The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-04-04
LOWER LEGISLATIVE BODY
ADHERES TO IT'S FORMER
POSITION AND VOTES
DOWN AMENDMENT.
SENATE PASSES IT
Scant Consideration Given
Measure; One Member Would
Rather Go To He'll Than
Endorse Suffrage.


Jackson, Miss, April 3.-Mississ-
ippi declined to become the thirty
sixth state to ratify the federal wom-
an suffrage amendment. The Lower
House of Legislature by the over
whelming vote Of 81 to 20 adopted a
resolution disagreeing with the SEN
ate resolution, by which the latter
body favored ratification.
After the first speaker favoring suf-
frage had endeavored to make himself
heard there apparently was little
doubt but that the Mississippi legisla-
tors Lower House was determined to
let some other state take action
which would make woman suffrage
nationwide. Hoots, cat calls, jeers and
whistling drowned the words of the
speakers who urged ratification.
Cheers greeted those who spoke
against equal balloting. They cheer
cd for nearly minute, when r. H.
Watts of Pisgah, Rankin county,
arose and shouted, 81 would rather die
and go to hades than vote for woman
suffrage"
When M. S. Conner, speaker of the
House, announced that he would in
struct the clerk to read set of tele-
grams received from national leaders
of the democratic party and from or
ganizations favoring suffra age
throughout the country, there was a
thunder of objection unanimously de-
cided that the telegram should not
be read.
Gorefner Les M. Russell, who an
nounced that he would make a "lit-
tie talk" urging ratification, failed to
appear and although the speaker stat
ed he was momentarily expecting
word from the executive, the resolu- I
tion was put to a vote without the
promised speech.
Arguments Very Brief.
Each side was given five minutes !
for arguments, but only those close to
the speaker heard what was said.
Cheers and jeers drowned all else.
National E. Wilroy of Hernandez; Lee
of DeSoto county, speaking against
suffrage, declared the sacred doctrine
of states rights made it impossible
for local Mississippians and a demo-
crat to take favorable action on a ma
tional amendment which was distaste-
full to the state.
Walter Sillers, Jr., Rosedale, Boli-
var county, supporting the suffrage
cause, told the representatives it was
never too late to reverse their action
and "get on the right side" He said
that as loyal American supporters
of President Wilson and the demo-
cratic party the House could consist
emily do nothing but vote for suffrage.
On the roll call it was soon appar-
cnt now the House stood. OF the
first ten votes nine were anti-suffrage
The speaker, although his vote was
not needed to break it, voted against
suffrage.
The president pro. TEN. of the Sen
ate, Lieutenant Governor Homer H.
Casteel, broke % to % tie in the
Senate by casting the forty-ffth vote
in favor of ratification. The Senate
previously voted against such action.
The House gained but few suffrage
advocates since the rejection. Pre-
viously the vote was 100 to 25.
The visitors galleries were practi-
cally deserted, although many women
were in the lobbies awaiting word of
the action.
Directly the clerk announced the
vote one of the members called up
minor appropriation bill and within
a few minutes the legislative routine
was on and the suffrage furry was