The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-27
TALK WITH JUDGE JONES,
NEW CANDIDATE FOR GOVERN.
OR GIVES OUT INTERVIEW
The State Is Facing Crisis in
Which His Duty is to Respond TO
Calls for His Services.


by a, representative Of that paper
who was sent over to Lancaster to
interview Judge Ira 3. Jones. Most
of the article is given to a review
OF Judge Jones career and, to faCts
about his family. What there is Of
the interview proper will be found
in the following:
MY candidacy for the goverorship,
said the chief justice, "came from
the Spartanburg Herald, and l APP
preciate the fact very much. Spar
tanburg is a great country and grea.
city. / know number of your peo-
pie very WE'LL but I shall become
very much better acquainted with
many of them. / hope"--with a sig
nificant smile-"within the next
year."
Il am not one Of those who be-
lieve that the newspapers have lost
their influence-don't put ne down
as any such fool as that-but I guess
you had better not use that word.
The newspapers have tremendous
influence consciously or unconscious
newspapers should do" And here
the chief justice raised an admon-
itory finger, much after the style of
the late DR.. James II. Carlisle, and
said; "Be moderate in praise Of their
friends and in criticism Of their
enemies; publish the bald fact, with
just enough comment to elucidate
the situation; and leave to the read
ers the drawing Of their own con-
clusions and the formation Of their
own opinions. This trait the news
papers should recognize, and even if
they do attempt, as they might legit-
imately do, to mould public opinion,
the best way for them to do 1t is
by suggestion, and not by the knock
down-and-drag-ou method. Let the
reader believe that he voluntarily
forms his opinion. The people Of
South Carolina as we'll as those Of
other states. have a cordial dislike
to being driven to do anything.
They feel that they are free, and
they like to exercise their freedom.
And you can't blame them for that
you know"
Asked for his reason for select
ing the first day Of the session of
the general assembly next January
as the date Of the effect Of his resig-
nation Judge Jones explained that
he could not conceive himself as
seeking the governorship, or any
other office, while wearing the Judi
cial robe. 1t was up to him, there
fore. TO resign II he resigned be.
fore the meeting Of the Legislature,
the supreme court would not have
Its full quota Of justices from the
time Of his resignation until the cleo
tion OF his successor and an addit-
ional associate justice to the vacancy
now existing. Under these circum-
stances. attorneys practicing before
the court would have the right to
demand the additional justices, and
" would be the duty Of the governor.
upon certification from the justices
that the vacancies existed, to appoint
a special justice in each case where
this demand was made. If 100 such
cases should come before the court
and the election Of his successor.
Judge Jones explained it would be
necessary for the governor to make
100 separate and distinct appoint
ments, either of the same acting JUS
tice, or Of different ones in differ
ent cases. The power of the COVER
nor TO appoint justice to fill out
an unexpired term pertains only to
portions OF terms less than one year.
Judge Jones term has more than
two years to run after his resgna-
becomes effective.
If Judge Jones had resigned
before the meeting of the
. egislature. which has power to
choose his successor, the court would
have been handicapped by having to
secure appointments Of special
judges by the governor in cases
whore they were demanded by the
attorneys or litigants Interested If
he held on to his present position un-
til nearer the time Of the primary.
he might have been accused of hav-
ing held on 10 the salary as long as
possible. The only practicable time,
therefore. was for him to resign at
the earliest possible time at which