Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-03-05
PLAN TO PREVENT
ADJOURNMENT Until.
BLOCH COMES EAST
Equal Suffragists Contend
Ratification Not Defeated.

Charleston. w. Va, March 5.-The
senate and house of delegates of the
West Virginia Legislature Thursday
took up consideration of several bills
concerning the high cost of living fol-
lowing the failure to ratify or reject
the Federal suffrage amendment, and
its ratification by the lower house
Inability of the senate now under a
constitutional rule to reconsider its
vote of Monday. when the ratification
resolution was defeated, has convinc-
ed legislators that the matter is a
dead issue as far as this special SEES
sion of the legislature is concerned.
The several bills relative to the
high cost of living were the only
important measures considered on
Thursday. and 1t is believed this
business will be completed not later
than today.
Indications Thursday were that no
effort will be made to enact any
kind of an anti-profiteering bill, ae-
oording to leaders in both houses,
and that the remainder of the SEES
sion will be devoted to the passage
of such local measures as We're in
cluded in the governor call.
Not Dead Yet.
Ratification of Federal Suffrage
amendment by Senate in the Legisla.
ture is yet possible, according TO
leaders of that body favoring ratifi-
cation, who announced that Senator
Jesse a. Block. of Wheeling. was has
tening from California to throw his
vote on the side of the proponents
of suffrage.
The rule under which the senate
IS precluded from voting on the rat
fication of the suffrage amendment,
following failure Of reconsideration
yesterday, is senate rule, not q
constitutional rule, and can be
amended by majority vote Of that
body.
The house Thursday afternoon
spent considerable time on ques,
lions relating to suffrage. 1t voted
IA to 81, to table the motion of Del
egate Wysong. which proposed re-
consideration of the vote by which
the suffrage amendment was rati-
flied yesterday.
Bill For Referendum
Delegate George w. McClintic, of
Kanawha. introduced a bill provid-
! ing for a referendum to the people
of the state the question of wheth-
or or not the legislature shall ratify
the federal suffrage amendment,
which would be submitted TO tn q
people in the November election. In
attempt was made by Mr.. McCliu-
tic to prevent this gill's reference
to committee, but this was defeated
and 1t went to the judiciary commit
tee. 1t was desired then by Mr.. Nc.
Clintic to have the bill printed. but
this also was defeated
This bill was modelled, Delegate
McClintic explained, after the bill
passed by the legislature in 1877
submitting to the people the ques
ton Of location of the state capital
this being the only ssahine refer
endum on any question other than
a constitutional amendment eve
made to the voters OF West Vir-
ginia.
Measures Provisions
The Kuykendall bill, providing
for the submission of an amendment
to the state constitution on suffrag ?
to a vote OF the people in the next
general election, was twice post
poned, the second time being made
a special order for o'clock today.
The senate approved all appoint
ments made by Governor Cornwell
since the last session of legislature.