El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-06
TEXAS. AFTER DEFEATING SUFFRAGE,
MAY BE THE FIRST TO RATIFY IT

TEXAS the last state to reject suffrage state
measure may be the very first to ratiy woman suffrage
entire United States Such queer twists in political
affairs few times in lifetime and this may be
of the times
On MAY "a Texans voted constitutional amendment
enfranchsing As the count progressed It looked
for time as though the amendment had carried Late
returns upset the lead for suffrage and the amendment was
5sfesed though bv majority so slender to encourage
suffrage workers for their next contest They knew thar
the national house Of representatives, had on May IL
adopted the Anthony resolution to submit 10 the state
LEGISLATURES an amendment to the national constitution so
TO enfranchise women IN all states bul mere was 0
telling when or how the senate would act Therefore an
other state contest stood out as possibility
t7oavr the senate surprised the country wednesday
afternoon bv adopting the Anthony resolution a1er ntle
preliminary debate The suffrage supporters IN ana ouL OF
b senate had laid their lines with care and when they
were sure Of enough votes to make the amendment carry
It was brought up for vote. The victory was won Oy
slender margin Suffrage out only two votes to the
coed but that sutficed ..s.-..
No. the amendment goes to the states for ratrlcation
L. - 17sIstrres birtv-six must ratify to make the
effective for constitutional amendments require
-s+ificsf7on by three-fourths Of the IS states
Cau the approval Of So states be secured 1"enly
- 80 Granted the right to vote to women WITHIN
80 esfes and Texas has limited suffrage that is 70 say
omen are entitled TO vote in the prlnarles 1hose
which have adopted suffrage as state measure -
+s5 mon to ratifv the national amendment but the
approval Of a number Of other states Obviously WIN W
80 1. Wost nj the southern states viii vote against
+ They consider that suffrage would comPllcAte
Er already vexng voting problem owing TO tneiI large
r ouulations Senator Cay, Of Louisiana, one OF lne
counted upon almost l-A-a---g
uraqe said that IS states would refuse TO ratIy tne
-esoIufion thus defeating 1t by one
He nav ind however, that his count IS incorrect 9
afo- Cav did not enumerate the states which ne Dee'
would oDpose suffrage but If he included Texas he inquired
wrong. z
Teas people voted down the statewide suffrage amend
ert bit the Texas legislature VIII rat11y the natonal
amendment When the question Of submitting Suffrage 10
the voters Of the up last winter there was only
one dissenting in each house Most OF those VINO voted
70 submit were actually in favor Of suffrage minority
Of the remainder was apathec toward suffrage but Wiling
to let the people decide the issue Some Of thar minority
nav oppose the national amendment the ground tnat
their constituents voted down the statewide proposition and
that thew should reflect the evident views Of their people
But the majority VIII be for it and the amendment VIII be
ratified
Moreover Texas should be Of the first If not the
verv first state to ratfy for Texas vii have session OF
the legislature sitting at Austin by the time the state de-
usrtrent can transmit the amendment This is to be
special legislative session, called to pass appropriate
bills and such other matters may be specified and the
attorney generals department Of the state rendered an
opinion about year ago that constitutional amendments
could be voted upon IN special sessions.
practically certain that this special session VIII take
I'D the national amendment There may be other egisa
lures IN session besides that Of Illinois, but VIII have
opportunity to act promptly the right side Of
big question than that Of Texas
viii be long time before the amendment IS ratified
BY the required majority Of states Most Of the states VIII
have no legislative sessions until winter unless special
sessions are called, and have only biennial sessions
barring special calls. In the meantime Texas get
record.