The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-08-21

tHeT nOtelS thlS morning.
/. n reported that they have left
Nashville for Alabama in an effort tI
break quorum in the house and thus
delay final ac ion on the suffrage
amendment.
Leaders OF the suffrage forces stat
cd that it was a,most certain that
there would not be quorum when
The house met at 10 O'Clock.
Nashville, Tenn. Aug 2O.-Suffrage
leaders were preparing tonight to
clinch heir victory by closing tomor-
row the parl amentary last loophole
through which Tennessee's approval
Of the federal suffrage amendment
might be rescinded. They were conf
dent, after the adjournment of it's
House today without vote on recon
sideration. of their ability to sweep
aside the last obstacle 10 formal GER
tification of the action OF the Leglsla-
ture to Secretary Colby at Washing
ton
Some parllamentarians, including
AT orney General Thompson, contend
ed that today's action was final.
Others including suffrage adherents.
however, took an opposite view.
| When the House met Speaker Walk
er was in position to move reeonsid-
Grafton of the amendment, having
changed his vote to AYE" fer that
purpose, Under House rules he could
make that motion at any time in the
next two days succeeding the vote.
Today was the second day.
Attorney General Thompson con.
tended that Walkers failure 10 act to
day settled the question OF reconsider
aticn, and that the resolution now
was ready for engrossing and certif.
cation to Washington. Others, how
ever, maintained that the motion
stood on the journal as a matter OF
record and unacted upon, and that to
remove all doubt 1t must be disposed
los
1t was with this objection in view
that The suffragists today by a vote
Of 49 to AZ defeated a motion of the
opposition to adjourn until Monday
afternoon for the usual weekend
recess and then forced adjournment
only until tomorrow morning at 10
O'Clock. Actions on the Walker mct
ion was planned as soon as the order
of business would permit.
Mr.. Walker last night declared he
had enough votes pledged to force a
reconsideration but when he moved
today for adjournment until Monday
it was taken as an indication that he
was uncertain of his position. The
vote confirmed his supposition
Walker, however, still had
chance to win on the vote planned to-
morrow on his motion for reconsider
aticn should be persuade at least two
suffragists to desert their leaders -i
Suffragists, however, did not fear
a break in their ranks and were con,
fden they would dispose of the
Walker motion either defeating it
or sending it to the table
Should the opposition be successful
it was thought certain Attorney Gen.
eral Thompson's opinion that Walk,
er's failure to ac' today had settled
the question or reconsideration.
would be made a basis for further
battle by suffrage forces.
A victory tomorrow. however, does
no mean that the question cf ratlf-
cation by Tennessee is settled
Judge Jospeh Higgins of Nashville.
president of ;he Tennessee Constitu-
tlonal League stated today that il
the success Of the suffragists in the
House Is assured. he is preparad IN
seek writ restraining Governsr
Roberts and the Secretary of Sta'e
from certifying the measure to
Washington on the ground that ac-
ton. by the Legislature was in vio-
lation of the state cons ttution.
The constitution provides that no
Legislature shall pass upon pro-
posed amendment unless its members
We're elected after the proposed
, measure had been submitted by Con-
gress. This Legislature was elec'ed
, In November in 1918, before Con.
gress submitted the suffrage amend.
ment
The special session to act on the
> amendment was called after receiv.
ing opinions of W. l.. Frierson, SO.
, licitor general of the United States
: and Attorney General Thompson.
, tha' a decision of the Supreme Court
Of the United States holding invalid
q referendum clause in the Ohio con.
stitution also nullifed the clause OF
the Tennessee constitutional provis.
i ion.