Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-08-26
FUGITIVE ANTS
BALK SUFFRAGE
Tennessee SoIOns Flee to Ala
bama to Prevent a
Quorum.
INJUNCTION ALSO PROCURED
Ratification of the Federal Woman
Suffrage Amendment Runs Into a
Snarl Of Legal and Legs-
lative Teehnicaiities.

Nashville Tenn, Aug. 24.-Although
Tennessee's ratification of the federal
woman suffrage amendment stood on
the legislative record of the lower
house Of the legislature as finally con
hrmed, a snarl OF legal and legislative
technlcalities remained to be disposed
of before the action can be certified.
Suffrage supporters, who had ridden
roughshod I'm the house over every OBJ
stacle thrown in their way, claimed
full legislative triumph. They de-
clared that only a temporary injune-
tion secured by the ants prevented
immediate certfcatlon to Secretary
Colby AT Washington.
on the other hand, Speaker Walker,
leader of the opposition, and many OF
his lleutenants, said the suifragists
had ruined their cause and that even
should the courts eventually hold rati-
ficatfon legal, litigation would SO de-
lay a final decision that the amend
ment would not figure in the Novem-
Der election unless some other state
ratified it.
Meanwhile, % members of the
house opposed to suffrage were In De
catur Ala, evading service in the
house for the avowed purpose of pre-
venting any legislative action in the
state until a new legislature shah have
been elected In November. They hur-
rled across the state line In a body
before the house again convened.
The restraining order, granted by
Judge Langford Of the chancery court,
is returnable In FIVE days, 1t was is
sued on an application contending that
under the state constitution this leg
islature has no power to pass on the
suffrage amendment.
Governor Roberts and other officials
were forbidden to certify to Washing
ton that ratification had been com
pleted and speakers Of the senate and
house restrained from taking any ac-
ton toward ratification until the mat
ter Is heard by the court.
When the house met all the suf-
fragists and a sprnkling Of the OPP
position members We're in their seats.
A roll call showed 80 members pres
ent, or seven short of quorum.
Speaker Walker declared a recess and
ordered the sergeant-at-arms to arrest
absentees. The official reported that
none of the missing members appeared
10 be in the city.
r. X. Ridiok, sGffraglst floor leader,
declaring that action on the suffrage
amendment was not state but fed
eral matter and that the state laws
as regards a quorum Of the house did
not apply, moved that the Walker mo-
ton for reconsideration be called from
the journal and acted upon.
Walker ruled the motion out of or
der for lack Of a quorum, and added
that the injunction just served upon
him also stood In the way, on an APP
peal the house failed TO sustain the
ruling and Walker called Representa-
tive Joe Odle, Suilragist to the chair
Odle ordered a roll cali on Riddick's
motion for reconsideration. Walker
made n point Of order that there was
no quorum, hut was ignored and the
sufiragiSts defeated the motion to re-
consider by a vote of 80 TO O.
Riddick then moved that the house
transmit to the senate in the usua
manner the senate Joint resolution
ratifying the amendment. Again Walk
er made point Of no quorum and
also challenged the right of the
speaker pro tenn. to put any motion
relating TO the amendment in view OF
the injunction restraining the speak
er of the house"
Again Odle ignored Walker. ordered
the roll call and the motion carried
80 to O. the unts not voting. Adj.
jourument was taken.