The Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.) 1927-1930, 1928-02-23
TO The CITIZENS OF WISE
and DICKINSON COUNTIES

:. HNU UlOALlI
E: E :..-:: = 49,
80. laintwood, Va, Feb. goth,
= "A number.of people have ask
ed me the reason Tor, my with
drawal from the Senatorial race
which was decided last week,
after | mad tlieu my application
to have my name on the offie-
ial ballot, andsthen later allowed
my name to be presented with
only one day. left in which my
friends c9u1d organize and att
empt to elect me. Doubles 9TH
ers would like to have a state
ment of the situation, an / feel
that my trends both with in
and wlthout.tfie Senatorial dis
trlct. are iantitltd;to an explana-
ton Of the matter. T..
/ snoulo say In the first place
that oweing to the condition Of
my health, which has not been
as cool as usual during the past
four months, my family was
very much opposed to my MAX
ing the race. The work of the
ASSEM- lily or OF the campaign
in my family's opinion . would
have aggravated the condition
of my health. / myself hesitated
to enter a campaign on this acc
cunt, but considered the petit
lions of my friends after it was
that q successor to; my lanne1ited
friend Senator Beatty would be
elected soon. Dickinson County
citizens, regardless Of politics,
generally felt they were entitled
TO the State senator, as no one
from the countyx has been sent
I'd the Senate since 1910. So
after my neighbor Judge Alfred
Skeen said he would not enter
the campaign,and over the pro-
tests Of my family, decided to
to make the race and filed my
application. in both Wise and
Dickenson counties on Saturday
l. .praary 4th.
On Monday, February 9Th, I
went to the, town Of Wise to be-
gin my Campaign and organize
my forces, | met some Of my per
-sonal and political friends who
insisted that no one should run
AGAINST Mr.. Chalkley, who had
also filed for the Senate vacan-
cy. did Withdraw at their in
sistence, and returned home.
Militant protests were immed-
lately voiced by my Dickinson
friends upon my return, and
likewise from certain sections
OF wise County, especially from
the Pound, Coeourn, st. Paul and
Appalachia. By that time twas
too late to have my name print
ed on the ticket, so l advised my
friends that | would not recent
er the race. / was mistaken in
thinking that that statement
would satisfy them.
I attended road meeting at
Coeburn on 'Ttiesday night and
was urged.,by a.great number
OF my personal friends ,,of both
parties TO allow my name to be
written onstlfN ballot. They stat
ed that the Attorney General of
Virginia had handed down an
opinion that, in substance, Mr..
Chalkley's name was not prop
efly on the ballot, and that any
one voted for in his special. elec-
ton would need to have their
name written q. stamped sOn the
ballot. / gave my friends no en-
enlargement, and cameshome
Wednesday afternoon, Arriving
home that day I found NUMBERS
of my friends saying that they
intended to write my name on
the ballot, ands::ainsisted chat /
declare my candidacy ). again.
lnis 1 refused to do, since only
one day intsssrMenea to organize
a campaign.
Thinking the matter ended, /
went home and was preparing I'd
retire for the night when L, was
sent for and urged to return to
the office. There / met several
Of my frienas. ,,Wgs.tIQ Wenesasad be-
cause | would not again announ-
ce my.sandidacy:s They asked to
be pernitted4to vote for me, and
issue posters urging citizens to
vote for me in both counties.
stated that I would not. prevent
their voting for me, but that
was not a candidate, and would
request, if they issued posters,
to make no statement that
was a candidate, and you will
note that this request was FOIL
owed in the, posters. which were
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