History of Woman Suffrage/Volume 6/Chapter 41
CHAPTER XLI.
TENNESSEE.PART 1.[1]
The history of the suffrage movement in Tennessee filled only five pages of the volume preceding this one, which ended with 1900, and such as there was had been due principally to that dauntless pioneer, Mrs. Lide A. Meriwether of Memphis, to whom this chapter is reverently and gratefully dedicated. The first suffrage society was formed in Memphis in May, 1889, and none of its founders is now living except Mrs. J. D. Allen of this city. In April, 1894, a society was formed at Nashville at the home of Mrs. H. C. Gardner by Miss Amelia Territt, Mrs. Bettie Donelson and a few others but it had no connection with the one at Memphis. Its members were earnest and capable but it did not long survive. Through the efforts of the National Association a State organization was effected in 1897, the year of the Centennial Exposition in Nashville, and there was a convention in April, 1900, attended by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, national president. There had been no State convention for five years when in 1906, through the initiative of Miss Belle Kearney of Mississippi a meeting was called in Memphis of which Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky sends the following account taken from her scrapbook:
The conference of Southern Women Suffragists was held in Memphis December 19, 20, the opening session in the morning at the Peabody Hotel; the afternoon session at the residence of Mrs. J. O. Crawford and the other sessions at the hotel. Miss Clay was elected chairman; Mrs. Nannie Curtiss of Texas, secretary. The meeting included representatives from many of the southern States and letters were received from "Dorothy Dix," Mrs. Caroline E. Merrick and Mrs. Sophy Wright of New Orleans; Mrs. Mary Bentley Thomas of Baltimore; Mrs. Josephine K. Henry of Versailles, Ky.; Mrs. Eliza Strong Tracey of Houston; Mrs. Mary B. Clay and Mrs. TENNESSEE 597 James Bennett of Richmond, Ky., and Mrs. Key, president of the North Texas Girls' College. Discussions on aspects of the suffrage question were led by Miss Kearney, Miss Clay, Mrs. Meriwether and Mrs. Jennie H. Sibley of Georgia. The conference was resolved into a committee of the whole to formulate plans for concerted legis- lative work in the southern States. A thousand copies of the reso- lutions were printed. At this time the State Equal Suffrage Asso- ciation was re-organized, with Mrs. Meriwether honorary president ; Mrs. J. D. Allen, president; Mrs. L. F. Selden, corresponding secre- tary and treasurer; Mrs. M. M. Betts, recording secretary; Mrs. S. S. Deem, chairman of problems affecting women or children. Mrs. Allen served continuously until 1912. In 1908 the State Federation of Labor not only endorsed woman suffrage but agreed to petition members of the Legislature and Congress to work for it and they loyally kept their pledge. This same year suffrage literature was first distributed at the State Federation of Women's Clubs and Dr. Shaw, then president of the Na- tional Association, spoke in Memphis. In 1910 the first suffrage State petition work was begun in Memphis and its Nineteenth Century Club and the Newman Circle of Knoxville held parlor meetings and discussions. Knox- ville formed a local league ; the women's clubs began to awaken and the State Federation appointed its first legislative committee, with the object of having the laws unfavorable to women changed. In 1911 thousands of pieces of literature were dis- tributed, press articles sent out and a resolution to amend the State constitution by striking out the word "male" was first presented to the Legislature. The movement did not gain much impetus until the Nashville League was organized in the fall of this year and Chattanooga and Morrison soon followed. On Jan. 10-12, 1912, the association with its five virile infant leagues met in Nashville and plans for state-wide organization began. Miss Sarah Barnwell Elliott, an eminent writer, was unani- mously chosen president. In October, 1913, the State conven- tion met in Morristown and eight leagues answered the roll call. Tli- n the Legislature naturally always fell heavily upon Vashvillc League and from KJI.S to 1919 the lobby was composed principally of its members. The first real effort to vn the prejudice of the legislators was in 1913, when I lliott and Mrs. Guilfonl Dudley asked for an audience HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE for Miss Laura Clay, president of the Kentucky association, and Miss Mary Johnston of Virginia, the novelist. This was granted and Miss Elliott was the first woman to address the Legislature, although no bill was before it. At a called meeting of the Executive Board, at Memphis in May, 1914, the resignation of Miss Elliott was regretfully ac- cepted and Mrs. L. Crozier French succeeded her. At the State convention held October 29, 30 in Knoxville a division occurred and some of the delegates, refusing to be headed by Mrs. French, elected as president Mrs. James M. McCormack, who was first vice-president. Mrs. French was unanimously elected