Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-15
Misellaneuus 8eading.
JONES AT GAFFNEY.
Candidate for Governor Talks to the
Voters Of Cherokee.

Candidate for Governor Talks to the
Voters Of Cherokee.
Hon. Ira B. Jones, candidate for
lgovernor spoke to the people of Cher
oke last Monday afternoon. There was
a large crowd present and there was
considerable enthusiasm. Following is
a summary Of Judge Jones speech as
sent to the Greenville Piedmont:
| His address proper, he began with a
short review Of his record, touching
upon the fact that he had served his
state in every capacity with the excep-
ton Of the branch to which he now
aspires. He showed that he. had
served in the legislature, Of which he
was speaker of the house for some
years, had served on the constitutional
committee which drew up and framed
the constitution under which South
Carolina Is now governed, as associate
justice Of South Carolina, and lastly
as chief justice of the state for three
years. He then took up his reasons
for making the race and touched upon
why he was casting aside an Office Of
such power and emoluments as that he
recently resigned, to make the race
for that Of governor. He stated that
one man had said that .he was the
biggest fool in South Carolina" for
taking such a step. He said that II
one chose to regard the office as mere
ly LOB" that he was indeed fool,
but that he considered 1t a sacred
trust that the people Of South Caro-
lima had impaired to a man and that
he was here, not seeking a job, but
seeking to strike blow for the state
Of his birth. He quoted the reference
of Governor Blease "a statesman with
out job" and he acknowledged that
such he was. He said that he "is a
lawyer without a case" but that just
now he is on mighty big job and
said that there was no petty malice
in his makeup and that the report to
the effect that he was making the
race for the office purely out Of spite
against the spresent governor on ac-
count of the chief executives treat
ment of the supreme court was fool
ish. He said that no man would throw
away an Office such as he had held to
crafty spite. He 'is actuated with q
burning desire to redeem South Car
oliua of Bleasism."
Mr.. Jones said that the report was
going the rounds that he was the can
didate Of the aristocracy, and that he
was not a friend Of the poor man. He
said that his parents were not aristo-
Gratis and that he was not, that the
name Jones" should be sufficient
proof Of this. He Is battling for good
government and has left his high
place to put up fight for moral and
better South Carolina He said that
he was in the fight to the finish. That
God Almighty hated a gutter and that
the name of Jones could not be asso-
ciated with that Of gutter. He said
that he had been in the legislative and
judicial branches of the state and that
as Blease seemed to want to run both
these departments and the executive
department as well, that 1t would be
better to put man in the place who
knew something of how to run the
different branches. He said that the
state at large would attest to the fact
that Jones knows how"
He next took up the numerous fights
Of the governor with the different
state departments and showed that
the present governor now has prac-
tically every department Of the
state against him. He touched on the
sights to the judges by Blease and
characterized Blease's action in re-
gard to the legislature as being lash
es on the backs of these men," He
said that the team Of South Carolina
was now pulling apart and plead for
a restoration Of harmony. He touch
ed upon the difficulty which arose be-
tween the governor and the supreme
court, and outlined his part Of the
disagreement. He said that the gov
ernor took oath to appoint the judges
upon recommendation Of the legislature
and that this applied as well to the
supreme court or chief justice Of the
state, and therefore the governor had
violated his oath when he refused to
make the appointments of the judges.
He said that some people thought that
he would be unable to carry his own
county, Lancaster, but that when he
got through, those people would think
la steamroller had passed over them.
He pointed to the incident Of Horny
county, where Blease refused to ap-
point a special judge and said that the
governors claims to economy would
not stand before the fact that he had
caused the people Of that county to
lose probably $500 by delaying court.
He characterized the action Of the
governor in this instance as being
"stupendous folly" He next took up
the case that occurred In Richland
county. A negro was charged with
heinous offense in that county. Jones
appointed special judge to try the
case, the trial was held, the negro
found guilty and executed. Yet Blease
refused to pay the special judge, and
struck out the appropriation Of $40 for
this purpose. And yet he says that
the negro who lays his hands on a
white woman, the quicker he is put
under the ground, the better" said
Mr.. Jones.
Next he took up the course Of the
governor in regard to pardons why
have you these court houses, these
jails, these juries and solicitors?" ask
ed Mr.. Jones. What are they for II
the governor will straight way pardon
any who may be convicted?" Sym
pathy," said Mr.. Jones, ''is all right,
but the duty Of the governor Is to in
vestigate cases, see whether or not In
the Judgment of men the pardon
should be granted and not be carried
away by sympathy" He said that the
governor was a great trustee for the
state, and that South Carolina placed
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