Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-08-19
SUFFRAGE BATTLE
 NOT ENDED WITH TENNESSEE VICTORY
Antis At Nashville Will Seek to Reconsider Rati-
 ficatiOn
LEGALITY OF ACTION ON
 WEDNESDAY ATTACKED
Constitutional League Declares Leg islature Had No Authority to Act Dramatic Scene Marks Action
 in House

Nashville, Tenn, Aug. 18.-Ten- nessee today ratified the federal wo- man suffrage act, the lower house of the legislature by vote of 50 to 46 concurring in the action of the sen- ate which last Friday adopted the ratification resolution by a vote of 25 to 4.
 Although it was the 36th state to act favorably and the amendment should become effective as soon as certified by Bainbridge Colby, secre- tary of state, whether 17,O00,OO0 wo- men of the country would vote in the presidential election in November re- mained to be determined. The house still has an opportunity to rescind it's action and preliminary steps for testing the legality of ratification by this legislature, if reconsideration should fail to upset it, already have been taken by the Tennessee Consti- tutional League on the ground that the assembly had no authority to act.
 May Reconsider Act.
 After the ballot today Seth Walk CT, speaker Nof the house and leader of the opposition, changed his vote from "no" to faye" in order to avail himself of the privilege of moving for reconsideration and announced that he would do so. Under the rules only MT. Walker can offer this mo- tion and it may be done at any time he so desires. He must act, how ever, either tomorrow or Friday.
 Ninety six of the 99 members of the house were present today and the alignment, until a vote on concur renee was taken, was tie, each fac tion polling 48 votes on a motion by Mr., Walker to table the resolution. On the ballot for concurrence the lineup was 49 to AT until the speak CT changed his vote. This appar- ently would give the suffragists an advantage of only two votes but their leaders declared tonight two mem bers in favor of suffrage, who were absent today, would arrive probably tomorrow morning.
 Fight Still Waged.
 The motion to reconsider may be carried by majority vote of the members present and since MT. Walk CT can act without a moments notice the suffragists expected to be on hand in full force at all hours dur ing the next two days. It was evil dent the only hope the speaker had of overturning today's action was through assertions from the suffrage ranks or failure of the suffragists to have virtually every member pres ent until the house adjourns Friday The suffrage leaders declared they expected no defections among their forces but as precaution they were tightening their lines. The opposi- ton leaders tonight were waging an active campaign in an effort to in- crease their strength at the expense of their antagonists.
 The end came with dramatic sud- denness. 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 Representa- l tive Overton to the chair and took the floor to reply to suffragist who had charged that special interests were at work to defeat ratification "The battle has been won and the measure has been defeated,' MT Walker said. q resent the iniqui- tious remarks that specitl interests are here alone against this measure | I resent this on behalf of the wo manhood that is both for and against suffrage, MT. Speaker" he shouted "I move that this measure go where it belongs, to the table
 Scene Is Exciting.
 Instantly the chamber was in ar uproar, suffragists clamored fol recognition while a chorus of "sec ond the motion" came from the antis MT. Overton, however, refused tt recognize anyone and ordered thu roll call. The vote was neck ant ! neck race and at the conclusion man. spectators, members and newspape men who had kept tally had total O 49 in favor of the motion and A against it. An equal or greater mum Lcr declared the vote was AS to 4 and an appeal, to the clerk develope' that his tally also showed tie. l Pandemonium reigned. MT. Overto1 who occupied the chair during tn remainder of the session, manage to restore order and instructed tn clerk to proceed with second rol call in order that there might be n doubt.
 Second Ballot Is Tie.
 The second ballot showed a tie Q 48 to AS. and the speaker declare the motion lost for want of a ma jority. ;, J Instantly the anti suffragists de manded a vote on the original mo tion to concur in the senate action. was a crucial moment. The motion [ table had just been lost through
 tie vote and if the opposing force el