The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-09-20
Will MAKE RACE
Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court viii
Oppose Governor Blease,
URGED TO ENTER FIGHT
The Hon. Ira B. Jones Quits His High
Office to Seek the Nomination 10:
Governor Of South Carolina
Against Governor Blease IN the

Governor Of South Carolina
Against Governor Blease in the
Democratic Primary Next Year.
A special from Lancaster to The
News and Courier says the pressure
brought to bear on Chief Justice Ira
3. Jones from all parts OF South Car
ol;na to become a candidate for GOV
ernor has been so great and the ar
guments employed so convincing that
the eminent jurist, intensely patrl-
otic citizen, and Christian gentleman,
has determined to enter the race, and
accordingly on Monday, Judge Jones
forwarded to the Governor his resig-
nation to take effect on January 9
next. Tuesday the Chief Justice gave
out the following statement to the
Lancaster News:
"you are authorized to state that
il Providence permits will certainly
be candidate in the primary next
August for nomination as Governor.
The announcement Of Chief Justice
Jones candidacy will be received
with much interest in the State.
Resigns His Office.
The following letter was received
Tuesday by Governor Blease at his
Office in Columbia:
Lancaster, S. C. Sept. II, 1911.
Hon. Cole L. Blease, Governor, CO.
lumbia, S. C.-Dear sir: I hereby ten
der my resignation as Chief Justice,
to take effect, January 9, 1912.
Very respectfully, Ira B. ones.
Calls Blease's Bluff.
The forwarding to Governor
BleaSe an Official statement Of his
resignation as Chief Justice, and
within twenty-four hours the def
mite announcement that he would
enter the race for Governor next
summer, place Chief Justice Ira B.
Jones as the first certain candidate
to test the issue with Governor
Blease for the Gubernatorial term OF
1854 Mr. Jones has taken the
stand which Governor Blease recent
" in Charleston declared he would
not take, and has taken the risk Of
being the ''stateman without a job,
which the Governor said he would be
should he resign his position as Chief
Justice of the South Carolina Su-
preme Court.
The resignation and announcement
have been rumored in various quar-
tiers of the State for several weeks,
but they come as a complete surprise
even to those who have been expect
ing his candidacy. BY many 1t has
not been considered that he would re-
nnquish the highest judicial office in
the State, of which he may have been
certain for life, at a salary equal to
that Of the Governor, in order to be-
come a candidate for the Executive
Office.
Friend of Senator Tillman.
It is universally conceded in polit-
ical circles that Chief Justice Jones
at any time would make formidable
il not an invincihle, candidate for
any Office in the State. He is a prod
uct of the reform movement, one OF
the abiest and most aggressive lead
ers of the warm political fights of
the early '9O's, but his career on the
Supreme Bench has been highly dis
tinguishe6 for fairness and judicial
integrity no less than for scholarship,
learning and ability. The Chief jas
t!ce is a personal as well as a politi-
cal friend of Senator Tillman, hav-
ing identified himself with the re-
form movement in 1890.
In the fall Of 1875 Mr.. Jones re-
moved to Lancaster, where he has
since resided 1t was then a town
without railroad or telegraph facili-
ties. 1t is said that when the future
Chief Justice reached Lancaster he
had SO in his pocket, and no friends
or acquaintances in the new town.
He is ESSENTIALLY self-made man, in
the best sense Of the term.
In 1890 Mr.. Jones was sent to the
House of Representatives from Ian
caster. He at once took first rank
with the leaders of the reform move
ment. In the house his personality
immediately made itself felt ohe be-
came chairman of the most important
committee, that on ways and means.
A newspaper man who reported the
proceedings in those stirring days re-
Gently said that when Ira B. Jones led
a fight in the House, it was as good
as won. When Speaker John L. N.
Irby was elected United States Sena-
tor, Mr.. Jones was made Speaker.
Elected Associate Justice.
fractional feeling ran very high in
those days. 1t is related that upon
one occasion the house passed a reso-
luton taking out of the hands of the
Speaker the appointment of a free
conference committee unheard
Of proceeding. Speaker Jones at once
threw down the gavel, took off the
purple robe and walked down the
stand. The House apologized to the
Speaker, and he resumed his Office.
On January 80, 1896, while still
Speaker, he was unanimously elected
Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court, showing the respect in which
he was held By his fellow members of
the General Assem- bly,. On anuary %
1902 he was reelected for the full
term of eight years, and his term
would have expired in 1910. but up
on the resignation of Chief Justice
Pope Associate Justice Jones was
elected Chief ustice 10 fill the term
expiring in 1914. He thus had more
than two more years to serve had he