The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-06-26
votes and acts in the legislature.
Replies to Blease.

concerning the entire list or charges,
Judge Jones said:
Governor Blease has assailed my
record in the following particulars:
"W That 1 nominated Col. Irby for
the United States Senate against Gen.
Wade Hampton.
II was Reformer and Col Irby was
the Reform candidate for that office.
and 1 supported him from start to
finish In the race. Governor Blease
voted for Gen. Hampton in the House
In preliminary vote and then In Joint
session he voted for Col. Irby until he
was elected. 1 stood by my party, Mr..
Blease was elected as Reformer, and
he deserted his party, to VOTE first, for
Gen. Hampton. and then deserted Gen.
Hampton to vote for Col. Irby
The Liquor Question.
"(2) That voted for county prohibit
tion in 1891
Separate boxes were put at the polls
In Lancaster county and the candi-
dates for the General Assembly were
to abide by the result Of that election.
The vote Of Lancaster county was for
prohibition and, Of course, supported
prohibition accordingly in the House.
l carried out the instructions of my
county in that respect. l voted for
Statewide prohibition in 1892 because
the people of the State, by good ma
jority, expressed themselves for it at
the polls. 1 believe in the rule of the
people. The most satisfactory and en-
during plan of dealing with the liquor
question is by county local option.
Divorce Law.
"(3) That | voted for a divorce law
for adultery in 1892.
This view struck me as being Just.
and I voted accordingly. Governor
Blease was member of the House at
that time, but did not vote on this
bill. Quite number Of honorable
representatives entertained the same
view that did on this question. See
House Journal, 1892, p 234-235. a pro-
vision is incorporated in our Constitu-
tion now which forbids divorces, and
the law is acceptable to me- was
member of the Constitutional Conven-
ton.
Rates of Interest.
go That voted against the reduc-
tion of interest in 1894
AT that time money was very
scarce in this state and it would not
have surprised me at all if l found
1
rate of interest 1t was much better
for the borrowers to pay the rate of
interest then in force rather than pur-
chase on credit; but as a matter of
fact | did vote against indefinitely
postponing the bill to which the Gov
ernor refers. blouse Journal, 1894,
page 200) The vote he refers to was
a motion to reconsider after the bill
had been killed and little legislation
could ever he accomplished if you
fought the same thing over and over
The Governors charge is misleading
LabOrers and Hours.
"(5) That l voted to nullify bill linn
iting the number of hours per day of
employees In cotton and wooden man
ufacturing establishments in this state
by voting for the following proviso to
the bill: Provided, that nothing here
In contained shall be construed to
prevent any of the employees in the
aforesaid manufacturing establish
ments from engaging to wori, or work
ing such time in addition, not to ex-
ceed 40 hours per annum. as may
be necessary to make up for lost
time, caused by accident or other un-
avoidabie circumstances
II voted for the bill to limit the
hours OF labor for each day and each
week and Mr.. Blease knows that he
and I voted the same way on that
bill. Governor Bleased moved to strike
out the proYiso aforesaid, but | was
| convinced that the laboring people
| preferred to have the proviso and l
voted for it accordingly His refer
ence to this vote garbles and misrep-
resents the facts. as anyone can see
by reference to his statement and
pages 357-35S.
MY father was carpenter and a
laboring man. and there is every rea-
son why l should favor the Iaboring
classes, and my vote and my efforts
have always been in their interest. ac-
cording to my best Judgment
As to Free Passes.
"C6) That | voted against the anti
free DaSs hill In 1901