The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-08-11
Effort to Postpone,
Action on Suffrage
Ratification Fails
Suffragists Win First Victory
in Lower House of TenneS-
see Legislature.
TEST VOTE SO TO 81
Senate Refers Ratification
Resolution to Committee
Without Debate.

Without Debate.
icy G. r. MILTON, Jr., cpeelal Corr,
spondent l. NJ. So
Nashville, Aug. 1.-THE first test
vote In the house on ratification OF
the suffrage amendment resulted
In a victory for suffrage forces by
vote OF SO TO 81. The house then
adjourned TO 2 pm.
The vote came on a motion to
table resolution offered by. anti
suffrage leaders which sought to
hold up action by the legislature
until mass meetings could be held
their verdlcts on ratification re-
turned to the legislature.
After a warm debate led for suffra
gists by T. X. Reddick. of Memphis
well known constitutional lawyer. an
one of the proposers of the resolution
the vote resulted in a striking suffrag
victory.
HIGHLY ELATED.
u Is expected that suffrage lead.
ers will press the case In the house,
and that there Is a possibility Of a
by the test vote, which Is re-
garded as an Indication that ratlfI-
cation 10 In far better shape In the
house than had been believed pos
slble. But four republicans voted
against tabllng the. motion.
In the senate the Ratification resolu.
ton was brought up and referred to the
committee on constitutional amend
ments for consideration. Seven of the
ten members are believed to favor rat
ification; three OF the seven are on the
steering committee of the ratification
FIRST MOVE oE ANTS.
The first move OF suffrage oppo-
rents was resolution introduced In
action by the legislature until mass
meetings could be held In each
county on ratification, and the ex-
preston Of sentiment Of these meet
Inus reported to the legislature.
A measure to, this effect was intro
duced in the house by Representatives
Bond, Hall, Luther and Milliken, all
antisuffrage leaders. On a ruling from
Speaker Walker rules were suspended
provoked a hot debate, The measure
recited the clause in the Tennessee
Constitution which directed. that an
election must be held betweeA submis-
sion OF an amendment to the legislature
and ratification by it,
II provided for a mass meeting in
each county of the state Aug. 21 the
chairman of which would by Aug. "a
notify the legislature of the action or
the meeting.
No fsote This Week.
No vote may be expected this
week, IN view Of the leaders. II
seems TO have been decided to
force the opposition to show their,
hand first; the longer delay, the
better, In view OF denocratlc' lead
( ara hsre from w astiln qtons VINO are
eakin4 every OPPORTUNITY TO snow 10
democratic national COMMITTEES.
george White, chairman Of that
organixatlon,fa late Tuesday night tel
epraphed Miss chari Williams,
chairman of the democratic wom-
wished she "wouid emphatlcaiiy
state to the democratic members Of
the senate and house the great In.
terest that the national committee,
refeeting the sentiment Of the de-
nocraey of the nation, has In the
result OF the vote of ratification by
your state Of the Nineteenth
amendment"
Legal Fight.
IN event the Tennessee legislature
ratites the amendment a legal con-
test VIII e1sue, according to the
announcement OF Judge Joseph Hlg-
gins OF Nashville, president OF the
Tennessee constitutional league, a
recently organized association Of
lawyers, which Is a subsidiary to
the American Constitutional league,
whose president recently tried TO
stopYSeeretary Of state Colby from
cation, but had his request refused
!, by the District Of Columbia su-
preme court.
~ the legislature ratIHes the
amendment the league will feel con.
stralned to 90 into the courts to
lnn.blt the secretary Of state from ~
certifying the amendment" Judoe
t4iggins declared.
Speaker Seth Walker declared that
today. when the resolution comes up, he
VIII refer II to the judiciary committee.
Senate action will be similar. These
committees will hold public hearings
tonight or Thursday night, and report
PACK TO their respective houses. The
hearings are expected toe Develop the
nreworks of the session. -
The battle-ground has shifted from the
senate to the house. The senate. which
heretofore had been considered the
scene o. the bitterest opposition, is
now
This is largely due to a caucus of the
democratic senators with democratic
women this afternoon. in which the
leadership of the fight in the senate
was turned over TO the senators by the
state suffrage leaders. Senator Haston,
Van Buren county, was chosen chairman
OF the democratic steering committee
In the senate. Miss Williams presided.
The eyes of the world are on Ten
nessee." Senator Haston declared, IN
accepting. II feel that victory is already
certain"
Twelve democratic senators attended
the caucus. Several suffrage advocates
were absent.
Mrs, Carrie Chapman Cats conf
dcnce in the victory remained unim-
paired by the happenings Of Tuesday.
Our poll is unshaken," she declared.
Mrs. Gait Is remaining away from the
capitol. and her headquarters are open
to men and women who come to seek
her counsel. She is letting the women
Of Tennessee work out their own sal
vation, without outside interference. and |
her course is being widely approved. |
even among the legislators opposed &c
suffrage.
'eWhen I came to Tennessee three |
weeks ago l announced that a majority |
nf both senate and house were pledged |
TO the Tennessee women Of their own |
districts TO vote for ratification. No |
development hiss overturned that ma
jcrity. have absolute confidence In |
The Integrity Of the legislature OF Ten |
nessee and believe they vii stand by |
their own constituents"
Miss Sue White, chairman OF the Ten |
nessee branch Of the national woman rs /
Marty issued a statement declaring that |
Gov. Cox and Gov. Roberts were the |
forces which could save the situation |
~ they really try" and declaring that
L ratihcation fails, "as Il now seems
probable, they will he to blame She /
claimed that most Of the opposition TO /
he amendment being ratified by Ten
nessee had lately developed among /
Gov. Roberts acknowledged support
FRS" She calls on Gov. Cox 10 come /