Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 200, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1920 — TENNESSEE PUTS SUFFRAGE OVER [ARTICLE]

TENNESSEE PUTS SUFFRAGE OVER

MEASURE HUNG UP FOR TWO DAYS BY MOTION MADE BY SPEAKER WALKER. Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 18.—The amendment extending equal suffrage to American women was ratified today for inclusion in the federal constitution, the lower house of the Tennessee legislature voting 50 to 46 to concur in the senate resolution adopted Friday, 25 to 4. Action in the body made Tennes-. see the thirty-sixth state to approve the amendment which lacked tonight only formal certification by Secretary Colby of the state department to complete its acceptance by the nation. Bare Possibility. There is still a possibility that the house .may rescind its action. At the last moment Speaker Walker, leader of the anti-suffrage forces changed his vote from no to aye, paying the way for a motion to reconsider. Under house rules he can present such a motion within the next two legislative days. Should today’s vote be confirmed, or the house fail -to take further action before adjournment Friday, millions of women will be free under the amendment to vote in the presidential election next November. Only successful litigation contesting the legal right of the legislature to ratify the* section could prevent them. _

Step* to Teat. Steps for such a test of the provision of the Tennessee . constitution involved already have been taken by the Tennessee constitutional league. . . . _ Ninety-six of the mnety-nme members of the house were present today and the alignment, until a vote of concurrence was taken, was a tie, each faction polling 48 votes on a motion by Mr. Walker to table the resolution. On the ballot for concurrence the line up was 49 to 47 until the speaker changed his vote. This apparently would give the suffragists an advantage of only two votes, but their leaders declared tonight that membere in favor of suffrage, who were absent today, would arrive, probably tomorrow morning. . Tift motion to reconsider may be carried by a majority vote of the members present, and since Mr. Walker can act without a moments notice, the suffragists planned to be on hand in full force during the next two days. . s Suffrage leaders said they expected no deflections from their forces, but as a precautioiAwere tightening their lines tonight, while opposition leaders were waging an active campaign to increase their, strength * for a final effort. End Came Suddenly. The end came suddenly. Debate on the motion to concur had been in progress little more than an tour and there was .no indication a vote was imminent, when Speaker Walker called Representative Overton to the chair and took the floor to reply to a suffragist who had charged that special interests were at work to defeat ratification. “The battle has been won and the measure has ' been defeated,” _ Mr. Walker said. “I resent the iniquitous remarks that special interests are here along against this measure. I resent this on behalf of the womanhood that is both for and

against suffrage. “I move that this measure go where it belongs, to the table.” ' Chamber In Uproar. Instantly the chamber was in an uproar. Suffragists clamored • for recognition while a chorus of “second the motion,” came from the antis. Mr. Overton, however, refused to recognize anyone and ordered the roll called. The result was in doubt on unofficial tallies. An appeal to the clerk developed that his tally also showed a tie, 48 to 48. • Pandemonium reigned. Members left their seats and crowded around the speaker’s stand, many demanding another roll call. Mr. Overton, who occupied < the chair during the remainder of the session, ordered a second roll call, which showed a tie, 48 to 48, and the speaker declared the motion lost for want of a majority. j Instantly the anti-suffragists de« manded a vote on the original motion to concur in the senate action. If another tie resulted- it meant rejection of the amtendment. When the speaker put the motion hundreds of suffragists' ’ regarded the battle as lost * Republican Turns Trick. The vote at the outset was on partisan Jines but when the name of Representative Harry T. Burn, republican,’ of McMinn county was called he voted “aye.” The opposition then virtually conceded defeat, for Mr. Burn had voted with them to table the resolution ‘ and his change gave the suffragists the needed majority. Short Lived Glee. The stand of other members was unchanged until the name of Representative B-P. Turner, democrat™ of Gibson county, was reached and •he passed. ’lnstantly there was a i shout of satisfaction from the antis. He had voted against the motion to I table and his failure to vote again balanced the opposing forces, but

Set before the end of the roll call, r. Turner requested the clerk to record him as voting "aye.” Mr. Turner said repeatedly that he would neither vote for nor against ratification unless it was evident that his vote was needed, but in that event would vote for the amendment.