The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-19
The Inevitable End OF a
Worthy Contest.

II was the good fortune Of TenneSse'
10 he the thIrty-sixth state To r""S |
and make effective the Nnet"ehVn
amendment 10 the federal constitution.
The amendment simply provides that
the right Of suffrage shall not he de-
nlsd any persons on account OF sex me
right 10 vote II not Inherent GUAM,
cations for voters are fixed by the Vari-
ous states. Among some OF the II"
radiments 10 suffrage are sge' h'efa'E
tssts and length Of residence. The STATE
viii continue to describe the quahh-
ra,ions for voters but will no longer
be permitted 10 discriminate against
women who fulfil the qualifications re-
quired Of men.
Pressure was brought to bear upon inc
tennessee legislature for the rat'''c"-
tion Of the amendment from all sources
and nv the leaders OF all parties
president Wilson, whose clear-cu.
stand for states rights in the outset Oh
his administration aroused the Iu's "
,ho ,riIitants. was an earnest advocate
~ the adoption OF the amendment pE
tennessee Former Secretary OF the
reros.urv McAdoo used his influence
with the members, many OF whom ne
knows personally, in behalf oil raliloa
ton. Gov. Cox was In almost oaiS
communication with the leaders, urging
ratification for the advantage he hopes
The Democratic party will receive IN
the November election through i'hS'
ratification by q Democratic legislature
Ia a Democratic state.
GOV. Roberts gave TO the cause ms
full strength and influence MI
K. Riddlck. who consented to serve
during the extraordinary session oil the
legislature in order to lead the fight for
ratification on the floor OF the house,
did his part and did It well.
Mas charl Williams deserves great
credit for the superb manner In Which
she conducted the fight for ratification
on behalf Of the women. No other sin
gle factor contributed so much to the
success Of the contest as the leadership
az Miss Williams. aud the elimination OF
imaginary and self-appointed leaders
who in the beginning succeeded only
in involving the fight IN hopeless tam
gie.
Among the Republicans who interest
"A themselves In behalf OF ratification
was Senator Harding. who placed hlm-
self In an attitude unalterably In FAVOR
OF the amendment, but declined to adj
wise any member OF the legislature TO
cast vote contrary to the provisions OF
the state constitution II he felt that
to do would be = violation OF his oath
Of office,
All Taylor, the Republican nominee
for governor, was on the ground ana
worked lndustriousiy among the Re-
publican members for ratification
FORMER Gov, Hooper, Congressman Sam
Sells and other Republican leaders did
what they could for ratification.
IL IL not logical to assume that either
PARTY viii derive any advantage from
the ratification bf the suffrage amend
ment. Democratic leaders urged raun'
sAtion on the ground that II would
mean q Democratic victory in Novem-
Der, Republican leaders urged ratlfi-
uatlon Oh the ground that Il would
mean : Republican victory In November
Notwithstanding many women have
never Vpted In presidential cleo
tlen, they are about as firmly in
trenehsd In the different political par
Ties as the men. Because they have
been deprived Of the ballot does not
indicate that they have not been stu
dents Of political history, Their en-
reimbursement finds them about Ss par
tiAan a. men. There 10 no difference
In their mentality, their methods Of
reasoning or their manner OF arriving ~
conclusions, that will distinguish then
from those who have been accustomed
10 cast ballots In the past,
The Democrats will, Of course, claim
credit for having furnished the thirty
sixth and final state. The Republicans
on the other hand. WA point to the dc
that Tennessee Is the tenth Democrats
state to ratify while the Republican
party has furnished &c.
The states that FOR one reason O
another have not ratified the amen|
ment are Alabama. Georgia. Firgima
mississippi South Carolina, Maryland
Delaware, Louisiana North Carolina
flOTldA, OuntltNNltAN anu NtNIiiNAAN' = -
only states In the "soiid South to ratI
~ we're Arkansas and Tennessee.
II is gratifying 70 record the ttnF
chapter IN this contest which Coul
have had but one result, There wa
some ground for the argument /
favor Of stateo' rights. There was som
reason In tire proteSV OF the women c
a
against an amcndmont to the feder'
constitut'or which would force suffrag
upon them II they did nol desire i
But after all their argument was lpc'
and sectional and represented minor
ity which would deny TO a great MAJOR
ity Of The women the right Of deter
rnination they claim FOR themselves
We have never heard reasonable az
sument against giving women the rigt
to vote. II It were q question Of in
teuigence one might as reasonably at
vocate giving the ballot TO the wome
and denying II to the men. II cann'
be said that women should not haN
the vote hecause they do not take a
active interest in politics. II we wei
10 dlFfrancnise the men who arc NJ
interested in politics and ordinarily
not take the trouble to vote, about
Der cent Of the men in Memphis won
be denied the right, which would
confined almost exclusively to the o
ficehoIders and their henchmen,
II cannot be said that women W
follow the leadership Of few and wit
out convictions OF their own, III
theory was disproved in the first sis