The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-06
A Fresh Start. :


The Presidential election is over, and the
neople turning their gaze from the Wnlrls
and eddies of the political current, are az
liberty to devote themselves to the Work Oh
making an honest living. This "honeSS
..liying" is q convenient phrase OF wonder
iul elasticity. Apart from the wide dlheri
epce OF opinion as to what honesty is, ana
whether the so-called "tricks OF trade are
violations Of: the moral law, there are no
tvomen who agree in their idea OF what an
"hopest living +" Is. The Astors and Van
derbilts understand it as au encouragement to
add millions to their millions. Others, Like
him OF whom the Autocrat Of the Breakfast
Table wrote, think that ga brown sIone
.yront will do.n Another set, whose sweets
of life never cloy, following the pattern OF
Hoods school-boy, never say salts TO the
Jam. But poor folk, such as constitute the
large majority of the population OF this
State, are satisfied II, by persistent labor,
they can make tongue and buckle meet,
kesp the wolf from the door, clothe wife and
children, and provide "hog and homlny, !"
with slight variations, all the year round.
This. can only 10 done by hard work; and
high and low, gentle and simple, will Work
the better now that the turmoil OF the eiec.
tIon Is passed. :..9. ;.
And IN this State there is needed not only
labor, but concentration Of labor. The old
fashion OF adding tract to tract will moi
answer in these days. It is the com:
paratively small plantation, thoroughly
titled, which pays. There are farmers 10
this State who bave made money during
the past three years, simply because 1t 80
happens that there was no land to be bought
adjoining their plantations. A few hun
dred dollars, the fruit Of one seasons labor,
we're put into fertilizers and farming imple-
ments. Money and work were concentrated
upon the original tract, and the result iS
large and increasing profit 1t was acci'
dent that brought some OF these farmers
into the right path, but they see the Wis
dom Of what they did, and they will keep
to it.
After all, politics, talk as We may, cannot
be wholly excluded from the calculations OF
the active and progressive citizen. AS long
as politicians frame laws and levy taxes,
every member Of the community is inter-
ested iu their proceedings. The pipelsyers
and wire pullers make politics the business
OF their lives; and II the mess OF the clti-
zeps would extricate themselves from the
slough they must, in some particulars, treat
politics as business matter. In South
Carolina no political principle is involved In
the State or the municipal elections. The
struggle is to obtain honest and intelligent
oficIals-that Is everything. What is bu-
siness.like view to take Of this question: I
Just this, to systematize the matter and lose
no opportunity Of casting vote for an hon.
est man and against thief Organization,
on the broadeat and most liberal basis, Is
sorely needed. The public enemy has his
rulers OF tens, and Of hundreds, and OF
and the rank and file bllndly
follow their leaders. The Conservatives are
a political rabble, who know their weakness
and will not even take the trouble to poll q
full vote. Organization will make them feel
strong, and that feeling will give them
strength. It Is not too early to begin right
now-the city election takes place In less
than year. ..ha -
: But this is drifting into political talk,
while the intention was to congratulate the
public upon having short srrcease from
the strife and heat of party warfare.