The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-17
SENATOR PARSONS
TO QUIT POLITICS
Won t Run in Fifth Dis
trict Again Even if
He w ms Contest
LEAVES FIELD
TO SAUNDERS
Determination Of Republican
Comes as Great Surprise to
Party Leaders-Not Known
When Congress Will Pass
on Contest From
Virginia.

NO matter how my contest before
Congress lis ended, I Will not he
candidate before the people In Novcm-
Der. I nm done with politics. have
five children to rcnr md educate, and
cnnnot afford 10 continue in the
political field"
The announcement that Senator j..
NJ Parsons, of Grayson, Will with
draw definitely and permanently from
tho political arena. VIII be of inter
est throughout the State. and comes
az distinct surprise. 1t has been
taken for granted that he would OPP
pose Congressman Il. w. Saunders from
the Fifth District. as he did two years
ago. a contest for that seat is pend
ing before one of the committees on
elections OF the House of Representa-
tives.
The Senator has been. regarded as
one Of the coming men in virginia
Republicanism. Young. with the gem
eral estimate of being markedly in
teliigeut and aggressive. 1t has peeh
predicted that he was destined TO play
n leading part in State. II not In ma
tional politics. Therefore. his clint
nation from the field will be matter
of much interest.
Contest unsettled.
Senator Parsons is guest at
Murphy's Hotel, having come down
from Washington. He has been IN
that CITY on business. and while there
learned that the date of the settle
ment of his contest is doubtful, The
DELAY has been in part due 70 the in
forced absence in the West on pro-
fessional business OF his counsel, en-
senator John NJ. Thurston, OF Ne
braska The Senator said last night
that a decision may not be reached
before the short session mex. winter.
AS TO the result, he is in doubt.
There seems 10 have bean varying
decisions on the proposition OF re-
distrtctfng States for representatives
in Congress. Ono decision In New
Hampshire would indicate that a
Legis Stature may rearranse districts at
any time. while others favor the con-
tention OF the contestant that the
taking of Floyd county from the Fifth
District and adding it TO the Sixth was
Illegal. Senator Parsons hopes. what
ever the result may be. that the de-
cision will hinge on the Floyd county
matter. although he has other grounds,
one of which is the candidacy of an
insane man.
Two Possibilities.
Asked as TO the probable nominee
of his party for the seat, Senator Par
sons thought it likely that DR.. J. W.
Simmons. of Henry. or NJ. v. stead
man, of Patrick. might be candidates.
DR.. Simmons was the nominee in 1906.
when Congressman Saunders made his
first REGULAR race, and was defeated
by a small majority.
When the Grayson Senator ran in
1905, he was defeated by only eighty
one votes. with Floyd county. which
has large Republican majority. elm
mated by action of the Legislature.
Eliot Mathew, the lunatic, received
only twelve votes, but the contention
was that the presence of his name
on the ticket confused the voters, and
that those who scratched Saunders
and left Parsons and Mathew, exceeded
those scratching Parsons and leaving
Saunders and Mathew. The recount,
it Is understood. failed to altogether
Justify this contention.
Senator Parsons has ceen q success
full business man and lawyer. He has
a pcnchant Cor establishing banks and
for trading in lands. He said last
night that the only thing at which
ne mas never made expenses was poll
tics