The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-07-09
COLUMBIA, s. G.
Thursday Morning. July 8. 1874. Y

Thursday Sorning. July 3. 1874.
EA<.y Consxderations Bar Out tho Idea
ef Reform.
Dur meaning was obvious enough ir
.ssying, that if Mr.. Chamberlain were
'.sreformer in any just or proper sense
-,afcthe word, he would overturn' the
~szfractures which he has himself assist
sd 30 bnild. What are the structures
with which Mr.. Chamberlain's name
sand services are associated? We have
snot heretofore traced, nor do We in.
s4snd now to trace. with any particu-
31nrity. the record which he has made
sszncs he has been amongst us. We
-AaVe merely glanced at him as he has
appeared IL sege.e! public positions.
= l14.s was Attorney. General Of the Stats
he was member of the Advisory
Board OF the Land Commission and Of
saher Financial Board, and he belonged
Ito the Sinking Fund Commission.
:Mr. Chamberlain has not lacked for
opportunities to do the State good
service. IT he has done it, we only
ask that it be shown. If he has re-
\ sisted the food-tides of corruption, we
Twill ethe last to deny him credit for
e. But, 80 far as On outsider can see,
he has, with others, been all these long
asazs building the most dangerous and
'iGnsightly structures. His maine is as
.nociated with the large addition-ten
" or fifteen millions. or whatever it is
10 the-bonded debt; with the hypothe-
cation, in part unlawful, in the whole
.sll-adviseds OF the bonds for loans and
sdvanoesin New York; with the fraud
~ulant issue .of conversion bonds,
-and their attempted valuation;
-suith the change in the management
of the Bank Of the State, by which an
=ansniag was made to fraud and the
:squandering of its assets; with the
operations of the Land
Eommission, by which the poor CO.
2ored> people were made victims after
Aheips, Grst made tools. and with the
sorry and unsatisfactory results of the
Sinking Fund Commission. In all
sAhese and in many other transactions,
Air. Chamberlain was part and parcel,
Tor good or for bad. We do not
seharge that he is solely responsible
Gtor ABUSES with which he was con-
sneoted, but he must shoulder his pro-
per share of this responsibility; and
-as.a candidate who desires TO be recog-
nized as standing on the platform of
1eforDa, he must exhibit such oreden-
6ials as will entitls him to ascend it.
The Union Herald is altogether right
,&iu urging that to break down and over
throw the structures to which VIC have
-dinded would be to break down and
's,ssrtorn the Radical party of the
State. Corruption and the party are
Identical. This Radical party can no
.zaere oppose corruption with success
<1han house divided against itself can
<sgfand. Mr.. Cham berlain, no doubt,
,:san- play many parts. He can play re,
.sormer admirably, running according
80 his own schedule. But if he go
against the old evils or the modern
..'wropga, he must 60 against the very
Mfe-blood OF his party. AS he cannot
lbs expected to give his party the coup
~asc grace, and as he naturally would
.siaxink from committing political sui
.-lside, he cannot be reformer in any
pzeper or Just sense. Hence the diff
nslIes of his position as we conceived
1t. and in which conception we are
confirmed by the comments of the
.:Ession- Herald. We may disagree with
,1Sso Union- Herald in other things, but
see are happily in accord with it in this.
.Sr. Chamberlain cannot be o genuine
~heformer, without attacking and seek.
'lRg to destroy his party and himself.
Ehis he cannot, Of course, do, and so
alis reform means, aud can only mean,
.s,othing.
Edward F.. Stokes.
We learn from the Greenville Ncws
.is,nt Edward n Cfokou vbo mon nor,