by a part of the original association, which had obtained a charter October 13, incorporating the name Tennessee Equal Suffrage Associa- tion. This association continued to be a dominating force in suffrage activities. Mrs. French resigned the presidency April I, 1915, and her unexpired term was filled by the vice-president- at-large, Mrs. John M. Kenny of Nashville. The holding of the annual convention of the National Association in Nashville Nov. 12-17, T 9 T 4 was tne turning point in the history of suf- frage in Tennessee because of its far-reaching educational propa- ganda and because Nashville was the political center of the State. Mrs. Dudley was elected president at the State convention held at Jackson in October, 1915. She went to east, west and middle Tennessee, visiting in the first year of her administration nineteen towns, many of them twice, and assisting the Campaign Committee in organizing fourteen. She made addresses in twenty-two different cities. Toward the end of the year Miss Sue S. White, of Jackson, the recording secretary, a court sten- ographer and business woman, gave a month to organizing the headquarters staff and making plans to carry forward the work in a businesslike way. 1 Mrs. Catt was making a strong effort to have the various States follow the same policy at the same time and thereby each could contribute to the national victory. With the view of 1 Through the combined efforts of the joint chairmen of the campaign Committee, Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Milton, and the association of which Mrs. Dudley was President, a conference was called to formulate a plan of amalgamation of the two State associa- tions. This was finally accomplished in March, 1918, when Mrs. Leslie Warner of Nashville was unanimously chosen as the amalgamation president. TENNESSEE 599 securing woman suffrage planks in both Democratic and Repub- lican national platforms, each association was asked to secure endorsement from its political State conventions. Early in January, 1916, Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Kenny went before the executive committees of both parties, asking for a plank in the platforms and also that delegates be instructed to vote for a suffrage plank in the national platform this year. In May Mrs. Dudley spoke before the platform committees and the conven- tions of both endorsed woman suffrage. Former Governor Ben Hooper, Mr. and Mrs. James S. Beasley, the Hon. H. Clay Evans and Harry Anderson were of much assistance with the Republicans and Governor Tom C. Rye and U. S. Senator Ken- neth D. McKellar secured the resolution from the Democrats. Tennessee sent seven women to the Republican national con- vention in Chicago, who marched in the famous parade through wind and rain to the convention hall, Mrs. Dudley carrying the State suffrage banner. Eleven women went to the Democratic national convention in St. Louis, where they stood bravely in the "golden lane" through which the delegates marched to the con; vention. Mrs. Dudley was chosen to address the Tennessee delegation and it was a proud moment for the women of the State when they voted solidly for the suffrage plank. In Octo- ber farewell banquets to congressmen on the eve of their depar- ture for Washington, to influence their votes for the Federal Suffrage Amendment, were given in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. The State Federation of Women's Clubs endorsed woman suffrage this year by a large majority, under the leader- ship of Mrs. George Fort Milton of Chattanooga and Mrs. D. T. Kimbrough of Nashville. Other endorsements were those of the Southern Federation of Labor (unanimous), obtained through the efforts of Mrs. Walter Jackson of Murfreesboro; the Tennes- see Women's Press and Authors' Club, through Miss Libbic Morrow ; the State conventions of the Beemen, the Nurserymen and the Horticulturists, at the request of Mrs. Kimbrough. Mrs. Dudley soon came to be known nationally. She spoke on the Federal Amendment at the luncheon of four hundred n to the incoming members at the Congress Hotel in Wash- ton; addressed congressional committee hearings, and in De6OO HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE cember she joined the "lobby" at the national suffrage head- quarters in Washington to interview southern Senators and Representatives. The State convention was held in Nashville, Jan. 30, 31, 1917. Mrs. Dudley was unanimously re-elected and served until her election to the board of the National Association in December. At this convention Mrs. Kenny was elected chair- man of publicity and under her direction special suffrage editions of newspapers were published in the principal towns and cities and copies mailed to every voter. The plate matter sent out by the national press committee was widely distributed. Mrs. Leslie Warner was elected president in 1918, and at the State convention held in Nashville in June, 1919, Mrs. George Fort Milton succeeded her. During her seven years of suffrage activity Mrs. Milton had rendered valuable service in various official positions. It was while this