The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-09-26

doubtful In fact We do not believe
ANYTHING of the kind. But We can
readily understand that even admit
ting the correctness of the PROPOSE
ton that the governor is not endors-
ed by majority of the voters, it does
not necessarily follow that his de-
feat would be an easy matter. we
think rather that the secret of his
strength lies in one of two things.
Either he stands for something of
which the people believe, or he is be-
ing supported as protest against
conditions of which the people do not
approve. And whether it be one thing
or the other, there must be intelligent
comprehension of the problem before
there can be reasonable hope for a
satisfactory solution.
That Judge Jones is an able man,
there is no question, nor is there any
question of his character or fitness
for the position as compared with the
character and fitness of any man who
has held the Office for a great many
years past; but let no man deceive
himself into believing that the judges
action in resigning his high position
and announcing as a candidate for
governor is altogether a matter of
disinterested patriotism. Don't get
the idea that the mere desire to Sc
cure the honor of this high Office fig
ures, because there are few men who
would hold the governorship to be
higher than the chieS Justiceship. Be-
hind it all there is reason that seems
to be more practical. From the ma
ture and character of Bleaseism, as it
is commonly understood, no one would
think that the leaders of it would be
content to stop with control of the
executive department alone. Certain
ly in the light of the very serious spat
between the governor and chief JUS
tice last winter; no one can doubt that
if the governors star grows brighter,
the star of the chief justice would be-
come more dim. The general assembly
to be chosen next summer will elect
a successor to the man who succeeds
Judge Jones, and had Judge Jones re-
manned in Office, and should the legis-
lature to be elected next summer be
Blease legislature, it is quite certain
that Judge Jones would not have been
his own successor. That a man of
Judge Jones's experience and percep-
ton could see this is too plain for any
thing, and in this view of the case it
would certainly be monumental idiocy
for the Judge to remain inactive and
perish miserably like fox in hole
rather than come out in the open and
make the fight of his life like the man
that he. is.
As to whether Judge Jones can be
elected, We are unprepared to say. 1t
depends in a measure, we think, on
the answer to the uestions we have
asked above, and perhaps in still
larger measure upon the energy and
intelligence that his friends and the
opponents of Mr.. Blease exert in his
behalf But, the people who think it
will be a win in a walk, hands down
race are going to be badly mistaken,
in our judgment. If there is to be
success, there must be no undertaking
of the strength of the opposition, and
there must be no leaving of the bur-
den Of the fight to the newspapers.
There are lots of good men who are
not yet thoroughly aware of the fact,
but this is an era of intensely practical
politics in South Carolina, and folks
who are disposed to rest easy in their
sweet and abiding faith that right al
ways wins through it's own power,
without assistance, are liable to be
Jared into 4 surprising realization Of
the fact that perhaps after all, right
may have been on the side of the 9TH
er fellow.