Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-18
TENNESSEE DELAYS
VOTE ON SUFFRAGE
House Postpones Action Until
Session Today; North Caro-
lima Senate Defers to 1921.

Nashville, Tenn, Aug. lS.-A vot'
TODAY in the lower house of the Tennessee
legislature on ratification of the fedora
suffrage amendment was considered
certainty by both suffragists and thei
opponents. Final action on the ratiflca
ton resolution which has been approved
bv the Senate was prevented IN the House
Yesterday when after three hours, debate
motion to recess prevailed.
Anti-suffragists declared they were
confident the resolution would be de
feated. They pointed to the vote on
recessing, So to Al, as indicating that
majority of the house opposed ratlflcatlon
Suffrapists expressed confidence that the
vote would be favorable, thus making
Tennessee the necessary thirty-sixth State
10 ratify the suffrage amendment.
Nashville, Tenn, Aug 1S.-Thc suf-
frape leaders failed to prevent an adjourn
mont of the House yesterday afternoon
and force vote on the ratification resolu-
ton.
Sneaker Walker was so confident OF
preventing ratification when he entered
the Capitol that he told friend his forces
would oppose any motion to recess or
adjourn until the final show down came
but later he changed his mind, and he
and his friends voted to quit until this
morning.
II was evident the Suffrage advocates
had a safe majority. Col. Luke Lea,
who is using his influence TO defeat the
plans Of his newspaper rival, MAJOR
y. B. Stahlmnn, the leader of the lobby
against ratification, said that had the
vote been taken the majority Tor the
resolution would have been at least 10.
II looks now as if the final vote would
be today.
Six or seven of those who voted to
support tho motion to adjourn said they
were hungry and saw no need Of rushing
but will vote for ratification when the
time comes.
The action of the North Carolina
Senate in adopting resolution TO defer
action on the suffrage amendment until
the next session has encouraged the
leaders of the ants and they may attempt
to do the same thing In the House today.
The lobbies were very. active last
night and the Suffrage leaders have
regained their confidence. The men on the
fence are being carefully watched.
II was said on good authority yesterday
that the Davidson County Grand jury,
which meets here Monday, will investl-
gate charges of improper use of money
in the Suffrage contest.
During the debate yesterday Repre-
sentative Riddick, a Suffrage leader,
said that sinister influences were at
work to defeat ratification. tie added
that the names Of the men who violated
their written pledges would be mace
public when the fight is over.
A test vote came IN the House when
Speaker Walker instructed the sergeant
alarms TO clear the floor OF all persons
except members and Senators and invited
guests of the Speaker. Suffrage Leaders
had taken possession OF 100 seats inside
the railing. Representative Joe HANOVER
moved that the women be permitted to
remain and the vote on this was 5i TO 40
The motion WAS lost as 1T required two
thirds. The women marched out, but
stopped lust outside of the lines, where
they could see, hear and yell.
Farly Yesterday morning the house was
acked. Some of the suffragists were
clad out and out in yellow. Most ol
the members Of the House indicated
their svmpathies by bearing the coiors
The first speaker was Representative
Riccdik, Memphis millionaire. H'
called the roll of those supporting Suffrage
and dared the Ants TO name Their mer
and women. He called President Wilson
Charles f. Hughes, Gov. Cox, Senatol
Harding, Chairmen White and Hays, Col
Tyaon and Col Luke Lea, and other.
"Can the powerful lobby that IS saic
to be at work here defeat the grea
moral forces of this State?" said Mr.
Riddick. ''The opponents of this measure
are In political sense, mongrels. They
belong to no party. We have the WRITER
pledges of sixtytwo men. We will print
them"
Representative JOdom, Republican
spoke against the ratification. He salc
he had seventeen children, nine daughters
and eight sons, and the daughters
thought that he and the sons should
attend to the politics for the family. Ht
said he wrote letter saying he woulo
vote for suffrage if his people favored Il
but be is against 1T now.
Speaker Walker was the star OF the
ants and he made an old fashioned
attack on woman suffrage. he was literally
applauded.