convention was in session that the news came of the submission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment by Congress and there was a demonstration of joy. In the evening a brilliant public banquet took place at the Tulane Hotel. The convention extended its official board to include a chairman from each congressional district, for the ratification campaign. Three weeks later the board held a meeting at Lookout Mountain, formulated plans for organizing the dis- tricts politically and pledged the largest amount of money for State work in the history of the association. LEGISLATIVE WORK. In 1915 Mrs. L. Crozier French, State president, appointed Mrs. Guilford Dudley, president of the Nashville League, legislative chairman to sponsor a resolution for a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution. The members of the lobby committee were Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Kim- brough, Mrs. W. G. Spencer, Mrs. Reau E. Folk, Mrs. Ittie K. Reno, Mrs. Victoria James Roach and Mrs. A. Y. Scott. To amend the constitution it is necessary to obtain a majority in the first Legislature and a two-thirds majority in the succeeding one before the question is submitted to the voters. In January when the House committee met to report on the amendment it was opposed almost to a man. Mrs. Dudley with all her com- mittee back of her made an eloquent appeal for justice and fair play, urging them at least to permit the House to vote on the TENNESSEE 6OI measure. When she finished not a man raised his voice against it. The House adjourned to permit Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Scott to speak to the members and the final roll call registered only fourteen noes. It passed the Senate with only three dis- senting votes. The leagues all over the State had brought strong pressure to bear upon their representatives. In 1917 it was re- placed by the Presidential suffrage bill. On May 17 a conference was held at Tullahoma, where the Campaign Committee was formed. Two joint-chairmen headed the executive committee, Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Henry J. Kelso of Knoxville, with Mrs. Scott vice-chairman. On the resignation of Mrs. Kelso, Mrs. Milton was elected in her place. 1 Miss Elizabeth Breen, executive secretary, gave untiring and efficient service. Headquarters were opened in Nashville. This Cam- paign Committee was the trail-blazer. Although in operation only seven months it organized thirty-two leagues ; enrolled 9,600 names; printed and distributed 75,000 pieces of literature and expended on organization work over $4,000. State-wide pub- licity was gained ; the workers received valuable training in or- ganizing and public speaking and it was a harmonizing force. It was difficult to enlist Tennessee suffragists in street speak- ing, not that they had not the courage of their faith but they feared to violate the conservative traditions of their southland. After seeing its wonderful effect during the national suffrage convention in Atlantic City in 1916 a few of the bold-hearted summoned courage and the first attempt was made in Jackson and Memphis in 1917 by Mrs. Kimbrough, Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Mrs. Reno and Miss White. At the State Fair in iville in 1^18 the Campaign Committee took charge of the air meetings, these onu-n speaking eight or ten times each and they were rewarded by the i^reat number of enrollment r ned by tho^- lio received the message favorably. In 1017 the lc. ; illative campaign was conducted under the friendly administration of a Democratic r.ovcnior, Tom C. Rye, and under the direction of Mrs. Dudley. State president, and other congressional district chairmen !>!. I Powell, Johnson City; Miss Sara Ruth Eraser, Chattanooga; Mrv Sam xon Springs; Mrs. Walter Jack*; ! >oro; Mrs. KimbrouKh. Nashville ; Mrs. Hm ( hildcrs, Pulaski; Miss Sue S. White, Mrs. Jaa. B. Ezzell. Ncwsora Station; Mrs. M. M. Betts, Memphis. VOL. n 6O2 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE Mrs. Ezzell, legislative chairman. Before direct plans had been made, advices came from the National Association to concen- trate on a Presidential and Municipal suffrage bill similar to that passed in Illinois in 1913. This was agreed upon and Gen- eral G. T. Fitzhugh of Memphis drew up the bill. His services were of great value to suffrage interests because both as a citizen and a member of the bar he was held in the highest esteem. From this time until the State Supreme Court decision of 1919 removed the last barrier to this bill he was a valued friend and adviser, and was associate counsel in the last legal battle on ratification from the Chancery to the Supreme Court all with- out financial remuneration. This Presidential and Municipal suffrage bill was one of the first introduced, sponsored in the House by Speaker Clyde Shrop- shire and in the Senate by C. W. Rocks of Humboldt, and its progress was watched with great interest. Petitions were sent to the members from all parts of the State. The Memphis and Nashville members were solid for it from the beginning with one