The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-06
,.avsd with Good Intentions.

A torrid zone, not Of this earth, whose
name is unmentionable to ears polite is
poprlarly said to be paved with good intcn-
tions; and it is not to be doubted that the
empires in the General Assembly OF the
State are firm believers in their own won
drous nostrums. They are bent on building
up terrestrial Paradise, if legislation will
do it, and may soon set about making all
men +" healthy, wealthy and wise" by
statute as voluminous as the code OF
procedure, and as luminous as the origi-
nal tax-bill. The legislative enthusiasts
appear to forget, if they ever knew,
that there are some evils which even an
act of the General Assembly cannot cure.
Water will not flow uphill, whatever the
laws OF South Carolina may say upon the
subject. There are forces and principles OF
action which no legislation can control, and
it is, perhaps just as we'll that our Columbia
law-givers should convince themselves OF
this fact with the least possible delay. The
only trouble is, that the public patient may
die of inanition while the members OF the
General Assembly are cutting their wisdom
teeth. South Carolina is a great State, we
admit, but trade and commerce in South
Carolina are governed by the identical laws
which govern the transactions OF England,
Germany, France, apd other pettypowers.
,lof,t iS
derful body, we confess, but its wisdom and
knowledge are.not so great that it can afford
to pooh pooh! the practical deductions
which Europe has drawn from centuries of
experience and thought And if our hon.
orable lawmakers and law-breakers would
only take q wider range and look beycad
the borders Of this State we should not be
troubled with the schemes of Mr.. Goodson,
who has introduced bill to regulate the
percentage OF profit which may be charged
upon certain commodities.
The object of this bill ls of course, to
prevent extortion, and to keep down the
market price of articles Of necessity. No
and the poor are to obtain what they need
at the lowest possible figure. The presump-
ton ls that the articles in question are now
too dear: if they are not, there is no room
for legislation. This is plain enough, and
we may now go q step farther, and ascertain
the manner OF fixing the prices OF which
Camplaint is made.
When shop-keeper buys an invoice OF
goods he adds to its actual cost certain
sum which, in his judgment, will cover the
expenses OF his business, and leave him, be-
sides, fair compensation for his own labor
aud for the capital employed. Rent, insur-
,ance, wages, fuel, deterioration of stock,
bad debts, are all taken into account, and
are represented by the difference between
the actual cost OF the article, to the shop
keeper, and the price at which it is sold.
We have only allowed the shop-keeper, be it
observed, far and moderate compensa-
ton for his own work and the use OF bis
capital Even Mr.. Goodson cannot carp at
this. That perspicacious member does not
wish shop.keepers to do business at loss
and live on the profit. ExLortion is to be
prevented; fair profits are to be allowed.
II there were only one store in South Car
olina at which dry goods could be bought; in
other words, il one man or firm had the
monopoly of the trade in longcloths and
sheetings, the fortunate merchant would be
tempted to charge an exorbitant price, and
an act Of the 'Gelsal Assembly might be re-
quired to keep hiafrom growing rich with
the rapidily Ola Radical politician, But
there is no monopoly Of dry goods. All
men are lies; to. sell them. There is an ac-
tive competition and there is ao ertort;on.
Why Because those who want dry goods
will buy them of the house which cuts down
its profits to the lowest point. This, in gen
eral terms, causes all the houses in the trade
to sell their goods at about the same rate;
which is the actual cost with the addition OF
a fair profit, or "a margin, as it is called
in legislative circles. But all the dfy-goods
houses might enter into horrid conspiracy
to, raise prices and fleece the public Grant
ed But, in that case, consumers would
either obtain their goods directly from the
Northern markets, or some enterprlsing
merchant, out of the Ring, would open a
new establishment, sell at fair rates and 40
all the business, unless the Ring abandoned
their fell design and came down to his level.
This makes it clear to the perception oil
mankind in general that, where there is no /
monopoly, the desire Of shop-keepers to
catch Gus s:omers, and the anxiety OF CUSTOM