The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-14
Parties and the People.

The political sky lis serene. For some
months there should be cessation OF the
party strife, which, during every important
canvass, convulses the State, encouraging
animosity and uniting the public mind for
steady devotion to the practical business
of life. This may be nothing more thap an
armed truce. Again may the Radical lead
ers, as they have done for three years, ill
the offices OF the State, from high to low,
with fellow.thieves OF willing dupes. And
yet something is already gained. There is
break in the line. For the first time knot
Of respectable Republicans have refused to
be bound by party nominations, because the
candidates were notoriously unworthy OF any
higher place than cell in the State peniten-
tiary. At the time Of the Municipal election,
short ten days ago, they spoke out
fearlessl.-, and the good words uttered in
Charleston are, to our agreeable surprise,
echoed back from Columbia. The Union,
OF that city, is no less candid than its
Charleston contemporary, and in its issue OF
Friday last seeks to teach ga useful lesson
to its dispirited party. 1t says:
$50 long as politics are managed in this
way-for the benefit of the few at the expense
of the many-there will be nothing but dsas-
ter to the party 30 operating. The time has
gone past when any man is good enough for
an Office. The times demand good men and good
measures, and these will be secured, even ifit
cost the defeat OF every political party. In
the case now before us the attempt was made
to run politics into everything, even to school
officers; and 1t was not until the latest mo-
ment, when compelled by force of public opin-
ion, that any concessions were made to those
who desired the best men for municipal Offices,
without regard to their political affiliations.
We have repeatedly asserted our belief that 1t
was impolllIc and unwise to drag politics into
local affairs.
1T is matter Of the smallest importance to
US whether the Mayor and Aldermen of this
city or the county officers are Democrats or
Republicans, so that they manage the affairs
entrusted 10 their care in the interests of all
concerned.
"These places should be filed by the best
men without regard to party, and until this Is
done there Will always be more or less trouble
with our local and city affairs. Other things
being equal, we should always vote for Be
publican in preference to Democrat; but
where principle Is not involved, we should
prefer and would vote for competent, intelli-
gent Democrat, before we would for an igno-
rant, incompetent Republican, white or black.
While we candidly and honestly hold these
opinions-aud should circumstances demand
would carry them out to the fullest letter-We
are also quite confident that our Democratic
friends, although they loudly preach this eoc-
trIne to us, would find it very difficult to
break from their party lines and support Re
publican, II he were ever 30 competent and
well qualified for the position to which he
might be nominated.
Their doctrine Is that Democrats are always
better fitted for public office than Republicans
are, and yet We know many Democrats right
here In this city for whom we would not vote
under any circumstances. There are also many
Republicans of the same stripe, who never
would be elected to any kind of an office by
our vote or assistance. We ignore such men,
whether they belong to one party or to the
other. But when it comes down to question
of principle, then we believe in supporting
those who hold the same principles as we do.
This question, however, seldom, If ever, enters
into local affairs, and hence we say, support
| the best men for all such Offices.
"Public officers are nothing more nor less
| than agents of the puohe, to whom Is entrust-
ed the management of public affairs. Why
should not these officers be equally as intelli-
gent and capable as those whom one would
NATURALLY select to manage his private business
What would be thought of business man who
| would go into the street and pick out the most
| ignorant, sunlettered man he could find and
entrust to him the management of flonrishinc
business, in which tens Of thousands Of dollars
| were involveds Such 8 person would be adj
Judged incompetent to take care Of his own
affairs, and would probably find himself the
subject OF judicial investigation, and finally
bring up in luuatic asylum. And yet this is
| just what many politicians expect the public
to do. Legislators and school and county
officers should be the best men in the State;
but unfortunately for US such is not the case,
at least in this State"
Apart from the gratuitous fling at sour
Democratic friends" nothing can be
fairer than this; no line Of policy would
moro surely bring parties to their true
level as the exponents Of opposing prin-
ciples, giving to the State honest and
capable officials whichever side was the win
ner. This is rational doctrine. The Con-
servatives can bear defeat with good grace,
il their successful antagonists are worthy OF
public confidence. And Radicals, as in the
case IN Charleston, may almost rejoice in the
success OF the Conservatives, when that suc-
cess gives to all the people an infinitely bet
ter government than q Radical victory
would have given them. In other words, it
is the duty OF every political party to choose
as its champions its purest and ablest men,
The contest then can be raised above the