exception Senator John M. Thompson, a violent "anti" from Nashville. Both suffragists and "antis" were invited to speak before the House Judiciary Committee and both accepted, but after two postponements through courtesy the "antis" did not put in an appearance and the suffragists alone were heard. General Fitzhugh came to speak for the bill. There had been much discussion as to its validity without the insertion of a poll tax clause and it was in jeopardy. An appeal was made to a friend whose legal advice and services the suffragists had always had for the asking General Charles T. Cates, Jr., At- torney General, who came from his home in Knoxville to construe for the committee some of the perplexing phases and the com- mittee unanimously recommended the bill. When it came to a vote in the House women from all sec- tions of the State were present. Among the most untiring workers were George Fort Milton, editor of the Chattanooga News, and Mrs. Milton; Miss Margaret Ervin of Chattanooga; Mrs. Isaac Reese, Mrs. Harry Anderson and Mrs. Scott of Memphis; Miss White, Mrs. Kimbrough and Mrs. Kenny. Many members of the Nashville League served at frequent critiTENNESSEE 603 cal times. The vote in the House was 59 ayes, 25 noes, on Jan. 19, 1917, Lee's birthday, an anniversary celebrated through- out the South, and it was fittingly referred to by some of the members as an appropriate occasion for Southern men to give justice to women. Following its passage the Hon. William Jennings Bryan, who was in Nashville, was invited to address the Legislature and spoke strongly in favor of it. Mrs. Bryan accompanied him and at a luncheon given in her honor at the Hermitage Hotel, attended by members of the Legislature and over two hundred guests, she made an eloquent plea for suffrage and Mr. Bryan spoke again. While this bill was pending in the Senate the newspapers throughout the State were giving much more publicity to woman suffrage than they had ever done before. Many of the county papers favored it and published matter sent them. The Labor ll'orld gave continuous support. Some of the best suffragists were newspaper women and they gave freely of their time and talents. The excellent service of Mrs. W. A. Overall is recalled ; though not a "professional" her clear, logical articles impressed impartial readers. Of the large daily papers the Knoxville Sen- tinel and the Commercial Appeal and News Scimitar of Memphis were favorable. The Jackson Daily Sun and the Nashville Ban- tier were opposed. The Chattanooga News was an ardent advo- cate, while the Chattanooga Times, under the control of the New York Times, was strongly opposed. The Nashville Tcnnes- seean was regarded as the official organ of the suffragists. Its owner, former U. S. Senator Luke Lea, while in the Senate in
- had been one of three southern Senators to vote for the
I'Yderal Amendment. Throughout the campaign he was ready at all times to help in every way possible, ignoring his personal political interests. This was true of U. S. Senator McKcllar and Governor Rye. Yhen the first canvass of the Senate was made the sentiment was about as follows: For the bill I i ; unalterably opposed, 7; uncertain, 15. The cla- n "uncertain" was most appro- priate, for fifteen more uncertain men were never encountered When assured that the measure could safely be brought to vote it would be discovered that changes had occurred over night 604 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE which would mean defeat. The "antis" worked through a hastily organized local society at Nashville, which was inspired by Judge John J. Vertrees, a prominent lawyer of that city. A Charles McLean of Iowa, who had been used by the oppo- nents in other State suffrage campaigns, made two or three visits to Nashville during the session. The State suffrage con- vention in this city a few days before the bill came to a vote in the Senate was the largest ever held and many delegates remained for the vote. The bill was introduced by Senator C. W. Rooks, who with Senator John C. Houk led the fight for it. It was lost on Feb- ruary 3 by 21 noes, 12 ayes. A motion to reconsider by Senator A. E. Hill carried it over until the Legislature reconvened on March 7. The generosity of Mrs. Scott, vice-chairman of the Campaign Committee, who gave $500, enabled the State asso- ciation to employ four organizers and the National Association paid the salaries of three more. New organizations were formed and remote towns, which had scarcely ever heard of suffrage, were visited. A telegram from President Wilson urging the Senate to pass the bill was received at the March session but was not read in that body until the day after it was defeated. 1 The motion for reconsideration was laid on the table the first day by 1 8 ayes, 10 noes. Incessant work in behalf of the bill was carried on in the districts of hostile or doubtful Senators from September until January, 1919, when the Legislature met and the bill for Presi- dential and Municipal suffrage was again introduced. It was a hard fight for many weeks made by Mrs. Warner and her com- mittee, with daily, continuous work at the Capitol and "back log" work through the State, where she had the constant help of her board. Mrs. A. G. Buckner, as legislative chairman, worked unceasingly, as did Mrs. Margaret Ervin Ford, Mrs. Reno and Miss Matilda Porter, the lobby committee, assisted by Miss Josephine Miller, a national organizer. Mrs. Dudley came after the national suffrage convention in March. 