Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-19
Suffrage Forces
fContinued from Paae Onel

| votes, but their leaders declared to-
night that members in favor of suf
! frage who were absent today. would
arrive probably tomorrow morning.
Suffrage Forces to Guard
The motion to reconsider may be
carried by majority vote of the
members present and since Mr.. Wal
ker can act without moments no.
tice, the suffragists planned to be
on hand in full force during the next
two DAYS.
Suffrage leaders said they expected
no OBJECTIONS among their forces but
as a precaution were tightening their
lines tonight while opposition leaders
were waging an active campaign TO
increase their strength for a final
effort.
The end came suddenly. Debate
on the motion to concur had been in
progress little more than an hour
and there was no indication a vote
was imminent when Speaker Walker
called representative Overton to the
a suffragist who had charged that
special interests were at work to de-
| feat ratification.
Walker Starts Things
THE battle has been won and the
measure defeated" Mr.. Walker said
Il resent the iniquitous remark that
special interests are here alone
against this measure. I resent this
on behalf of the womanhood that is
/ both opS aoo;,,Sf
Il move that this measure go where
it belongs, to the table"
Instantly the chamber was in an
uproar. Suffragists clamored for rec
ognition while a chorus of Second
the motion came from the ants. Mr..
Overten, however. refused to recog-
nize any one and ordered the roll
called. The result was in doubt on
unofficial tallies. An appeal to the
clerk developed that this tally also
showed a tie, As to As.
Pandemoniun reigned. Members
left their seats and crowded around
| the speakers stand, many demanding
another roll call.
Mr.. Overton, who occupied the
chair during the remainder of the
session. ordered a second roll call,
which showed a tie of As to As and the
speaker declared the motion lost for
want of a majority
instantly the ants demanded a vote
on the original motion to concur in the
| senate action. If another lie resulted
! it meant rejection of the amendment.
( When the speaker put the motion hun
| dreds of suffragists regarded the bat
/ tie as lost The vote at the outset
was on partisan lines. but when the
! name of Representative Harry r.
Burn. Republican. of McMnn county,
was called he voted aye" The oppo-
sition then virtually conceded defeat.
for Mr.. Burn had voted with then, TO
table the resolution and his change
gave the suffra gists the needed ma
jority.
! The stand of other members was I'M
changed until the name of Representa-
tive f. P. Turner, Democrat, of Gibson
county, was reached and he passed. In
stantly there was a shout Of satisfac-
ton from the ants. He had voted
against the motion to table and his
posing forces. but just before the end
of the roll call Mr.. Turner requested
the clerk to record him as voting
aye"
Mr. Turner had said eatedly that
he would neither vote for nor against
ratification unless it was evident that
his vote was needed, but in that event
would vote for the amendment.
Suffragists launched an uproarious
demons tration before the clerk an
nounced the vote and there was no
question that they had won. Women
screamed, scores danced. so far as it
was possible to dance. in the crowd
Hundreds of suffragis banners were.
waved wildly and many removed the
yellow flowers they had been wearing
and thre wthem upward to meet SINH
lar shower from the galleries.
A motion was offered after the Off
cial vote was announced to adjourn
until 10 O'Clock tomorrow morning.
but in the uproar it was doubted
whether any members heard it or
whether it was seconded. The speaker
put the question. called for the ayes"
and noes and announced gravely that
the motion had carried unanimously.
The announced intention to attack
the legality of the ratification if the
house failed to resc1nd the action was
the subject of conferences tonight be
tween the suffrage leaders and be-
tween the leaders of the opposition
I The clause of the Tennessee constitu-
ton upon which would be test in the
courts is Article 2, Section 80. 1t fol-
lows:
mo convention or general assembly
of this state shall act upon any
amendment to the constitution of the
United States proposed by Congress to
the several states. unless such con-
vention or general assembly shall
have been elected after such amend
ment is submitted."-
The present legislature was elected
in November. 1918, and the suffrage
amendment was not submitted to the
states until months afterward
The article was adopted IN 1870 as a
result of the ratification by the Ten
nessee legislature of the 14th amend
ment during reconstruction days after
the Civil War.
T White citizens of Tennessee were not
represented in that legislature, it is