The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-08-24
New Departure Seen
In Suffrage Fight
Situation in Tennessee Now Sur
rounded by Maze of Teehnieali-
ties - Court Injunction
Against Governor.

today in the bitter fight over ratif-
cation of the woman suffrage amend-
tonight in such an ENHANCEMENT OF
ment by Tennessee left the situation
techncalities that many suffraglsts s
and all their opponents declared the
courts would have to decide the status
of the measure. The outstanding fea-
lures were these:
An injunction temporarily re-
straining Governor Roberts, Secre-
tary Stevens and Speakers Andrew
Todd and Soth Walker of the senate
and house, respectively, from certify
ing ratification to Washington OF
from taking any other action with re-
gard to the amendment on the ground
this legislature had no legal right to
act upon it was issued by Judge E..
F. Langford of the chancery court Of
Davidson county. The injunction Is
retusnable within five days on agree
ments
The suffrage majority in the house
called from the journal the Walker
motion that the house reconsider its
action in ratifying the amendment
and killed it.
twenty-five Leave State.
Twenty-Five members of the house
opposed to suffrage left in a body
shortly after last midnight for De-
catur, Ala, in an effort to break the
quorum and prevent action on the
Walker action, @ttheir absence aesult-
ing in what was charactsrizsd as one
of the most unique parliamentary
tangles in the history Of American
legislative bodies.
Suffrage leaders tonight declared
they were "on top Of the world and
that the only obstacle now to cer-
tifcation to Secretary Colby was the
restraining order issued by Judge
Langford, which they expected to
overcome with little difficulty.
On the other hand, Speaker Wal
ker, leader Of the opposition, and
scores of his lieutenanes said tEs
suffragists had ruined their cause be-
cause of their tactics and that even
should the courts eventually hold
ratification legal, the litigation would
so delay a final decision that the
amendment would not figure in the
November elections unless some other
state ratified it before that time.
Situation in Doubt.
The situation with the result OF !
Mr.. Walkers motion that the house
reconsider it's action when the house
last Wednesday concurred in the ac-
ton of the senate in ratifying the
amendment is: Speaker Walker in or
der to enter motion on the journal
that the house reconsider the matter
changed his vote from may" to
"aye." By this step he reserved to
himself for two days the privilege OF
maving reconsideration.
Walker failed to muster major
ity Thursday and Friday. When Wal
ker realized yesterday that he did not
have a majority he attempted to
carry a motion to adjourn until Mon !.
day for the usual weekend recess.
The motion was defeated and the
suffragists for the first time took the
offensive and forced adjournment
over night. The object of the suf-
frage forces in holding the house in IS
session today was t oget at the Wal;
ker motion for reconsideration and
kill it. It has been held that since
the motion was a matter Of record
ratification could not properly be GER
tilted until it had been disposed of.
The opposition minority realizing
that the battle was lost if a session
was held and they were not in a
majority, rounded up enough OF their
members late last night to break
quorum, boarded an early morning
train and left the. state, to remain
until the rs days of the special ses-
sion had expired. The motion to re-
consider was on the journal and it re-
NAMED 'alive" as long as it was not
taken therefrom and acted upon, or Z
until the legislature had adjourned
sine die.
The South has everuthinz To oain