The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-19
The NPassIxe Policy OF our City Gov.
=. ,srnmsnt-A Little Plain Talk.

The "PassIvo Policy p OF our City Gov
:, .ernmsnt--AL Little Plain Talk.
The cool contempt with which the: Enter
prise Railway Company violates the laws OF
the city is equaled only by the patiens'sub-
mission of the city authorities. Whether
this meekness springs. from weakness, or is
the growth Of that Christian grace which,
smitten on one cheek, turns the other, we
leave to time and the City Fathers to solve.
10 be isrnlurbbed is our normal, condition. We
are accustomed to II, and il only dignity
were involved, we might initiate the City
Fathers and okiss the hand just raised to
.,strike the blow::'n L But there are other and
more important interests at stake.
Il there is any one. conviction firmly es-
tablished In the minds OF our people, it is
that the opening OF the drains last summer
was the cause OF the yellow fever! There is
now repetition Of the cause, and Council
does nothing to prevent repetition OF the
effect. If there was no prohibitory law,
common sense and common prudence would
suggest one. But experience and public
opinion have already crystalized into an Or
dinance prohibiting the dis .rbance OF the
soil after the 18th of June. All that
Council has to do is to enforce the law; and
it must do It, or tacltly admit that the conve-
nience Of, the, Enterprise Railway Company
is superior to- the rights Of the citizen and
the health OF the community ~ -. =.
We have ever been the warm supporter
and advocates OF the Enterprise Railway.
We have never doubted it's right to con-
stract its road; but that right, like all other
rights, is to be exercised according to law,
and in such manner as not to Infringe
the rights OF others. These considerations,
however, seem to have been utterly Ignored
by the Railway Company. It has not shown
the slightest obedience to the ordinances OF
the city, or the least regard for the property,
Pks ths RpgnesS Rsssfs ss he sf e hs
by purchase or capture, it could not have
acted more independently. And Council does
nothing. With Its leading thoroughfares
torn up and rendered impossible, its prop
erty destroyed to the extent Of twenty thou
sand dollars, it's commerce seriously incon-
venienced by theillegal act OF single corpo-
ration, and its laws and authority condemn
ed, the City Council contents itself with an
appeal to the citizens to individually police
the streets until the Railway Company shall
permit, the city authorities to do that which
they are sworn to do, and cannot omit, With
out practically abdicating the power and au-
thority conferred upon them. 1t was scarcely
worth the effort which the community made
to, place the present administration ln
power, if these are the fruits Of success.
II one OF our own citizens had thus vio-
lated the law, swift and sure conviction
would have followed. Are the terrors OF the
law to be reserved for those who placed the
administration in power, and the privilege
OF violating 1t to be reserved exclusively for
those who can possibly influence the Repub.
lican vote? The financial and legal depart.
ments OF the city are already in the hands
OF Republican,. Is the Health Department,
despite the experience Of last year, to be
placedunder similar influences?
The difficulties which surrounded the pres
ent administration have been generally con-
ceded, and there has been every disposition
to exercise iorbearance. and to give to the
acts OF Council the most charitable lnterpre-
tation and the most cordial support. Things
the wisdom of which was more than doubted
have been permitted TO pass without COM
ment, but the Council gravely errs if it
supposes that silence is to be regarded as
an approval Of the past or as immunity for
the future. There is a point at which the
community will cease to sustain and COM
mence to censure, and Council are approach
ing that point, if they have not already
reached it. A timid policy simply makes
friends, strengthens enemies, and ruins all
it touches. A. little, very little reflection
would teach the Council that weak gov
ernment is not only contemplate, but un-
popular.