The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-08-26

| IHIunCtlOnS served on toy. Roberts,
But Judges Decision Permits Him
To Send Ratification Papers To
WashingtOn--Members Still in Ala
bama, But May Return Saturday
To Be Heard BY Higher Court.
Nashville, Tenn, August 81
Chancellor James B. Newman today
issued a writ of injunction temper
arily restraining Gov. Roberts, Sec
rotary Of State Stevens and the
speakers of the Tennessee Senate and
House from certifying to Secretary
of State Colby Tennessee ratifica-
ton of the woman suffrage amend
ment.
Papers were served on Gov. Rob
erts Immediately, but so far as
known service has not taken place on
the secretary Of State and the two
speakers.
The lower house Of the Tennessee
Legislature could hold no session to-
day for lack Of a quorum, only SO
members answering roll call. Sixty
six members constitute a quorum.
Speaker Walker directed the SER
geant-at-arms to arrest and bring be-
fore the bar of the House all absent
members. The speaker declared the
House in recess for one hour to give
the sergeant-at-arms time to round
up the abentees.
When the hour was up T. X. Rid
dick, suffrage leader, declaring the
legislature was acting under federal
and not state law in considering the
suffrage amendment and that the
state constitutional quorum was not
necessary and moved that the Walker
motion for reconsideration Of ratifi-
cationcation be taken from the
journal. The speaker held the Rid
dick motion out of order On an APP
peal to the House the speaker was
oveTuled by vote of 40 to s.
Riddick then moved that the House
reconsider its concurrence in the SEN
ate's ratification Of the amendment.
The motion was lost so to 0,
Walker, from the floor, then made
a point of order that there was no
quorume demanding that it be re-
corded in the journal
Motion to adjourn until Monday
afternoon then was made and inn
mediately Walker made another point
Of order that the speaker pro TEN,
under the terms of the injunction,
also was restrained from any action.
The House, however, adjourned with
out ruling from the chair.
Thirty members Of the House early
Saturday left their hotels and took
the train for Decatur, Ala, to break
the quorum and prevent any action
on the move to reconsider the action
Of the House in concurring with the
Senate in ratifying the amendment.
No quorum was present to 10 a. m.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. threw another
monkey wrench into the suffrage me
chine Saturday, when they obtained
an injunction temporarily restrain
ing Gov. Roberts and Secretary of
State Stevens from making, signing
or issuing any proclamation declara-
ton, resolution or certificate declar-
ing that the State Of Tennessee has
constitutionally and legally adopted
the proposed nineteenth amendment
to the constitution of the United |
States; and from taking any official
action with reference to the Illegal
action of the special session of the
general assembly Of the State Of |
Tennessee purporting to ratify and
adopt said nineteenth amendment to
the constitution Of the United |
States"
The injunction was granted by
Judge E. F. Langford. The bill was
filed in Part II Of the chancery court
Of Davidson county by G. Runcie
Clements, Rufus E. Fort, Edward
Buford, Dudley Gale, A. s. Warren,
James A. Vowel and George Wash
ington.
Speaker Todd, Of the Senate, and
Speaker Walker, Of the House. were
made co-defendants with the gov
ernor and secretary Of state. Papers
were served upon the governor inn
by court officials. Gov.
had indicated earlier in the
day that he intended to certify the
resolution as having
been duly passed.
The action of the legislature was
on the ground that the State
prohibits any action
upon a federad amendment by a leg
stature elected before the amendment
was submitted for ratification.
Nashville. Tenn, August 24.4While
The dissenters are running about to-
night pretty much like the proverb;al
'hicken with his head off trying to
discovered what hit them when Chief
Justice Lansden vacated the injunct-
on against Gov Roberts this morn
ng, an innocent looking little Ger
hicate bearing the signature Of The
rovernor and the great seal of The
State was on its way 70 Washington
o inform the secretary Of state that
Tennessee had ratified the Susan B.
Anthony amendment.
The certificate was dropped into
he mail box. 30 minutes after the
,hief justice granted the writ Of
directing the chancery
curt to forget it.
Of course the dissenters are up
n arms. They took long si10t Sat-
day when they asked an inferior
curt to enioin the governor Of Ten
a..