The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-13
WILL TEN LESSEE 81
LEGISLA TORS VOTE|
FOR EQUAL RIGHTS.
FOR THEIR WON NJ
A Lawyer and an Editor
of Ardmore, Formerly
From That State, Ex-
press Opinions

pI tSS OphtiOIto
The action OF the Tennessee leg
islature toward the woman suffrage
amendment. now pending before a
special session OF that body il being
wat.hed with keen interest by many
former Tennesseeans, now Ardmore
residents who are Interested in the
action OF the law-making body Of thar
commonwealth, and opinions differ
somewhat aa to the probable outcome
OF the whole matter.
Attorney Sneeds Opinion
j. X. Sneed, attorney of this city,
who represented Madison county
Tennessee, IN the state legislature, ana
Is familiar with Tennessee politics,
IS Of the opinion that the Legislature
viii finally ratify the nineteenth
amendment, but believes that in the
interim there will be a regular fight
BY many OF the old timers to side
track the issue until q regular ses-
sion conyenes.
Mr.. Sneed states that there Is
certain element in Tennessee, and in
fact all the southern states who be-
lieye that the woman's place is in
the home and that she has no busi--
ness mixing in politics. This view
IL not shared by the younger and
more progressive members Of the po-
litical parties, who are for the wo-
oil hn
Mr.. Snced believes that the latter elc
mcnt will finally win out over What
no terms the Mother, Home and
Heaven" faction, who believe femin-
unity too sacred to contaminate itself
with politics.
Mr.. Snecd said that the states
rights" question is also one that is
hard TO combat in the south where
il was originally born, and where
many old ante-bellum statesmen still
believe in its true virtue.
He says that there is a large ele-
ment of this character in Tennessee
who believe the question should be
one for each state to settle and no,
be made national issue.
Negro Woman "a Factor
There is another issue not set
forth in printed pages. but an issue
just the same, and that is. there
are many counties in the state where
the blacks are in majority, and
some politicians are opposed 10 the
negro women having the franchise
and given the same power TO vote
the amendment would give the white
women, but Mr. Sneed states that
this question has been and always
viii be handled by The whites and he
sees no good feason why the issue
should be made Oh this score.
Keeping in close touch with Tennes
see politics as he does, Mr. Sueea
thinks it would be bad politics on
the part OF the Democratic party not
TO ratify the amendment because the
Republican nominee for presidept has
lightly skinned over the situation,
and he believes that If the Democrats
Of the state fail to ratify / tthe Re-
publicans win make it a vital issue in
the coming presidential campaign.
Colonel Gregory's Views
col T.. H. Gregory of this city.
editor of the Ardmore Statesman, who
wns prominently identified with Re-
publican politics in Tennessee for
several years, is also in close touch
with the Tennessee situation.
Colonel Gregory was offered the
gubernatoral nomination of his party
while Il resident of the Volunteer
state" but declined. lie was also
Grand Master of Tennessee odd Eel
lows for several years and has a
wide acquaintance with men and
conditions, he says that ii looks
to him as if the legislature of Ten
nessee would turn down the ratifi-
cation OF the nineteenth amendment
for the reason that it might break
into the ranks of the solid south
Negroes Naturally Republicans
He doesn't believe that the south
ern white woman will take kindly
to politics. but that the negro wo-
man will, and as It is naturally sup !
posed the negro woman would vote
the Republican ticket, it would prob !
ably be quite a factor in smashing |
n hitherto impregnable barrier to
Republican success.
Referring to lobbying that is taking |
place in the Tennessee Legislature |
Colonel Gregory says that the women
who are lobbying for the ratification |
Of the amendment are from the north |
ern states where the negro question
is not so acute, an dthey cannot seem
10 visualize the attitude of the Ten.
nessee legislators who are objectins |
to the amendment on these grounds
In speaking OF the moral support" |
extended the women of Tennessee by
both presidential candidates, Colone, |
Gregory fails to see where it has ac. |
complished much toward bringing the
state Legislators ilto line for the
amendment.
In Tennessee, the Colonel continues,
the women have already been given
the franchise and he sees a nos. |
sible combine on their part to put a
number Of their sex in the state
legislature to put the amendment
over, but he also states that there are
many women In the state who are
as bitterly opposed TO the woman
having the right OF the ballot as
the men are,
St Il oils s--Dnrnhncn ~ IL