The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-08-18
Excitement Runs High as Lower Body
Adjourns Without Taking
s Action.
MOTION CARRIES SO TO a.
Suffrage Leaders Look Upon Southern
States as Lost Hope
For 1920.


journmcnt of the lower house Of the
Tennessee Legislature today after de-
bate had been in progress more than
three ,hours pre- rented final action on
1.-THE federal s'IIrna nendment. When
s4iglfrage Opponents suddenly moved
until 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning on the plea that
members should have more time to de-
liberate on matter Of such impor-
tance the House fairly seether with
excitement. Efforts to hold the body
in session, however, were unavailing
and the motion carried So to 44.
Opposition leaders said the vote was
. virtually correct indication of the
strength of the two forces but the suf-
fragists declared no importance should
! be attached to it.
A vote tomorrow was regarded in
all quarters as almost certain as the
principal speeches were delivered to-
day. 1t was said other addresses
might be expected to be short and
largely extemporaneous.
Brings Up Howl of Protest
.Some members took exception to the
presence of scores of workers circu-
lating about and seated within the
bar of the House when the body was
called to order and motion that it
be cleared brought forth howl Of
protest. The motion at first was in
terprcted to mean that only members
of the Senate and newspaper men
would be permitted to remain in the
chamber. Speaker Walker ruled the
motion out of order, declared a Touse
rule provided for such a contin. ,ncy
and instructed the sergcant-at-arms
to clear the floor after motion to
suspend the rules had failed to poll a
two thirds majority.
Debate on the motion that the House
concur in the action Of the Senate in
ratifying the amendment centcred
largely on the contention that this
Legislature had. no right TO act on
ratification as clause Of the State
Constitution provides that a Legis-
lature, to pas son a proposed amend
ment must nave been elected prior to
the submission fthe amendment to
the States by Congress Speakers who
held that the Legislature could act
legally pointed to opinions attributed
to w. l.. Fricrson, solicitor general of
the United States, and Attorney Gen
eral Thompson, of Tennessee, that a
&Seision of the Supreme Court OF the
United States holding void clause in
the Ohio constitution relating to rati-
tication Of federal amendments also
nullified the clause in the Tennessee
constitution.
Frierson Denies Claim.
In this connection, Speaker Walker,
opposition leader, read q letter writ
ten recently by Mn Frierson in which
the solicitor general stated that he
had not advised anyone that it would
be "entircly proper for the present
Legislature to act"
'The question as to whether, hav-
ing the power to act, it can with pro-
priety do SO in view Of the pro-
visions of the Tennessee constitution"
wrote Mr. Fricrson, "is a wholly diff
fercnt question and one as to which I
have expressed no opinion"
A recent ruling by the State Attor-
ney General that a majority vote of
the members present, if there was a
quorum, and not the constitutional
majority of fifty Of the ninety-nine
members of the House would be suf-
ficent for ratification or rejection of
suffrage entered into the discussion OF
possibilities today. Should the suf-
fragists poll majority short of fifty
votes, it was said by leaders Of the
opposition, Speaker Walker probably
would rule that ratification had failed
for lack |of a constitutional majority.
An appeal to the House from the rul-
ing Of the Speaker woull be made by
the suffragists and it was considered
improbable they would be able to mus
ter two-thirds vote and upset the
Speakers decision.
Disappointed at North Carolina.
Great interest was displayed tonight
; in the action Of the North Carolina
I&4pte in deferring consideration of