1 "W. R. Crabtree, President of the Senate: May I not express my earnest hope that the Senate of Tennessee will reconsider the vote by which it rejected the legislation extending the suffrage to women? Our party is so distinctly pledged to its passage that it seems to me the moral obligation is complete. Woodrow Wilson." TENNESSEE 605 Attorney L. D. Miller of Chattanooga introduced the bill in the House and conducted the fight for it. It passed the third and final reading April 3 by 52 ayes, 32 noes. Speaker Seth M. Walker of Wilson county became a convert and eloquent advo- cate, leaving his desk to plead for it. [See Ratification.] After the bill had been cleverly put to sleep by the President of the Senate, Andrew Todd, by referring it to the hostile Judiciary Committee, Senator E. N. Haston, who was its spon- sor, secured enough votes to overrule his action and put it in the Committee on Privileges and Elections, which reported in favor. The enemies were led by Senator J. Parks Worley. The hardest fight that ever took place in the Senate was waged, and the outcome was not certain until Judge Douglas Wikle of Wil- liamson county cast the deciding vote in favor, making the result on April 16, ayes, 17; noes, 14, a bare majority. At 10:30 the following morning Governor Roberts affixed his signature to the Act conferring upon women the right to vote for electors of President and Vice-President of the United States and in the Municipal elections throughout the State. More than half a million women were thus far enfranchised. Conspicuous and persistent among the enemies of the bill outside of the Legislature were U. S. Senator John K. Shields and Judge Vertrees. The latter, claiming to represent "others" filed a writ of injunction in the Chancery Court to test the validity of the law. Attorney General Frank M. Thompson and other able lawyers defended this suit, which was hotly contested, and this court, by Chancellor James B. Newman, in June declared the law unconstitutional. The case was appealed to the State Supreme Court, which in July, 1919, reversed this decision and declared the law valid. When the Supreme Court rendered this decision the regular biennial registration was only ten days off and it was at the
- >criod of the summer, when many women and most of
the suffrage officials were out of town, but the registration was large in all the cities. In Nashville about 7,500 registered ; in xville about 7,000, and the type of those who presented 1 Mrs. Frances Fort Brown of Naihville left a bequrnt of $3,000 to the National American Woman Suffrage Association and ita board of officer* appropriated enough of it to pay the expense* of this suit. 606 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE themselves everywhere was of the highest and best. Contrary to all predictions the negro women did not flock to the polls. They voted but in comparatively few numbers and the records show that only the better educated were interested. Their vote proved to be anything but the "bugaboo" politicians had tried to show that it would be and in some instances it was a con- tributing factor to good government. In Nashville they regis- tered about 2,500 and voted almost their full quota. They organized under the direction of the suffrage association, had their own city and ward chairmen and worked with an intelli- gence, loyalty and dignity that made new friends for their race and for woman suffrage. There was not a single adverse criti- cism of them from any ward. They kept faith with the white women even when some of their men sold out the night before election to a notorious political rounder. They proved that they were trying to keep step with the march of progress and with a little patience, trust and vision the universal tie of motherhood and sisterhood can and will overcome the prejudice against them as voters. An immense amount of work was done by Tennessee women for the Federal Suffrage Amendment. After interviewing their members of Congress and using every possible influence on them in their home districts, hundreds of letters and telegrams were sent to them in Washington whenever they were to vote on it from 1915 to 1919. Mrs. Dudley, as a member of the national board, spent months in Washington and was sent to various southern States where skilled work was necessary. There was a gradually increasing vote in favor by Tennessee members until when the last one was taken in June, 1919, only three Repre- resentatives, Moon, Hull and Garrett, voted against it. Senator Shields voted in opposition and Senator McKellar in favor. [With this chapter was sent a complete history of the woman suffrage movement in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chat- tanooga