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

JuQlclal record OF JuuSe JoHes, III 'i@
following speech:
| now propose to give you some OF
the public record of Ira b. Jones, as
made by him when a member or the
house of representatives. when speak
er of the house of representatives
when associate justice and chief JUS
tice of the supreme court, and to show
YOU that however bad "BleaseIsm
may be, it is not as bad as Jones
ism" and the BleaSe, when acting III
any public capacity, or in private life,
has never endeavored to force social
equality among the white ladies and
children of this country, with the ne
gro men, and that Jones has done so,
and that Blease has always worked
for the interest of the people of the
State, and that Jones has worked for
the interest of the money powers and
the corporations.
Mr.. Thurmond, who boasts that he
is Jones' campaign manager, and for
which l presume he is being paid by
some one, in a letter which he sent
out on the 25th of March, 1912, either
deliberately and maliciously Tor being
ignorant of his candidates record
endeavored to mislead the people, to
whom he sent that letter, by stating
something in it which was absolutely
untrue and not borne out by the rec
ords of the legislature.
He says, writing of Jones and him
self, 1--WE were both in the house as
Tillmanites" which, think is true
Judging by the votes which Jones al
ways voted, and particularly his nom
ination speech in seconding Col. lrDy
for the United States senate against
Gen. Wade Hampton, for which
have no criticism to make OF him.
but only mention it in order that the
records may be kept straight-he nav,
ing been elected speaker, to succeed
Col. Irby, which was part OF his re-
ward for his speech. and for his sup
mort of Col. Irby against Gen. Hamp-
ton. | think he further proved that
when he voted against Judge Wllllam
II. Wallace, for associate justice OF
the supreme court, (see house jour
nal, 1891, page 171,) and again when
he voted to turn Judge Wallace, who
had done as much or more to redeem
South Carolina from negro rule ano
Republicanism as any man In the
Safe. and who most assuredly, II ne
was not entitled to a promotion, was
entitled to be left on the bench as a
circuit Judge for his entire lifetime
for the services which ne had zen
dered, and because Of the fact tnat
his record as judge was pure, clean
and absolutely one of good Judgement
and strong ability; yet Jones voted 10
retire him to private life, that he
might die as a private citizen, heart
broken, conscious of the Tact that ms
services had been so little appreciated
that a legislature Of his own State
could humble him without excuse
with defeat.
Mr.. Thurmond further stated, HE
(speaking of Jones) was a strong ad-
vocate of the dispensary and is now a
local optionist." Let's see: Jones
voted for prohibition-see house Juor-
nal, 1891, page 203-and again, same
house journal, page 227. Jones voted
for county prohibition-see house
journal, 1891, page SIS; voted for the
Roper and Childs bill, which PROVIDED
for Statewide prohibition-see mouse
journal, 1892, pages 225, 3l2, 3l4 anc
324. Jones voted against the dlspen'
sarv law when it was first and origl-
nally passed. The house had passed
what was known as the Roper ano
Childs bill-State-wid prohibition
for which Jones had voted all the
way through, and it was sent to the
senate. 1t was amended in the SEN
ate and the dispensary law was sem
hack to the house as the amendment
to the Roper and Childs bill. Jones
voted against the amendment, wblcf
was the dispensary law-see house
journal, 1892, page 573. When die
Jones turn from being a prohlbltlon
ist, as proved by every one OF nj:
votes, and as proved by his vote
against the original dlspensary law
to a dispensary man? Was 1t whe1
he wanted to be promoted to associate
Justice of the supreme court, ant
when the dispensary people had alb
solute control of the government ant
legislature, which was to elect the as
sociate Justice? Go a step further
When the fight was being made in th'
legislature to keep a dispensary from
being forced into Marlboro count!
Jones voted to force the dispensar.
IN Marlboro, without allowing thu
people to vote as to whether the.
wanted it or not, thus depriving then
of local elf-government-se hous'
journal, 1898, page 465. He alst
voted against local option and to fore
the dispensary in dry counties-se'
house journal, 1893, pages 461 ant
46S. The importance OF this vote Il
so great, in view of his recent polltl
cal somersaults, that l beg leave t.
quote it here in full-see house jour
nal, 1898, page 467:Mr. Buist move'
to amend by making the following
section Al: (the house then haVlni
under consideration the dispensarr,
law): mo part of this act shall appl.
TO any town in this State that pro
hibits the sale of liquor under char
ter. Also all counties in which tn
sale of LIQUOR is prohibited by statu
tory law: Provided, That at gen
eral election two-thirds OF the regis
tered voters OF said counties express
by ballot a desire for the establish
ment of a dispensary therein, then, Il
that event. a dispensary may be es
tahlished within the limits of SOM
town or city within that county Nh
Nettles moved to lay the amendmen
on the table The yeas and nays wer
requested, and the first man recordet
as voting in the affirmative AM
against this amendment, which pro
hibited the putting of dispensaries il
dry towns and dry counties,and whicl
gave to the people of those towns an
oo,nties the privilege of local optiol