The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-05
RATIFICATION
BEFORE NEXT
ELECTION NOW
SUFFRAGE aim
Fight of Forty Years Ended
When Senate Passes Resolu-
tion-Attention Now Turns
to States.
ASK SPECIAL SESSIONS
tBy Associated Press,


LANSING, June 5.-Governor Sleep
er this forenoon wired the state de-
partment at Washington that eerti-
fed copy of the federal suffrage
amendment be forwarded at once SO
that action may be taken by the Mich
igan legislature which is now in spe-
cial session.
At the recent regular session Of the
legislature concurrent resolution
was passed by unanimous vote urging
Michigan senators and representatives
to support the suffrage amendment.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, June 5-A reso-
luton to put Illinois on record as
ratifying the federal suffrage amend
ment was introduced in the state SEN
ate today by Senator Cornwel1, repub-
lican, of Chicago. The resolution went
over for one day under the rule after
objection had been made by a number
of senators that official notification of
the passage of the amendment by con-
gress had not yet been received.
WASHINGTON, June 5.-With their
fight in congress won after nearly
forty years of effort, advocates of
woman suffrage today turned their
attention to the various state legisla-
lures, three-fourths of which must rat
ify the constitutional amendment be-
fore victory can be won Realization
of the hopes and efforts of the leaders
in the equal suffrage campaign came
leate yesterday with the adoption by
the senate of the historic Susan B.
Anthony constitutional amendment
resolution which was adopted in the
house May 81 The vote was 56 to %
or two more in favor than was neces-
sary.
Although supporters of the measure
were jubi1ant at the action of congress
and confident of final success, there is
division of opinion among leaders
as to whether the ratification by the
states of the proposed amendment can
be secured in time for the women all
over the country to vote in the next
presidential election. Few state legis-
latures now are in session and many
will not hold sessions until next year
Those now in session, which include
Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania
Michigan and Wisconsin, are expected
to adjourn this month or next. Regu
lar or special sessions of the law max
ing bodies in Texas, Georgia and Ala
bama are due this or next month while
the legislatures of Louisiana, New Jer
sey, Maine, Iowa, Kentucky, South
Carolina, Mississippi. Virginia and
Maryland are not scheduled to meet
before next year.
Opposition In South.
Because of pressing reconstruction
problems, however, special legislative
sessions are expected to be called in q
number of these states and the suf
frage amendment will be presented
Where none are called for, the suf
fragists will demand special sessions
it is announced.
Chief opposition to ratification i:
expected to come from the southern
states, because of the entailed en-
franchisement of negro women. Sen
ator Gay of Louisiana, in opposing the
resolution yesterday predicted thai
thirteen states would refuse to ratify
the amendment, thus causing defeat.
Susan B. Anthony, author of the res
olution, had the draft of her amend
ment introduced in congress by Sena
tor Sargent of California, in 1878
Since that time there has been almos
a continuous fight with advocates o
the measure gaining strength, unit
after numerous defeats, victor,
crowned their efforts yesterday.