New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-25
Women Certain
To Have Ballot
By November
Tennessee Legislature Said
To Be Overwhelmingly in
Favor of the Amendment:
Special Session August 9
Governor Strong for 1t
leaders of Both Parties
Claiming Credit for Max
ING State the Perfect go,
rrar, q specsol correspondent


NASHVILLE. July "a. - Tennessee
III, ratify the suffrage amendment
rbsn her Legislature meets in special
,sssion here August 9.
The influence of President Wilson.
Governor Cox, the Democratic National
Committee, Chairman Will Hays, of the
Republican committee, and both militant
sna non-militant suffrage leaders is be-
hind the effort to make Tennessee the
aperfect thirty-six' in the list of rati-
fying states.
Through her, the women of the nation
will be given the ballot in the Novem-
Der election. Now that Governor Perci-
val Clement of Vermont has declined
10 call the Legislature of his state ipto
session, though the Vermont solons were
ready and willing to pass tho ratifica-
ten Of the amendment, it is up to
Tennessee and to North Carolina if the
women are to vote in all states of the
Union this fall.
Republicans for 1t
The Tennessee Legislature is safely
Democratic by 96 TO 35-the Senate. rs
Democrats, Republicans; the House.
II Democrats, % Republicans. But the
Republicans do not intend to have the
onus Of possible failure put on them, so
they will vote almost solidly for rati
fcation. Their floor leaders expect that
there will not be over two or three G..
o. P. votes cast against the measure.
Among the Democrats, prospects for
suffrage victory are rosy. The same
legislature which will vote on ratifica-
ton, in 1919 passed a partial suffrage
bill, giving Tennessee women the right
"a N iol
elections The bill could go no further
on account of the peculiar construction
Of the state constitution.
The solons, however, passed the linn
tied suffrage bill, and will pass the rati-
fcation by an even greater vote. now
that the Supreme Court ruling on the
Ohio referendum case nullifed stste
constitution provision which had hereto
fore kept Tennessee from ratifying the
Anthony amendment Governor Roberts
viii personally put whatever pressure he
can on legislators to aid the passage of
the ratification.
Suffrage leaders have already BEGUN
to flock to Nashville. Mrs. Carrie Chan
man Gait, president of the National
American Woman Suffrage Association.
arrived at the scene of action july ~
Sne was met at the train by a commit
zee OF women, including the wife of the
governor and began studying the situa-
uon; Governor Roberts, who was out
o. tne city, sent personal representa-
ave to assure her of his cooperation.
Appeal From Wilson
The great opportunity has come for
tennessee to be the thirty-sixth state
70 ra'lIy the suffrage amendment"
Mts Gait declared. ut is really a great
privilege. am merely here to look
eae situation over, to talk with your
governor and learn what assistance,
Il any, Is needed: Suffragists the coun-
ny over feel that Tennessee should
rise to the occasion and become the ~
oeciding factor in giving woman the
vote"
Politics, both national and state. is
inextricably intertwined with the Ten
nessee effort to achieve ratification.
National Democratic leaders are high
y eiated at the opportunity afforded
the party to claim credit with the
women of the nation by giving them
Tie maj state necessary to ratify. Ap-
peals from President Wilson, the
Democratic National Committee and
TIE San Francisco convention feat
ured the successful attempt to gain
IN inclusion of the ratification of the
amendment in Governor Roberts's call
Tor an extra session.
The present Legislature was elected
IN November, 1918, before the suffrage
amendment had been submitted to the
State Legislature for ratification. On
this account no effort was made in
tennessee until recently to gain rati-
fcation.
However, the Supreme Court cut the
Jordan knot for Tennessee. In its de-
eislon on the Ohio referendum case it
neld that no state constitution had
authority to change in any detail the
method which the Federal Constitution
Itself provided for its amendment.
A majority of the justices of the