Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-19
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1e, 1911.
TALK WITH JUDGE JONES'.
New Candidate For Governor Gives
Out First Interview.

The Spartanburg Herald of Sunday
contains two column article by rep
resentative of that paper, VINO was
sent over to Lancaster to interview
Judge Ira b. Jones. Most of the arti-
Gle Is given TO review or Judge
Joness career and to facts about his
family. What there Is of the interview
proper will be found in the following:
The first public suggestion OF my
candidacy for the governorship," said
the chief justice, came from the Spar
tanburg Herald, and / appreciate the
fact very much. Spartanburg is a
great county and great city. / know a
number of your people very we'll, but
| shall become much better acquainted
with many of them, I nope"-with a
significant smile-"within the next
year." .-.
IT am not one of those who believe
that the newspapers have lost their
influence-don't put me down as any
such fool as that-but / guess you
had better not use that word. The
newspapers have a tremendous influ-
ence consciously or unconsciously.
I'll tell you what 1 think the news
papers should do" And here the CHIEF
Justice raised an admonitory hnger,
much after the style of the late Dr.
James II. Carlisle, and said: BE mod
crate 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 readers the drawing OF their own
conclusions and the formation OF their
own opinions. This trait the newspa-
pers should recognize, and even II they
do attempt, as they may legitimately
do. to mould public opinion, the best
way for them to do 1t Is by sugges-
tion. and not by the knock down and
drag out method. Let the reader be-
lieve that he voluntarily forms his
opinion. The people Of South Carolina
as we'll as those of other states, nave
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 as to 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 resignation,
Judge Jones explained that he could
not conceive himself as seeking the
governorship, or any other once, whlle
wearing the judicial robe. 1t was up
to him, therefore, to resign. IL ne re-.
signed before the meeting of the legls-
lature, the supreme court would not
have it's full quota of justices from the
time of his resignation until the cleo
tion of his successor and an additional
associate Justice to the vacancy now
existing. Under these circumstances,
attorneys practicing before the court
would have the right to demand the
additional justices, and II would be the
duty of the governor, upon certihcatlon
from the justices that the vacancies
existed, to appoint a special justice In
NH demand
made. II 100 such cases should come
before the court between the date OF
his resignation and the election OF his
successor, Judge Jones explained, II
would be necessary for the governor to
make 100 separate and distinct ap-
pointments, either of the same acting
Justice, or Of different ones in diner
ent cases. The power of the governor
to appoint a justice to fill out an un-
expired term pertains only to portions
of terms less than one year. Judge
Jones's term has more than two years
to run after his resignation becomes
effective.
II Judge Jones had resigned, there
fore, before the meeting of the legisla-
ture, which has power to choose his
successor, the court would have been
handicapped by having to secure ap-
pointments of special judges by the
governor in cases where they were de-
manded by the attorneys or litigants
interested. II he held on to his present
position until nearer the time OF the
primary, he might have been accused of
having held on to the salary as long as
possible The only practicable time,
therefore was for him to resign at the
earliest possible time at which his sue
cessor could be chosen. His resigna-
ton becomes effective on the first day
of the session of the legislature, and II
that body sees fit, 1t can elect his sue
cessor on the same day. That Is
matter which Is up to the legislature.
If one may Judge from the spirit in
which Judge Jones talked, he will not
be a statesman out of a job" after his
resignation, but q statesman very much
ION the job" getting his plans in shape
for the race for governor. For seven
months he will devote his attention to
that task.
"Of course it is sacrifice for me
to give up the position of chief JUS
tice, with the duties of which am rea-
sonably familiar, and which I could
reasonably have expected to hold for
the rest of my active life. And I have
not made the sacrifice without mature
deliberation. have thought the sit
uation over.
THE state of South Carolina has
honored me far more than l deserved,
or could have expected it to do, and l
consider that the state now faces a
crisis. From every part of the state
the call has come TO me to offer my
services. There seems to have been
a uniting in the opinion that 1t Is my
duty to make the race for governor
and while it is a sacrifice on my part,
it is a sacrifice which I shall willingly
and gladly make in return for the hon.
or that the people, through their legis-
lature, have conferred upon me.
Il am in this thing with my whole
heart and energy, and while l have
nothing to give out now as to my plans
or my platform, there will be plenty to
say after the duties of my present Of
flee have been laid aside. Until that
time, l am still the chief justice, and
shall devote myself to the discharge of
the duties of that office to the best of
my ability.
But after Jan. 9, I'll have another
lob, and I'll get on to 1t in earnest"