Roanoke Rapids herald., 1923-06-08
SENATOR W. L. LONG
NOT CONG. CANDIDATE
Prominently Mentioned as Candidate to
Succeed Claude Kitchin Senator
Long Announces That Business Duties
Would Preclude Acceptance.
KERR AND ALLSBROOK IN FIELD?

Senator W Lunsford Long,
who has been mentioned in the
daily press of the State as the
most likely candidate for the
Kitchin succession in the Second
District has issued the following
statement in regard to his candi
dacy for that office.
MY name having been men
toned in the press as one of the
probable candidates for the office
made vacant by the untimely
death of Hon Claude Kitchin,
member of Congress from the
Second District, and a number
of my friends having been so
generous as to express their wish
that | should be candidate for
the office, feelimpelled to make
this public statement that am
not a candidate. | am sensible
of the honor that goes with the
office and of the opportunity
that it affords for service to the
country. | am deeply appreci
ative of the compliment my
friends pay me in suggesting my
fitness for the position. My duty
to my family and my business
require, however, my full time
and attention and my presence
at home. | shall hold myself
subject to the call of the service
of my country when patriotism
may require me, but in this in.
stance there are other gentlemen
in the District better qualified
for the office than | am, whose
personal affairs can spare them
for the service of the country.
My plain duty lies at home and |
shall consequently not be can
didate for the office"
Political observers have doped
it out that Senator Longs with
drawaI practically leaves the
field to Judge John H. Kerr OF
Warrenton and Solicitor Richard
G. Allsbrook, of Tarboro. 1t is
improbable, however, according
to district leaders, that either
will run until next year in view
of the wide sentiment in the
district for offering the short
term to Mills kitchin, son of the
dead Congressman, as a final
token of the love and affection
for him throughout the district.
Commenting upon Mr.. Longs
refusal to be a candidate to sue
ceed Mr.. kitchin, the Raleigh
Times editorially says:
Before learning who is to be
the next Congressman from the
Second District we wish to reg
ister regret that Lunsford Long,
of Roanoke Rapids. a member
of the State Senate the out
standing member, in fact-should
have found it impracticable to be
come candidate. This is said
without any attempt to make it
appear that Luns would have
been elected hands down and
with no Intention whatsoever
to disparage any who may be-
come candidate or be elected,
I'VE do not view the situation
with alarm or deem it calamity
that Mr.. Long should have decid-
ed his business needs him more
that Congress needs him. Be
heving in his capacity for analy-
sis of public problems and con-
vinced that he would at Washing
ton promptly have become North
Cardinals best hope of an out
standing national character, we
would certainly concede him the
right to gauge the pull OF his
private affairs.
mo doubt our willingness to
indorse his decision to attend to
his own business and leave the
nations to somebody with more
time is reinforced by an unwill-
ingness to think of the Legisla-
ture of North Carolina without
him. The service so far perform
ed for his State by the Gentle
man from Halifax does not lose
by comparison with that of any
representative of North Carolina
If he doesn't think the time
has come to extend his service
ableness to include directly with
in its scope more territory than
the limits of his own State. Nor
tn Carolina is the gamer.
And the Second District is
sure to get good Congressman,
anyhow.