The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-27
The Wisdom OF a Compromise at the
City Election. no

The trade and commerce of Charleston are
| steadily increasing in volume; and, notwith-
standing the adverse effects of political agi-
tation and burdensome taxation, the gene
raj business of the city improves With graft
fying regularity. Nature has done much;
energy and patience must do more. There
are many obstacles in the way, and yet we
are confident that there is a bright and pros
porous future before this community, il
| Charleston can only secure, ut the approach
ing elections, a municipal government which
possesses the confidence and trust OF this
whole people.
Against the present Mayor and Aldermen
we bring no charges Of dishonesty or fraud.
Their election was Of doubtful legality, and
required to be reinforced and confirmed by
special legislation. Their seats were given
them in defiance Of the known and express
| ed wishes OF one-half OF the voting popula-
ton. They did not represent and do
not represent, the white citizens, who
bear the weight OF the city gov
| ernment and control the active and passive
capital of Charleston. 1t Is not surprising,
then, that the Mayor and Aldermen should
have frequently Numbered. They were
elected as party politicians, and were tempt
ed to make the city government a dollhouse
for the rearing Of sprouting politicians. And,
when all the circumstances OF the case are
| considered, it is. matter for congratulation
that the Mayor and Aldermen have shown
any regard at all for the welfare OF the city.
They have proved themselves utterly inca
pable Of dealing satisfactorily with the diff
cult questions connected with the city debt;
but they have, and we admit it freely, large
" reduced the tota. cost Of the municipal
government. When we strike a balance be-
tween the good and the bad, this, at least,
must be counted in favor Of Mr.. Pillsbury
and his colleagues. Nor should we forget
| that some of their number nave been con-
| s~picuous for their conservatism and public
spirit. Yet it must be acknowledged that, as
q body, the present Mayor and Aldermen are
notsthe best possible men for controlling a
city like Charleston, whose finances are
terribly embarrassed, and whose affairs re-
quire to be managed with consummate skill
and discretion. For three years the present
Mayor aud Council have been saddled upon
US. During their term OF Office they have
encountered no ~factious opposition. But in
August the people will have an opportunity
OF removing the officers with whom they are
dissatisfied, and Of giving to the city a gov
ernmentin whose hands all classes, and all
interests, will be reasonably safe.
How is this to be done? There is one
way, and one way only. We must exclude
politics from the canvass. We must aban-
don party politics, and act, as business men,
upon the sound commercial principle that it
is better 10 be satisfied with what can Ger
tainly be had than to take an inordinate
risk with the hope OF greater gain. 1t is
true that in Charleston the Radicals have
only a small majority. They outnumbered
the Conservatives, in 1868, by just about 20
votes, and in the State elections, last year,
they were handsomely defeated. This leads
many persons to suppose that, upon o strict
party, or race, issue, we could, without
doubt, gain a Conservative victory in
August These sauguine gentlemen, We re-
greet to say, are w~oefully mistaken. The
election aCsA. be fair and open. That is GER
tain. There wQ be no violence, no 'ntimi-
dalton. The United States soldiers will take
care of that. And we do not know q score
of staid and responsible business men in
Charleston who would wag y finger, or spend
a dollar, TO help on a political fight. For
their own purposes, the politicians may de-
sire a contest. But the masses of the peo-
pie, as we believe, regard the security and
well-being Of Charleston, which is their "
security and well-being, as infinitely more
important than the local success OF q politl-
cal party. We believe that, if the lines are
drawn, aud a party issue ia made, the Radt-
Gals UtN elect tier candidates. We all know
what that means-Misrule, mismanagement
and more taxation. at the very best, there
would only be- q chance Of o Conservative
victory. And we are satisfied that it is un-
wise in the extreme to. risk the fortunes OF
Charleston, for two years, upon the result OF
q closely contested election. We should de-
serve all the troubles which could be in1lct-
ed upon US if, out of sheer wrong headed
ness, we rejected propositions which secure
the city against further loss, and, If properly
carried out, may he made to give this peo-
pie a respectable and trustworthy govern
meut
Many OF the more intelligent Republicans
are ready to meet us half way. The Radical
paper published in this city proposes, for in
stance, that the City Council be divided, the
Radicals selecting uine Aldermen and the
Conservatives nine Alderlasn; and that the
Radicals, as they have the voting majority,
Select The Mayor. This ID u fair and liberal
offer. IL gives to the Conservatives, without
d contest, all tie representation to ehica
their Uotng strength entities item. Aud II
each party, as suggested, nominate i've can-
didates from its own party, and four from