Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-08-22
WOMEN MAY NOT
GET BALLOT IN
TIME TO USE It
NEXT NOVEMBER
Tennessee On Which They
Had Pinned Their Hopes,
Seems to Have Proven
False At the Last Minute,
WHOLE SITUATION IS
IN UNCERTAIN STATE
Opinion Differs As To Status
of Amendment Court AC-
ton May Delay Matter for
An Indefinite Period,


Nashville, Tenn, Aug. 21.-Al-
though Tennessee's ratification of
suffrage stood on the record of the
house tonight as finally confirmed.
q snarl of legal and legislative tech
nicalities remained to be disposed
of before action can be certified.
Suffrage supporters who in the
house today overcame every OBJ
stacle. claimed full legislative
triumph. They declared only a
temporary injunction secured by
the ants prevented immediate GER
tification to Secretary Colby.
Speaker Walker, opposition leader,
and scores of his lieutenants said
the suffragsts had ruined their
cause and that should the courts
hold ratification legal, the litiga-
ton would so delay decision that
the amendment would not figure
in the November election unless
some other state ratified.
Legislators Leave State.
Meanwhile twenty-five legisla-
tors opposed to suffrage were in
Decatur, Ala, evading service to
prevent any legislative action until
a new legislature is elected in No
vember They hurried across the
state line in body early today.
The restraining order, granted
by Judge Langford, is returnable
in five days. 1t was issued on an
application contending that under
the state constitution this legisa-
ture has no power to pass on suf-
frage. Governor Roberts and other
officials were forbidden to certify
to Washington that ratification
had been completed and speakers
of the senate and house restrained
from taking action toward ratifica-
ton until The matter Is heard by
the court.
When the house met today AL
elitffaglst93 q "a w HgposltlCi
members were on hand. A roll call
showed fifty-nine present, or seven
short of quorum.
Speaker Walker declared a re-
cess and ordered the sergeant at
arms to arrest absentees. He re-
ported none appeared to be here.
T. K. Riddick, suffragist floor
leader, declaring action on suf-
frage was federal matter and
that the state laws as regards a
quorum did not apply. moved that
the Walker motion for reconsider
alton be acted upon. Speaker
Walker requested him to put the
motion In writing.
Injunction Asked For.
Lsip 1ufi 1A
Riddick was transcribing his mo-
tion and in the meantime the in
junction prohibiting certification
was served on the speaker.
Riddick finally offered a motion
amended to provide that the house
reconsider its ratification.
Walker ruled the motion out of
order for lack of "a quorum and
added that the injunction just
served also stood in the way. On
an appeal the house failed to sus-
tain the ruling and Walker called
Representative Joe Odle. suffragist,
to the chair.
Odle ordered roll call on Rid
dicks motion. Walker made a
point of order that there was no
quorum, but was ignored and the
suffragists defeated the motion to
reconsider, so to 8.
Riddick then moved that the
house transmit to the senate the
senate joint resolution of ratifica-
ton. Again Walker made a point
of no quorum and also challenged
the right of the speaker pro tenn
to put any motion relating to the
amendment in view of the injunc-
tlon.
Again Odle ignored Walker. or
dered the roll call and the motion
carried SO to 0, antis not voting.
Adjournment until Monday was
then taken.
Won't Sign Resolution.
Anti-suffrage leaders declared
that the procedure could not be
held legal. Speaker Walker said
that on that precedent he would be
within his rights If he organized
an automobile party of the boiling
antis at Decatur. recrossed into
Tennessee, and declaring the five ori
six members a quorum, hold a ses-
sion and rescind the action of the
house in ratifying.
No power on earth would force
him to sign the resolution under |
the present circumstances, Walker
said.
Speaker Todd of the senate said