Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-08-16

that he has always treated every
witness and every defendant fairly.
He has never tried to deceive the
| jury, nor the judge, but has asked
| the juries to decide the cases before
| them according to the evidence and
the law. Believes all the laws
should be horestly enforced, and
that trials should be had only ac-
| cording to the law and the evil
dence.
MIR. Smith has served two years
as Solicitor. During the last two
| terms OF court for Oconee, he said.
! he disposed of every case on the
| docket, and not single case re-
suited In an acquittal. Upon this
| record, his merits as a man, and his
policy OF prosecuting the cases fair
ly. without fear or favor toward any
man, but without malice, Mr.. Smith
asks for reelection for one full
term.
| j. II. Earle
was the second speaker for Solici-
tor, and introduced himself by say
ing that he was the only candidate
| from Oconee, and that as Anderson
had the judge, the Solicitor, and the
court stenographer, too, he thought
| that they should, and he believed
that they would, divide with Oconee
and give us the Solicitor.
He stated that he thinks a Solic-
itor's duties are peculiar. He
should see that substantial justice is
| done, and does not believe that af-
ter grand jury finds true bill a
Solicitor ought to mol pros the case
without giving the facts out to the
court and letting the judge concur.
Thinks the people should know how
their business Is conducted, and that
any officers record which will not
bear public inspection is such that
the officer should come down.
He declared himself opposed to
| prosecutions to collect debts, and
said that public opinion makes the
laws in this country, and therefore
the people should know the facts in
every case.
Says the law is not being enforced
equally; that too often we hear the
people say that justice cannot be
found in the court room; that if we
would create respect and obedience
for the law, we must give them an
equal enforcement Of it. He be-
lieves that the policy of the prose-
cution should be, wherever posi-
Bile, to lift up the criminal and give
him another chance, rather than
drive him on down. Believes the
courts should adopt a constructive
policy Of enforcing the law,
Mr.. Earle stated that every min
ute of his time as Solicitor, if elect
ed, would belong to the people, and
that they could consult with him at
any time, except when he would nee
essarily be called away on official
business.
Leon Il. Rice.
was next introduced but the dinner
! hour was near, and he cut his speech
short on that account. He compared
his record with that of Mr.. Smith,
and declared that while Mr. Smith
has been Solicitor that he (Mr.
Rice) had tried 32 criminal cases in
which he was opposed by Mr.. Smith,
and that he had won Is outright
had lost seven outright, and had
gotten ten men off on less offenses
than then were charged with. He
has never been Solicitor, and asks if
any one could tell whether his rec
ord would not nave been as good as
the present Solicitor l. he had been
in his place.
Mr.. Rice does not think that a
!
should look after the innocent as
we'll as the guilty. Declares that he
will not stultfy himself by asking
a jury to convict man whom he
does not believe rom the evidence to
be guilty. Believes that the spirit ra-
ther than the letter of the law
should be enforced, for too often the
letter Is enforced to the oppression
Of some innocent person.
Mr.. Rice promises every man q
square deal. Says he will stoop to
nothing low to get the office, but
asks for it on the clean record of a
clean man. H> stated that he is un-
like his opponents, for he has no
claim on Oconee county, but that he
will appreciate any votes which he
may receive
This concluded the speaking and
the meeting adjourned.
THE JNJ,AT SHOALS cCIIOnu