The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-13
TWO SENkTES IN
Line FOR WOMEN
Ratification Resolutions Passed
by Upper Houses.
Tennessee Minority Committee
Report Turned Down.
GOVERNOR SENDS APPEAL
Nashville Body Told Suffrage
Cannot Be Beaten.
But He Fears Renewal of Fight
for White Control.
GOVERNOR SENDS APPEAL

Nashville. Aug. ia motion to ia
Bile a minority report urging no action
on the resolution proposing ratification
of the woman suffrage amendment
and offered as a sub for the favorable
majority committee report which rec
commended adoption was carried rs to
II in the upper house of the Tennes-
see legislature today
This is the first definite indication
of the strength of the opposing forces.
Seventeen votes are necessary for the
ratification bv the senate.
The legislature has "a legal and
moral right to act" the report de-
clared. fInhibitory clause in the state
constitution are invalidated by the
! United States constitution, it was ar
gued.
Cannot Be Defeated.
The report expressed the view that
! suffrage is at hand and may be de-
layed but cannot be defeated.
The minority report was tabled
when an effort was made to adopt it.
The vote was % to 10.
When the suffrage resolution was
brought up for passage a point of or
der was made by Senator Mcfarland.
The chair overruled the point and
an appeal was taken.
The senate sustained the ruling of
the speaker. The vote was 81 to 5.
It was another victory for suffrage.
Stuff Plans Nfiscarried.
The miscarriage of plans of the suf-
frage leaders resulted from decision
of the house committee late last night
| to defer a report on the resolution un-
| til Monday in order the committee
men might have more time for con-
sideration. Chairman Gwin of the
senate committee which with the
house committee conducted a joint
h vi "a nj
| it would make a favorable report to-
/ day. Speaker Todd of the senate said
yesterday that body would adopt the
resolution within an hour after it con-
vened today.
Declaring that women should have
| ''the first right to speak when the is
sue Is whether or not the world shall
| henceforth be ruled by reason and
| righteousness or by blood and iron,
/ Governor Beckett in a special message
today called upon the North Carolina
! legislature to accept the inevitable
and raitfy the federal suffrage amend
! ment."
Governor Warns Democrats.
The governor warned his Demo
/ cratic friends that the most they would
be able to do by defeating the rati-
! fication resolution would be to delay
for six months a movement you are
pewerless to defeat" He urged them
and of grace" adding that within the
periods of few months some Other
state will open the door and womer
will enter the political forum"
I'VE may just as we'll realize. gen
tlemen,' the governor continued
that this country is no longer as as
sociation of states but a nation.
Whatever a majority of the people oi
the nation want is going to be the su-
preme law of the land
whenever I really want TO thinl
seriously about states rights. 1 go and
muse for an hour over the grave o.
my confederate grandfather for
realize now more keenly than evel
! that states rights have passed away.
''In the famous words OF Grover
| Cleveland, a condition not a theor1
| confronts u.s. for woman suffrage i:
| at hand"
Appeals to Chivalry.
Reiterating his belief that fedora
suffrage could not be avoided. Gov.
ernor Beckett pointedly asked the as
| semblymen whether they would re
ceive the new voters with a smile oil
a frown.' He appealed to the 'tchiv
airy of the south" to give the womer
welcome.
/ "But there is another and far deep
er reason for not delaying the move
ment we are powerlss to defeat" h
said. The big question that is goini
to be settled in the next six months
is whether this nation shall enter al
alliance with twenty-nine of the mos
! powerful nations on earth for the pur
pose of forever delivering humanft.
from the borders and horrors OF war
On that question the women have
sacred right to be heard. for whel
/ cannon roar the women furnish tn
fodder"
Has New Fears.
Discussing the possible effect o
equal suffrage on the race relation
in this and other parts of the south
Governor Beckett said:
For thirty-five years after th'
Civil war all political energies of ou
people were absorbed IN the struggl
to maintain in our borders a whit
government. For this we fought witt
our backs to the wall because we be
lieved such a government to be essen
tial to a white civilization. greatl,
fear that woman suffrage would fore
US to fight again the battle for a whit
government"
North Carolina Senate in Line.
Raleigh. Aug. 13.-Suffrage VOL
the initial battle in the North Carolini
legislature today when by vote o
Z to / the constitutional amendmen
committee of the upper house favor
ably reported a ratification resolution
Ratification of the federal suffrag
amendment was proposed in resolu
ton offered in the North Carolina leg
isIature today by representative VIII
leader. irnn1 ediateIy after the readin
urging favorable action by the genera
: