Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-07-15
SLE|MP
'RET|RES FROM THE
POLITICAL ARENA

Roanoke, Va, July 7.-Congressmal.
c. Bascom Slemp, OF the Ninth Dis
trict Of Virginia, in statement for
the Roanoke Times today said that uh
der no circumstances would he MAKE.
the race for Congress again.
81 say this definitely and positively
he said, because 1 must get this mat :
ter behind me and because the Republi
cans Of the district should settle
down to the selection of another man
without including me in any way in
the calculation" !
The statement follows B..
II am advised that I should take
q long period of rest and I hope m, ,
friends will not bcgrudgc it to me. ,
10 disregard the advice that I have
received might not be fatal to me, bue
it is certainly unwise for ME to do SO.
No friend OF mine can or will, l am
sure, ask me to do otherwise than
am doing If they have any concern.
III tire truth Of what say. feel that
an absolutely definite, positive state
ment is required and it is that under
no circumstances whatever, can |, or
will I, make he race for Congress
again. /.
SHOULD SETTLE ON
ANOTHER Man.
81 say this definitely and positively
because | must get the matter behind
me and because tho Republicans OF
which there are 10000 in the Ninth
District, should settle down to the ST.
lection OF another man without incluI
ing me in any way in the calculation.
Il have tried to work this out
through personal conference and
through correspondence, but all that
! l get is that I will be nominated ~
Norton, whether ! desire it or not.
| appreciate the friendship and flattery
! involved In the suggestions I have re.
ceived hut I simply cannot yield my
convictions in the matter. God knows
1 do not wish to be unresponsive to
| any request Of my friends but surely
twenty years Of faithful service, under
all circumstances Of organization, Is
an assurance Of my good faith in this
subject Of such Importance. may be
| eXaggerating in the friendship SUP
posed to exist for me, but If so, it is
because cannot fairly permit any
chances to be taken. 1t is silly to
think that I am the only Republican
IN that district that can be elected.
"Peery, outside the money he may
, advance, is the least attractive of ali
the candidates the Democrats have
ofrered to tire district. He is nearly
90 years Of age and his life Is not con
nected with any unselfish service of
any kind, either in society at large cr
to individuals outside the narrow
range of his business associations. If
; he were elected, there is no service he
could render the district or State, and
the part Of the district it would be
simply suicide.
The delay in making this announce
ment has been due to my desire to pro
; tect the succeeding nominee from the
burden or the preliminary stages of
the campaign and to clear up all de
| mands on me before leaving.
mo individual will ever inherit a
better organization than will the nom,
nee Of the Norton convention, and in
turning it over to my successor
can do so with a clear consciencec,
| and with almost every obligation of
any kind, personal or political in n
| measure at least, discharged. It is a
pround satisfaction indeed to recOrd
| this.
! In final word let me thank those
with whom have been so long asso
| c1ated and from whom it grieves me m
the heart to part, and wish them all,
every good that can come to- them.
While I entered politics largely be-
cause of filial affection, it has been a
wonderful experience for me and q
wonderful opportunity FOR which can
not now be sufficiently grateful or ap
prec1ative. In part return have civ
en- the best years Of my life to service
OF our party and our district and 1t
can be truthfully said that our dis.
| trlct occupies a unique and even n
commanding position in the country,
posltion that no other district GER
tainly in the South has and few else
where"