The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-04
SUFFRAGE Up IN
SENATE AND HOUSE
Friends Of Measure Confident
Amendment Will Pass in
Both Houses.

WARRINGTON, June with advo-
Gates Of the measure confident il would
be adopted before adjournment, the
equal suffrage constitutional amend
ment resolution as recently passed in
the house was taken up as unfinished
business in the senate Tuesday.
Chairman Watson, Of the committee
having the bill in charge, announced
ne would insist upon holding the SEN
ate In session until a vote is reached.
flnal action In the senate on the
aouse resoutton Tor submission Of the
Susan b. Anthony woman suffrage con-
Stltutlonal amendment was prevented
Monday by debate principally by suf-
rage opponents and by discussion Of the
peace treaty, The resolution was made
me unfinished business and 1t is be-
neved mat before adjournment Friday
me last roll call will be reached with
adoption apparently assured.
when managers Of the resolution,
which was adopted by the house two
weeks age, S94 to So, gave up hope tf
Q vote today. Chairman Watson, Of the
senate woman suffrage committee, an
nounced that he would insist upon hold
ing the senate in session tomorrow
until the final vote was reached.
Senator Watson spoke less than a
minute IN support Of the resolution.
Senator Lenroot, Republican, Of Wis
eonsin, alec urged its adoption. SEN
ators Reed, Of Missouri, and Under
wood, OF Alabama, Democrats. and Be-
rah, Republican, Of Ilaho, made the
principal addresses against the measure,
The senate rejected, So to II, amend
ment by Senator Harrison, Democrat,
Of Mississippi, limiting benefits OF the
proposed equal franchise to white citi-
Gems. An amendment by Senator I'm
derwood left pending when the senate
adjourned would provide that popular
state conventions instead Of state leg
islatures should act on the proposed
addition to the constitution.
Williams Opposes.
Speakers against the resolution took
as their argument that the franchise
measure would abridge state rights and
Lenroot, In replying to Senator Borah,
denied that popular government would
suffer and asserted that 1t would be
promoted instead.
Opposing the resolution, Senator Reed
denounced 1t as an Outrage on our
form Of government" ut Is as undem-
ocratic a thing as was ever attempted"
said the Missouri senator.
Militant suffrage workers were criti.
declared they "gloried' in jail sem
fences imposed for picketing the White
House ana other acts.
Senator Borah commended that ratiti-
cation Of the amendment by three
fourths Of the states would override
ruthlessly-by "Prussianism." he termed
II, the rights Of a few opposing states.
He brought up the negro question and
declared that even with adoption Of
the resolution negroes in the South
would not be allowed to vote and that
the constitutional amendment therefore
would be "a solemn lie"
Senator Williams, Democrat, Of Mis-
sissippi, said that the amendment would
not become effective in the South, but
denied h q negroes are Disseminated
against at Southern polls,
Advocating popular conventions to
pass upon the proposed amendment In
stead OF action by state legislatures,
Senator Underwood said the cOnstitu-
ton provides both methods subject to
the will OF congress and that popular
action would be a fairer method.
The Alabama senator also inveighed
against Capitalization OF authority in
the federal government e~ncroachment
upon state powers, He declared the
resolution involved not the question OF
women voting, but whether the funda-
mental principles Of local ~self-govern-
ment should continue.