolutely
necessary to the existence OF the trade ofour
port that we have trustworthy corps OF
pilots. Ship-owners aud underwriters will
not be willing to allow their vessels to go to
port where il is known that, owing to the
want OF intelligence on the part OF the Com
missiouers of Pilotage, unskiful pilots may
be appointed, and in consequence thereof
vessels and their cargoes may be totally lost
or seriously damaged.
No individual or association OF individuals
can succeed, who employ incompetent agents.
An English statesman once said that Eng
| land could afford to pension imbeciity, but
she could not afford to employ it. But the
Republican party in South Carolina, infatu-
ated by its success at the last election, seems
! to be so impressed with the idea OF its
strength, as to be able to disregard the wise
and prudential example of other govern
ments, and in appointing to office, to look
rather to the political influence OF the ap-
pointee, and his poSerto control votes, than
tc his ability properly to discharge the Of
fetal duties that will be required of him.
Consequently We see in a large majority OF
cases, government offices, under control Of
the Republican party in this State, filled By
individuals not competent to perform the
duties, as the public interests demand they
should be performed.
II we are asked for an instance OF this
kind we will point to the Board Of Port
wardens. This board should he composed
OF experienced captains, mechanics and
merchants. The duties of the board are
to examine and survey vessels and their car
goes arriving in port in u damaged con-
dilion and to assist the captains by their
experience us to what is best to he done for
the interest OF all concerned. The law in
reference to this board (see City Ordinance,
ratified February 3D. 1885, requires two
things:
lst That two at least of the five wardens
must have been masters or officers ofvessels.
2d That no person who is engaged in
ship-building, rigging, sail-making, ship
chandlery, ship smlthery, or other business
directly connected with the repairing or
furnishing Of vessels, shall be eligible to the
office of portwarden.
The propriety of these requirements of the
law is manifest. Without the two ship
masters or officers, there would not be in
the board that knowledge and experience,
about vessels, required to give wise and
judicious advice to the captain. And unless
the wardens were prevented from furnishing
the vessels with the repairs they had recon-
mendel, their judgment could not be expect
ell 10 be fair and impartial, which, affecting
as it does tbs interests OF absen, owners and
underwriters, it ought 10 he. Now. in both
these particulars, as the Board OF Port
wardens Is i'll present constituted, is the law
above referred TO violated No member of
the board has cvec been either master or
officer OF Vessel, aud at least one OF the
board does undertake to repair vessels.
The chairman is the only one on the board
who has any experience in the business of
surveying vessels, and he is not Il member uf
the Republican party. The three colored
members of the board were never known to
have anything TO do with vessels until their
app .intment by the City Council. OF how
much value can their advice be to captain
of a vessel? But it is well known that they
were put in office, not for the benefit OF the
public, but to satisfy the demands OF their
friends who were Influential members OF the
Republican purity
Now, the Republicans will one day, and
that perhaps not far oil, fluid that however
strohS tAey may suppose their party to he,
1t WILL py thepractice of wrong and injustice.
and the sacrifice Of the public good to party
exigencies, become weak and suffer defeat,
and that the employment of iucomue,encv
in office will greatly tend to hasten its
downfall.