Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-06-21
PLATFORM OF JUDGE Jones.
Principles Upon Which lie Stands for
Prefefment.


Read To The VOTERS AT SUMTER.
Believes in County Local Option
Wants Better sehooIs-Desires Com
mission to Report on Advisability Of
Adoption Of Torrsns system-Wants
,, Employers Liability and Working
mons Compensation Statute.
At the Sumter meeting last Tues
day, Judge Jones, read the following
as the platform upon which he is ask
ing for preferment as to the governor
ship:
AS a candidate for nomination as
governor wish to state briefly GER
advocate and shall more fully dis
cuss from time to time as the cam
paign progresses and the occasion de-
mands.
l. While the liquor question is
not deemed an issue in this cam
paign some wish me to declare my
position. I stand for county local
option with proper enforcement of the
law In accordance with the result.
2. I favor just appropriations for
the effective maintenance of our
state institutions of learning. but the
improvement and development Of the
common schools, and especially the
rural schools Of the state are matters
of gravest concern and shall have my
keen interest and hearty support.
8. The systematic construction and
maintenance Of good roads should be
encouraged, not only as an economic
and efficient means for the improve
ment of market facilities and the stim-
ulation Of industrial development, but
for the favorable effect upon the coun-
try churches and schools in promoting
attendance, upon the enlargement Of
free, rural delivery and in rendering
home life upon the farm more desir-
able.
4. I favor the appointment of q
commission to examine as to the de-
STABILITY Of adopting some system of
land title registration like that known
as the Torrens system. Some move
ment Of this kind was begun some
time ago, but so far nothing has come
Of it. This system takes its name from
Robert Richard Torrens and was first
enacted In Australia in 1858. The main
principles Of this system have been
adopted in many countries-Australia,
Canada, England. Ireland, Germany,
in a number Of states, such as Massa-
chusetts, Illinois, California, Montana,
Minnesota, Oregon and Colorado. and
has been introduced in Hawaii and the
Philippines by the United States gov
ernment Under this system the IT,
tie is examined officially and confirm
ed by court and the certificate is q
guarantee Of the title against the
world,
While the plan necessarily involves
some initial expense, as reasonable
charge for the registration and for
the guarantee fund, 1t saves more In
avoiding the successive expenses Of
examining title every time the land Is
sold or mortgaged. Under the present
system many defects Of title may ex-
ist which an examination Of the record
would not disclose, such for example,
as a claim Of dover, adverse posses
sion. incapacity to convey. etc. The
plan avoids the uncertainty, delay and
expense of transferring titles. In SELL
ing the land or borrowing money upon
1t the transaction may be effected with
almost the ease and simplicity Of q
transfer of stocks or bonds. Because
Of the difficulty and uncertainty with
reference to land transactions under
the old system, real estate Is least
available as an asset upon which to
raise money. The simplicity, cheap
ness, ,celerity and safety with which
lands may be sold or mortgaged un-
der the Torrens system ought to make
real estate practically as available as
high class personally and vastly in
crease the ability Of the land owner to
utilize his land as ready basis OF
credit on the easiest terms.
s. I favor the enactment Of an en-
ployers' liability and workmen's COM
pensation statute along the principle
of the New Jersey statute adopted
April 4, 1911. or the Massachusetts,
statute adopted July 2S, 1911. This
legislation involves the abolition Of the
common law defenses usually made in
suits for personal injuries, VIZ, O
that the injury was caused by the neg
ligence of a fellow servant; (2) that
the injured party contributed to the
injury by his own negligence; CD
that the injured party assumed the
risks of the employment. Either of
these defenses, II sustained, would de-
feat a recovery under the common law.
The above statutes abolished these
defenses, except where the contribu-
tary negligence was wilful, and pro-
vides a system Of elective compensa-
ton In accordance with a schedule
giving amount of compensation for
each described injury, generally one
half Of the average weekly wages for
a specified time. i
do not think such legislation Is |
opposed to the state or Federal con-
stitution. From my experience on the
bench in dealing with cases Of per-
sonal injuries to employees in dan
gerous employment, such as railroads,
factories. ETC.. a conviction has grown
that modern industrial conditions
make it wise and humane to abolish |
the common law rules mentioned and