New-York tribune., 1920-08-24

for breaking O. quorum In tho House
by leaving tho state. 1t bears the sig
natures Of thirty-seven members, Of
whom twenty-seven are Democrats and
ten Republicans.
Enumerating reasons Tor our action
In breaking quorum In order to pre-
vent the passage Of the resolution
ratifying the suffrage amendment to
the Constitution Of the United States,"
the statement said:
I'VE are convinced that the methods
which were adopted to secure the pas
sage Of the resolution were improper
and not justified.
"We believe that the majority Of the
people Of Tennessee do not favor the
ratification Of said amendment.
Believe Action Was Proper
1--WE felt to have ratified said amend
ment would have been to surrender
the sovereign rights Of the state on
the question of suffrage, which is one
'of the most important and sacred
rights conferred, and the only defense
that the people of Tennessee had at
this juncture rested in our hands, and
the only way that we could serve was
to take the course that we have taken.
could only be justified by the trcmend-
Gus issues involved
ut seemed to US, and wc feel con-
vinced that we are right, that under
conditions existing at Nashville, under
the pressure Of lobby and the de-
mands improperly made by agencies
which should not have been employed.
the only proper course for US to take
was to absent ourselves from the state
for period of time sufficient for the
people Of Tennessee to express them
selves in such manner as might be
adopted by them, to the end that the
lent himself to the adoption of the
amendment, and the members of the
Legislature who seem to favor its
adoption, might be advised of the wishes
|of the people of Tennessee, and be
superinduced by such expressions to
abandon for the time being the prose-
cutlon of the endeavor to now ratifv
said amendment.
To Remain Outside State
THE next Legislature convenes with
IN five months. Under the Constitu-
tion of Tennessee, without question, it
will have the right to ratify said
amendment if in the judgment of the
Representatives and their constituents
1T seems proper so to do. Tennessee
has already conferred the right of
Suffrage upon its women to the ex-
tent permitted by it's constitution, and
'it seems that no good reason can be
gwen for the haste manifested by
those favoring the ratification of this
amendment.
"Other states asked that the matter
be loft to the several states, and that
Tennessee, by its action, should not
impose on them law objected to by
their people.
"It is our purpose to remain outside
of the borders of the state for rea-
sonable time, until the people of the
state may have an opportunity to ex-
press themselves in the premises, and
we. therefore, urge that in the several
counties Of the state the people as
semble. in mass meetings on Saturday
next, being the 2Sth day of August,
1920, and by proper resolution indicate
their will in the matter, by which
action members Of the Legislature,
who, we think, are not correctly rep
resenting the sentiments of their re-
spective constituents, and the Gov
ernor of the state may be advised of
the wishes of the people, and admon-
ished Of the necessity Of conforming
to their wishes as may be indicated at
said meetings."