The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-23
Charleston and savannah.

The strong point Of Charlestonians Is their
modesty. 1t has its advantages, in keeping
them out Of useless squabbles about relative
progress and prosperity; but, in some cases.
it does the city serious injury, as when,
for instance, bashfulness prevents our people
from gainsaylng the gallant Georgians who
make fishing hamlet Of Charleston and a
Liverpool OF Savannah. The opinion seems
to be that il zoe know that. we are making
steady headway, and are surely, IL slowly,
developing every department OF business, it
Is OF little consequence whether the rest OF
mankind think that we are going up hill or
down. But this is big mistake. In these
piping times Of universal pufery, reputation
is more than bubble-the appearance OF
prosperity brings after it the solid reality,
and few years Of increasing trade, we'll
bruited abroad, bring new laborers to the
field, more capital and more Of every ele-
ment Of commercial good fortune. It's to
our interest, therefore, to show Charleston
as she is, and not as our neighbors believe her
to be. And it is equally to our advantage
to satisfy our chronic grumblers that, after
all, this city is not tagging In the race.
Savannah is the chief antagonist OF
Charleston, and, barring the attempt to
turn our flank by buying or leasing our main
line OF communication, the rivalry has been
fair and above board. But the superior I'D.
vantages OF this city, and the skill and en-
terprise Of our railroad managers, are more
II ;shnan Savannah can Withstand. One OF her
own citizens, writing In the Savannah Ne'cs,
admits that trade In his city ''is as dull al
smost as in midsummer. Real estate is
sprostrate, and our young men, clerks, la
.tborers and mechanics, are obliged to leave
ssthe city for want Of employment. The rice
.crop is short and damaged by storms, and
"all the country tributary to Savannah has
"producd less than one-half OF crop OF COT
.ston. This, together aOiM railroad compe-
stision, aoiU probably find as aoim $50, 600
.bales less than aoe receioed last gear. 1t
twill be found that high prices, while they
smay equalize matters with the planter and
"give the same commission to merchants,
twill not give bread to the hosts of laborers,
"clerks and mechanics that are needed to
"handle large crop. Nor will short crop
epay railroad dividends. When these ope-
ssratiyes have no employment, rents cannot
'be met; grocery and dry goods bills cannot
ssbe paid, and the retail stores are shorn ol
'all their profit. Just this is the condition
ssof Savannah at present. Her aohole pros
sperity is ,orapt up in tie cotton trade. Neoer
ssaoas city dependent upon a more preca.
s.rious support"
Now We do not exult because Savannah is
| in blue way. There is room enough fol
both cities. But it is necessary to remind
the public that it is the successful competi
ton of Charleston which nas had most to dc
with the falling off in the cotton trade OF oul
sister port. This is shown by the fact that
the decrease in the gross receipts OF the Gen.
trail Railroad for 1871 was twice as large as
the decrease in the gross receipts of the
South Carolina Railroad; and also by the
fact that the decrease in the receipts
OF cotton at Savannah for the current
year is 50 per cent, against decrease
of 80 per cent. at Charleston. And there
is still more striking difference in
the general position OF the two ports.
Savannah has nothing but her cotton trade.
This is not the case in Charleston. Besides