The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-22
TANCLE GROWS
IN TENNESSEE
House Votes Down Motion to
Reconsider In Spite Attempt
to Obtain ''NO Quorum"
SENATE GETS RESOLUTION
Injunction, However, Prevents
1t From Being Sent to Gov
ernOr For Certifying.
SENATE GETS RESOLUTION
fsv AsaocIated Press !,


Nasbville, Aug. 2t.-DevelopmentS to-
dav II the bitter fight over rlti.ica-
tiOr OF the federal woman suffrage
amendment by Tennessee left the situa-
tion In such an ENHANCEMENT of tecn-
nIcalities that many suffragisss and
all their opponents declared the courts
VIII have to decide the status of the
measure. The antis said this would
take longer ,than November. The out
standing features today We're an in
junction temporarily restraining state
officials from certifying file ratifica-
ton. departure for Decatur. Alabama,
OF % anti-suffrage legislators, who
sought to break the quorum, and ac-
tion of suffragists in calling up the
motion to reconsider and killing it.
The lower house OF the Tennessee
legislature defeated 80 to 0 a motion to
reconsider its action in ratifyng the
woman suffrage amendment and orr
dered the senate joint ratification reso-
LUTON transmitted to the senate that
it might be sent to the engrossing clerk.
Authorities regard the amendment
as literally wrapped up in legal en-
tanglements and it is a foregone con-
cluslon that the courts will have TO
pass on the legality OF its ratification.
Although the house ratified the
amendment Wednesday. Speaker Seth
Walker opposition leader. changed his
vote from the negative to the affirma-
tive in order to have recorded on the
journal motion for reconsideration
His action gave him the sole privilege
Of calling UP the action during the
next two legislative days This time
limit expired yesterday without his
acting and suffragists. in view of the
fact that after adjournment yesterday
any one who voted in the affirmative
was privileged ito call the motion from
the journal. followed this course and
killed it.
In an attempt to forestall such ac-
tion more than score OF anti-ratifica-
tionists last night left the state in a.
body in the hope that the mouse today
would have no quorum. When the
house was called to order and the roll
call developed, only 50 members were
present whea 66 were required, a re-
cess OF ole hour was deeda upcaI
while the sergeant attempted
to round no absentees. q
: When. the recess was over, /. X. hid
dick, suffragist leader, deeiaan,y the
legislature was acting on a fe lesa. law
and not state matter and that the
state laws so far as quorum was con-
cerned did not apply. moved that the
Walker motion be taken from The
journal.
Speaker Walker had Just been served
With an injunction restraining Governor
Roberts, the secretary of state and the
speaker Of the senate and house from
certifying ratification of the amend
ment to Washington, and from taking
any other action thereon. He said the
house could not act. but called an
other member to the chair.
The suffragisls carried the motion
and then Riddick moved that the house
reconsider its action on ratification.
The motion was lost 30 to 0.
Walker, from the floor, then made a
point OF order that there was no
quorum, demanding that it be recorded
in the journal
Motion to adjourn until Monday af-
ternoon then was made and immedi-
ately Walker made another point of
order that the speaker pro tenn, under
the terms of the injunction. also was
restrained from any action. The house,
however. adjourned without ruling
from the chair.