Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-14
TENNESSEE SENATE
RAIIfIES SUFFRAGE
Vote OF rs to 4 Surprises Pros.
Who Are Now Confident
Of Victory.
by Associated Pros. to Every Evening

by Associated Prc-s TO Every Evening
Nashville, Tenn, Aug. 14.-Encour-
aged by the action of the Tennessee
Senate in adopting resolution provid-
ing for ratification of the federal suffrage
amendment, suffragists today turned
their attention to the House where they
expected to face more determined OPP
position.
Neither house was in session. today
both the Senate and House having
recessed until Monday
House leaders considered vote on
suffrage then improbabe.
Nashville, Tenn, Aug l4.-The Ten
nosscc Senate Yesterday by a vote of
25 TO Ia, adopted the resolution provid-
ing Tor ratification of the Federal suf-
frnEc amendment. Even the most OPP
tlmistic of the suffrage forces were sur
priscd Mt the large majority. Seventeen
votes were necessary, but most polls
had listed from 20 to % as favorable and
the high water mark was sot at "a
The suffragists have proceeded from
the beginning of the Legislative Sos
sion with the expectation that the real
fight would be in the Lower House and
tho Senate vote had hardly been an
nounccd before the workers were re-
action by the Representatives.
The House adjourned yesterday until
Monday afternoon at O'Clock without
reference to suffrage, but II was stated
later that the committee to which the
resolution was referred would meet
Monday night to consider II. There
was no indication what action would
bc taken. In connection with rImors
that the opposition would attempt to
bury il in committee, II was recalled
that an effort of suifragists to force a report
yesterday was defeated Thursday night
By vote fo TO 6, with four members
absent
An hour before the Senate convened
the galleries and aisles were packed with
spectators, among whom the active pro-
and anti suffrage workers predomlnated
Speaker Todd had little difficulty in
silencing the onlookers when the body
was called to order, and throughout
the two hours of debate during which there
we're numerous demonstrations, was able
tn control the situation. But when the
seventeenth vote In favor of ratification
was recorded the pcnt-up enthusiasm
Of the suffrage cohorts went beyond
restraint and forced temporary slls-
pension of the roll call
When the clerk resumed it was doubt
ed whether any one outside the small
semi-circle occupied by the members
was able to keep tally Of the vote and
knew at the end what the total was The
suifragiSts were satisfied to know that
seventeen Senators had voted favorahly.
They redoubled their cheers when the
clerk shouted the total above the uproar,
and It was necessary for the speaker TO
call upon the Sergeant at Arms before the
chamber could be quieted sufficiently for
work to be resumed upon other matters
Both majority and minority reports |
were returned by the committee which |
had the resolution, and immediately after |
presentation adoption of the majority |
report was moved. A motion for adoption /
OF the minority report as substitute was |
tabled, % to 10. \ point OF order that this |
legislature had no authority to act under |
the Tennessee Constitution was overrdled |
by the Speaker, and on an appeal to the |
House the ruling was sustained by vote
of % TO s. Debate on the motion TO adopt
themajority report which then began touch |
ed upon every known argument for and
against suffrage.
There were few members Of the Assembly
remaining in Nashville tonight, most OF
them having gone to their homes for
the weekend and no developments of ma
jor Importance bearing upon the fight to
be waged in the House next week were ex
peeted before Monday.
In reply to the charge of Senator Cand- |
Ter, Republican and suffrage opponent, |
made during debate yesterday, that Mrs. /
Carrie Chapman Gait, president of the |
National Ameri an Woman Suffrage I
Association, had advocated intermarriage /
between whites and Negroes. Mrs. Gait /
last night in formal statement character /
ized il as IAN absolute fabrication.
Senator Gambler said he had based |
his remarks on published interview with /
Mrs Gait in which she was quoted as
having said suffrage knows no bias
OF race, color or sex.