The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-05-21
COLUMBIA, s. G.
Thursday Morning. May 81. 1874.
Ha.als Not ,ho Unolsan Thing.

party tubu Oy 8oIuS sHto ~ do an Hc-
tive member. A great many persons
in this State have committed the fatal
error of giving indirect aid and coun-
tenancs- to the Radical Government.
When Governor Orr went into ii, he
did it avovadly with the view of open.
ing the way for large following. He
expected to exercise controlling In.
fluenoe in its councils through the
numbers and the policy which he would
introduce into it. His scheme was fall
laoious. It failed in bots, of its aims.
he could not make his compromise
popular, and only IL few followed in
his wake. Once in, he sunk ont OF
view, mere drop in the ocean, with
out influence to mould or direct.
When he broaoksd his reform plans,
he found how hoI Ieless they were, and
how powerless he had become. The
effect was to lose him the confidence
Of the Conservatives in his leadership.
and not to gain it among his new
allies. He fell between two stools.
As public nan, his influence was
gone.
But. failure as it was, his was more
respectable and proper course than
the one many others pursue. They
curse the Radicals to be seen and
heard Of men, but they take care to
haveIit understood in Pickwickian
sense, where otherwise it might do
them harm. They are hand and glove
in schemes with those they revile.
They reap indirect and sly advantages
from specified amount of concession.
These are OF the class of men who
vaunt the policy of fighting the devil
with FIRE, forgetting how easy it is to
get one'aAngers burn. Apretty busi-
nees they have made Of it. They have
not handled pitch without becoming
defiled. They have helped to forge
the chains which now bind the people.
In accepting what may have been to
them some small banefits from cor.
rupt system, il; they have not forfeited
the right, they have lost the will to
overturn it. Their garments are sui
lied. their morale tarnished, and their
standing among honorable men COM
promised. Akin to these are the men
who have unihtentionally bolstered
state of things they are far from ap-
proving. The colored rank and file
have snpplied the voting power, and
the moneyed interests the money power
upon which the foul fabric of the
South Carolina State Government
rests.
We do not allude here TO the money
derived from taxes. We refer to direct
contributions by banks, bankers. mer-
chants and speoulators, of the means
in money, credit, influence and bust
ness association to sustain it. What
would have been its condition as long
as two years ago. but for the timely aid
derived from this SOURCE? The books
of our banks, the lodgers of our mer.
chants, the entries to profit and loss,
If examined, would show transactions
in which the rotten concern got help
ing hand from them when the poor
and worthy were denied it. But suits
at law. by which they find to their
cost thnt public officers whom they
have trusted could only use the fund of
public institutions for certain pre-
scribed and limited purposes, heavy
balances which cannot be paid, except
by doubtful expedients of certificates,
collectabie out OF the next years taxes.
treasury warrants, which are wearing
out III the pocket, have opened their
eyes. They find that they have, at
heavy cost 30 themselves, protructcd
the existence Of miserable spend
thrift and cheat. It is to be hoped
that they have learned wisdom, il they
have not got gain by this experience
The classes we have mentioned huve
done harm in pinniug their faith TO /,
.robbcr government. All have done it
in the recognition they have given it.
We may indulge in tho deiusion that
our problem will work itself out in a