Editor’s Note: From the Sept. 9, 1920 Edmunds County Democrat.
The Tennessee House of Representatives, with a quorum present for the first time since August 20, expunged from its journal all record of ratification of the federal suffrage amendment and voting, to non-concur in the action of Senate in ratifying the amendment.
Governor Roberts, on being notified of the House’s action, declined to make any statement other than to say that the situation could only be dealt with in a legal manner and was in the hands of Attorney General Thompson. The latter, in a letter read on the House floor during discussion of the matter of reconsidering the vote, expressed the opinion that reconsideration of the resolution of ratification was impossible, since the House already had adopted it and Governor Roberts had certified to Secretary of State Colby this action by both House and Senate.
State officials and members of the Legislature expressed the belief that the legality or illegality of Tennessee’s ratification would be decided on the record certified to Washington by Governor Roberts, and not on the action taken by the House Tuesday.
Anti-Ratificationists in Control
Shortly after the House convened it became evident that the anti-ratificationists, a majority of whom have been in Alabama on a filibuster for more than a week, were in the majority through failure of several of the suffrage members to arrive in time. With clock-line program, the antis proceeded to put through their plan of attempting to undo what was done on August 21, when ratification was accomplished.
The first step was the motion to expunge from the journal of that day all reference to the proceedings on the suffrage ratification resolution. After this was carried, 47 to 37, with six not voting, motion was made and carried that a certified copy of the resolution, the original of which is in the hands of the Senate, be spread on the journal.
Point of Order Over-ruled
Representative Riddick, floor leader of the ratificationists, made the point of order that the resolution was out of the hands of the House and now a part of the federal Constitution through proclamation of Secretary of State Colby. He was over-ruled by Speaker Walker.
The House, by a viva voce vote, then adopted a motion to reconsider its previous action on the resolution. Motion was then made and carried to non-concur in the action of the Senate in ratifying the ratification resolution.
Anti-ratificationists would not state whether they expect to make an effort to have the Senate, which voted to ratify 25 to 4, reverse its action.
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