The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-13
Orators in Word Battle.

The speakers Thursday night were
Judge A. M. Tillman, Judge S. r. Will
son, Maj e. B. Stahlman, Charlotte
Rowe, and FINS j. Garrett, against
Char Williams, Ed 7. SeaY. James T.
, Fowler Senator Mcclellan and Charles
q, Gates for the amendment. Judge
Tillman is a Republican of note, a
former circuit judge, once candidate
for governor and a man who stands high
ip the councils of his party. Judge VIII
son is member of the court of appeals
and distinguished jurist. Maj. Stahl-
man is newspaper, publisher and a
powerful factor in state politics. Miss
Rowe is the head of the league of wo-
men opposed to woman suffrage and
Representative Garrett Is the brilliant
congressman from the Ninth district
of Tennessee. Miss Williams stands
at the head of the women of the state
in the Democratic party. a member OF
the national committee and leader of the
forces in charge of the fight for ratl-
fication. Mr.. Seay is an eminent law
yer Mr., Mcclellan is the junior sena-
TOR from Tennessee and Gen. Gates for
number Of years was attorney general
of the state and is regarded asAone OF
the brilliant legal minds of the nation.
Mr.. Fowler is a Republican lawyer from
Knoxville.
Gov. Roberts Hears Talks.
In the audience were hundreds OF
workers for suffrage, state and national.
Gov. Roberts was a conspicuous figure
in the assembly. Every available seat
on the floor and in the gallery was
taken and hundreds thronged the aisles
and stood back of .the railing of the
house and listened and watched the
ebb and flow of combat through three
tense and exciting hours. The audience
was about evenly divided; about hall
the men and half the women appeared
to be on either side as shown by the
tumultuous applause.
Only while Miss Rowe was speaking
was there any hostile demonstration.
Some of the good ladies' stuck their
tongues out at her, made wry faces
and otherwise manifested their dis
the time and trouble TO come. from New
York to appeal to the legislature OF
Tennessee not to place the ballot in
the hands Of her sex on an equality with
the men.
Reads Letter From Harding,
The sensation of the evening easily
was a letter read by Judge Tillman from
Senator Harding. First Judge Tillmar
read a letter he wrote Senator Harding
Tennessee constitution which says nc
amendment to the federal constitution
shall be ratified by the Legislature an
less 1t shall have been submitted before
the members of the legislature consd-
ering IL are elected.
Senator Harding wrote that Judge
Humans letter was the first informa-
tion he had regarding the Tennessee
constitution and said while he was an
ardent believer in the cause of woman
suffrage he could not ask the men,
bers of the legislature to violate the
plain provision of their constitution.
What effect the letter will have or
the Republican members is problem
atlcal. On the test vote Wednesday
q of the 26 Repub can members oil
the house voted to table a motion in
tended to kill the suffrage amendment
"A majority of the Democrats voted to
kill it. Will the Republicans continue
to stand for the amendment in the face
of the very adroit invitation comma
from the Republican candidate fo'
ton that is being asked by Mr.. Rid
dick, house leader for suffrage Miss
Williams in charge of the fight fol
the women, and Senator Haston, leader
, of the suffrage forces in the senate.
Outlook Not Pleasing.
Frankly they are not encouraged over
the prospect. The outlook it not a:
altogether pleasing as 1t was before The
house committee declined to act anC
before Judge Tillman offered the Re
publican members the avenue or eS
cape that some believe they will vel
come to avoid ratification.
There has been no letup in the fight
but like any other cause 1t is becoming
involved Some OF the members say
they can not afford to stay indefinitely
in Nashville for the privilege OF casting
vote for suffrage A week is alrnos
up and nothing accomplished while pay
is less than the cost Of a nights lodg,
ing. Some members say openly thai
they are about ready to go home. Ther
there are those who resent the leader
ship of Mr.. Riddick because of hi
great ability, his reputation as a law
Yer and his fighting qualities. He i
the ideal leader of the forces for rati'
fication in the house but there are some
who feel that they might have backe(