New-York tribune., 1920-08-19

anus without turner 1T stood 4S ts
AZ. His vote "no" would make a tie
and lose the ratification. His vote
AYE" would make Tennessee the per
feet thirty-six.
Turner arose. There was breath
less silence through, the house.
Mr.. Speaker, before the vote is an.
nounced, | desire to be recorded as
voting aye" Turner said. in a CON
versational tone.
a sigh cs relief went through the
galleries, to be followed. as soon as
tie people realized what Turner's "aye'
meant, by barst of applause that
shook The rafters and made the tri-
angles On the chandeliers dance.
There was some delay then. The
same urbane gentleman who on Tues
day had refused recognition to suf-
fragists to move the previous question
and then had recognized Speaker
Walker when he moved to adjourn was
in the chair. AS he had done Tuesday
h.: prefaced his remarks by statement
that he was absolutely fair to every
body. Then he recognized Walker. let
him change his vote and move recon
siGeratior. Then he announced the
vote as so to 46. A motion to adjourn
until 1880 O'Clock Thursday was i'm
tnediately introduced and carried by a
viva voce vote.
1t has taken the bitterest fight in
the history of the state to obtain to-
days result. Ratification has come in
spite Of the most powerful influences
ever set in motion to block a measure
il this state. 1t has come after mis-
takes of the suffrage floor leadership
which imperiled the success of the
cause. These mistakes were so grave
that friends had several times given
Up. The antis in the House were COM
paotly organized and had all advantage
Of position. They had the Speaker. the
clerk, the sergeant at arms, the Demo
cratic floor leader. They had the active
and influential men working with them.
They had as material TO work on the
same type of men who had before
inuckled under time and again to what
the interests wanted.
7. K Riddick, Memphis consttu
tional lawyer. was first floor leader for
ratification He was elected at the spe-
cial elections in August. He has
had little experience with parlia-
mentary law and no experience
with the tricks of trade of the
secret lobbyist. Friday morning,
when the Senate was ratifying suf
frage. Riddiek was in the Senate listen
ing to the debate. He had in his pocket
was gone Speaker Walker and the other
House antis rushed through motion
TO adjourn until Monday. Suffrag"
leaders blamed Riddick bitterly for al
lowing this to be put over. as they had
large House majority that day.
Then Joe Hanover, another Memphis
man, assumed the suffrage reins. He
is a better parliamentarian, q man of
intense activity, and did much better.
But still the snffragsts were no;
compact, agreed mass, as were the ants
And they could not control their
speakers.
Riddick led off Tuesday, and his
opening remarks referred to the South
as "the tail end of creation" He next
called the roll Of distinguished men
working fer suffrage, and omitted the
name OF Governor Roberts, without
whose unccasing efforts on wabbly leg
islators rejection would have been GER
tain. He then charged that the votes
of some legislators had been controlled
By interests. and announced that sixty
would be published. Riddck's speech
was taken full advantage of by Speaker
Y alher, who aroused his sympathizcrs
in the gallery TO shrieking enthusiasm.
The Speaker resented the charge Of
the unseen interests, and appealed to
tire legislators to show how untrue it
WAS and how trey resented the charye
by voting against ratification.
Walkers speech played to every sec
ION trcJuuce. and seemed very eff
1ect.ve. Yet many of the ratification
after his appeal But Mr.. Hanover
wouldn't have it. He delivered an eff
iective spe ech, and relaxed the tension
that Walker had pat on the suffrage
ranks. He failed, however. to move
the previous question at the close of
his speech One instant, and the
chance was gone He tried to retrieve
it, but in vain. Speaker Walker moved
to adjourn, and the tired members ad-
Jourred
Suffrage women had sent up hun
hungary solons. The ants refused to
let them come to the members. They
Intended to talk the hungry men into
adjournment. They hoped that North
Carolina's action would get to the
House before it adjourned, but it did
not. And so by another blunder an
adj djournment was put over.
1t was a blue crowd last night, the
suffrage crowd. They were smiling, al
though their hearts were about to
break Some women brought to the
NdPilVi NHlS iliOlIItilS ltN IOScS
wreathed with funeral crepe, so low
were their spirits. The men retained
their optimism on the surface, but be-
meath they were frightened and ex-
pected defeat.
1t is in the hands of God we can
do no more" exclaimed Miss Charl
Williams, chairman of the steering
committee of Democratic women which
has been working day and night for
ten days for ratification. "The situa-
ton this morning could not have been
any worse" was the way Miss Sue
White, Tennessee chairman of the
NatioMai Woman's Party. felt about it,
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait, although
she had nothing to say, was prepared
Cor de .eat.
This morning representative L. D.
Miller, Of Hamilton County, challenged
some Of Speaker Walkers remarks of
Tuesday and reiterated charges OF u
loboy OF unseen interests.
The interests have for fifty years
been ave TO do whatever they wanted
to with the Tennessee Legislature"
Miller began. "ln the present session
they have put over whatever they
wanted to. And see the same men in