The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1947-11-06
Circuit Judge John {. Stennis EIeded To
Senate In First STATE Wide Race Nov. 4th
49, Year Old Form
Boys Ambition
Realized TUESDAY,

year old jurist of DeKalb, making
his first bid in a statewide race
was elected Tuesday to the United
States Senate to fill the five-year
unexpired term of the late Theodore
G. Bilbo, thus realizing a lifelong
ambition.
Judge Stennis, in returns obtain
able polled 50,732 votes. This repre-
sented 1927 of the states 1716 pre-
cincts.
Other candidates in order with
their vote to date were Colmer, a.
$40; Jackson, 41,819; johnson, &c.
705; Rankin, 24,OS5;s Collins, Re-
publican) 554.
Conservative Campaign
Judge Stennis, former state leg
lslator and county and district pro-
scouting attorney, waged one of the
the six contenders for the Bilbo va
cancy. Not once in his stump speech
es did he refer to any of his oppon-
ents, except to charge some of them
we're being backed by "hotel room
politicians"
Farm Background
Claiming to be the peoples can
dldate," and the only one with a
farm background, MI. Stennis said
ne wanted to go to Washington as
the "unfettered servant of all the
people and to pillow a straight fur
row to the end of my row."
Judge Stennis, who said "the best
thing to say about the race question
during a campaign is nothing" ran
a poor third in the all-negro town
of Mound Bayou. White supremacist
Forrest B. Jackson, who sharply
criticized Stennis' silence on the
question, gathered a majority
OF the Mound Bayou votes. jackson
received 35, Paul Johnson, Is, STEM
ms four, Colmer one and Rankin no
votes in the negro town.
His Victory Statement
At his Jackson headquarters in
the Edwards Hotel, Judge Stennis
said:
Il shall be eternally grateful for
the vote of confidence which was
given me by the good people Of
Mississippi. My election came as
the direct result of the individual
efforts of hundreds of friends, both
old and new, in every section OF
the state. l shall dedicate my serv-
ices in the Senate to the goal of meal
surfing up to this splendid confidence
which has been shown in me by
these friends, and especially by my
nelghbors in Kemper and adjoining
counties.
l shall go to the Senate without
obligations or commitments, save to
serve the plain people of Mississippi
We made this campaign without fac
tlonallsm or partisanship, and 7
shall feel free to act as the unfettered
servant OF all the people. l believe
that the great mass of people of Mis-
sissippi want a better day for our
state and u Nation, and I hope to
serve all the people of my state on
the political front as we strive for
ward to this goal.
In the momentous decisions
which must be made by our nation
IN the coming months, l shall be
guided by the firm convictions of
the people of Mississippi on the
fundamentals of government"
The Senator also expressed graft.
tude for the services of r. D. Bob)
Morrow, his campaign manager,
and other members of his headquar-
ters staff. State Senator Frank
Smith of Greenwood. handled his
publicity.
His election will create a
IN the 10th Judicial District Circuit
ludgeship to be filled by appoint
ment of Governor Wright.
Latest returns indicated a total
vote nearly 100000. Reports from
over the state were that the wea-
ther was ideal for a record turnout
clear and crisp with the exception
OF north and northeast Mississippi
where rain prevailed.
A negligible Negro vote was re-
corded. There were no disorders
and none of the qualified Negroes
were challenged.
In special elections no runoff is
necessary the winner being reouir-
ed merely to receive a plurality, or
an excess of the votes over the num-
Der for the next opponent. One vote
lead would be sufficient to win the
Sonata Nannnnrr