The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-06-26


and out dispensaried the dispensary's s
daddy, as is shown here by his rec
ord. Now, did Mr.. Thurmond, when
he wrote this letter, know Jones
record, or did he attempt to de-
cieve? For Jones certainly was not
"a strong advocate OF the dispensary,
and he certainly was not a local op-
zionist when he had a right to vote
and give local option to the people,
but he voted to deprive them OF 1t.
When did his conversion to local
option take place? Since he entered
/ the race for governor. Jones may
have been converted about the time
that the house took out of his hands
the appointment of certain commit
tee which had always been appointed
by the speaker, and at the time when
he got very angry and resigned from
the sneakers chair-See house jour
nal 1894, page 552-showing a conf
plete loss Of control Of himself, just
as he did when he got mad because
he could not be governor and chief
Justice both, and resigned the high
and honorable position of chief justice
(which is for a term Of ten years,
at a salary of $4,000 per year, to run
for governor, (Which Is only tor a
term of two years, at salary OF
$4,000 per annum.)
But, he says he is great moralist;
yet, he voted to have a divorce law
in South Carolna-see house journal,
1892, page 235-thus endeavorlng 10
break down the great moral bulWark
which South Carolina boasts so much
of. 1 suppose he has climbed back
on the moral pinnacle, since he could
not make the divorce law, while he
was practicing at Lancaster, in order
that he might make some handsome
fees in the divorce business.
When we were struggling to relieve
ourselves from the eXhorbitant rate OF
interest which was being charged IN
this State, and when the money lend
ers were robbing the people with
usury, Jones was in the speakers
chair, as spaeker of the house OF rep.
resentatives, and when Mr.. Maglll OF
Greenwood moved to reconsider the
vote whereby the house had indefin-
itely postponed the bill to reduce the
legal rate of interest and to prevent
usury, a motion was made to lay the
motion of Mr.. Magill on the table;
Ira B. Jones voted to lay Mr.. Magilfs
motion on the table and thus kill the
bill which would have reduced the
legal rate of interest and would have
prevented usury in this State-see
, house journal, 1894, page 214. Was
Jones representing the moneyed inter-
ests and the corporations then, as ne
is doing today, or was he trying to
help the poor man by voting to allow
usury?
Now, l understand he has gotten
to be a great friend of the poor man;
vet, when we were fighting so hard IN
the legislature to get LABOR law
to protect the poor laboring people OF
this country, Jones voted against the
amendment and in the interest OF the
cotton mill owners and bosses and
against the laboring man-see house
journal, 1892, page 35S. Jones voted
against my motion and with Haskell
to allow the notification of the law
5v working the operatives ITO hours
extra. When did he get converted
into a friend of the laboring man? His
votes do not show it.
There are many other things in con-
nection with his record as a member
of the house of representatives tnat
might call to your attention, but
time will not suffice; however, there
IS one thing that l know he Is par
ticularly proud Of, and know that MS
friends would be very much disap-
pointed if did not give his record on
it; hence, under no consideration
would l overlook it.
When they were fighting so hard
to keep members of the legislature
rom using free passes, Jones voted
for free passes-see house journal,
1891, page 354. The newspapers stated
that Jones had a free pass and
that when he was asked about IT, MS
reply was: Eyes, they offered it to
me and 1 took it, and l will take
part of the road if they will give 1t
to me-" That was all very we'll and
good; but, let's see: Did he have that
free pass in his pocket when he made
the record which am now going to
,ite?, In 1890-see house journal,
1890, pages 76, 80 and 376-when I
introduced a bill to provide for separ-
ate coaches for white and colored
people in this State, Jones voted to
kill the bill and have no separate
coaches. 1t was said to have been the
first separate coach bill ever introduc-
ed in the South. AS to that, l do
not know; but, know that it was the
first, or among the first, ever intro
duced in South Carolina.
, In 1891, when we were again haV-
ing a hard fight, endeavoring to re-
lieve the white ladies, your wives
, your mothers, your daughters and
; your sweethearts from riding in the
same coach, in a seat right next to
, and sometimes jammed up against a
big black negro wench, or a sinking
negro buck, Representative Wigg, a
, negro member of the legislature from
Beaufort county, moved to indefinite
ly postpone the bill, which, Of course,
meant to kill the bill and have no
separate coaches. Jones voted for
the motion and against separate
coaches-see House Journal, 1891,
page 262, and when the negro, Wigg,
, to make your mothers, wives, daugh-
ters and sweethearts ride in the same
coaches with big buck nigs. I voted
, against the motion and for the bill.
But he was not even satisfied with
that; on page 276, House Journal OF
: 1891, he again voted against the bill,
, when Wigg moved to kill it; and, even
after he went home and slept and
dreamed over the matter, he came
, back to the legislature, and In 1855