and smaller cities, which accounts for the phenomenally rapid advance in Tennessee. Unfortunately these chapters can give space only to the general work of the State associations.] TENNESSEE 607 TENNESSEE, PART II. 1 Tennessee's pioneer period was from 1885-1911, for during those years the educational and organization work carried on by a few intrepid women was as difficult as was the same work in other parts of the United States thirty or more years before that time. Yoman suffrage was in the stage of ridicule and abuse and with a few exceptions the press of the State was opposed and lost no opportunity to disparage it. The State Equal Suffrage Association was reorganized in Memphis in 1906 and there was increasing activity each year afterwards. In 1907 the suffragists held a convention and re- ported their membership trebled. They secured a suffrage article in the News Scimitar through the courtesy of Mike Connolly, its editor. In 1908 Dr. Shaw spoke at the Goodwin Hall in Memphis under the auspices of the State association and a return engagement was secured by the Lyceum Course the following winter. The third annual convention was held Dec. 15, 1909, in Memphis at the home of the State president, Mrs. J. D. Allen, and the officers were re-elected. It was reported that a petition had been sent to Congress for a Federal Amendment and more than 400 letters written, one to President Taft asking him to declare for woman suffrage and local work had been done. Mrs. E. S. Conser, assisted by Mrs. Allen and the suffrage club, pre- vailed upon the Memphis University Law Department to open its doors to women and Mrs. Conser became its first woman student. Mrs. Allen attended the national convention at Seattle, Washington. Mrs. Ittie K. Reno delivered the first woman suffrage address in Nashville, at tin- Centennial Huh, and the first one in Chattanooga was given 1> Miss Margaret Krvin at the university where she was a student. In 1910 a league was organized in Kimxville by Mrs. L. Crozier French, who became its president. In the summer a suffrage debate, affirmative taken by Mrs.^Ford, was held in the Methodist church at Kingston, the first time the question was discussed in that part of the State and people came from 1 The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Margate t I im Kurd, president of the State Equal Suffrage Association. 608 HISTORY OP WOMAN SUFFRAGE neighboring towns. Miss Catherine J. Wester, a Kingston suf- fragist, had a six weeks' newspaper debate in the Chattanooga Times. A booth was maintained at the Appalachian Exposi- tion, and 590 names of visitors from Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi were registered in the suffrage booth at the Tri- State fair in September at Memphis. The fourth State convention was held at Memphis in the Business Men's Club Feb. 18, 1911, and the president, Mrs. Allen, reported suffrage trips to Little Rock, Ark., and Jackson, Miss. Addresses were given by Attorney Robert Beattie and by H. P. Hanson, vice-president of the Southern Conference on Child and Woman Labor, who brought word that the Mem-- phis Typographical Union was on record for woman suffrage. Mrs. Beattie was elected vice-president and Dr. Madge Patton Stephens secretary. The Nashville club was organized Septem- ber 28, with Mrs. Guilford Dudley president; one at Morristown November 3, with Mrs. Hannah Price Hardy president; one at Chattanooga December 9, with Mrs. E. W. Penticost president. By 1912 a new era had dawned with five of the largest cities organized and affiliated with the State association. It held its annual convention at Nashville January 10-11. Governor Ben W. Hooper addressed it and stated that he was "on the fence" as to the suffrage question. Mrs. Allen was elected honorary president and Miss Sarah Barnwell Elliott president. Miss Elliott spent two months of this year speaking in the State and she also spoke in Birmingham, in New York and the Mississippi Valley Conference in Chicago. In December a suffrage club was organized in Jackson with Mrs. C. B. Bell president. J. W. Brister, State Superintendent of Schools, gave a suffrage ad- dress at Nashville. The State convention was held again at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Jan. 6, 7, 1913. The principal speakers were ex- Governor John I. Cox, U. S. Senator Luke Lea, Misses Laura Clay of Kentucky and Mary Johnston of Virginia. Mrs. Vir- ginia Clay Clopton; as president, sent greetings from the Hunts- ville, Ala., league, reorganized after a lapse of thirty years with the same president. The main discussion was whether to intro- duce a suffrage bill in the Legislature. Mrs. Margaret Ervin TENNESSEE 609 Ford urged it, saying that, though it had small chance, it was well to accustom the Legislature to the idea. The matter was placed in the hands of Miss Elliott, Mrs. French, Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Scott, who recommended that no bill should be introduced. Mrs. Allen and Miss Elliott were re-elected and Mrs. James M. McCormack was made vice-president-at-large ; Miss Clay and Miss Johnston spoke on the loth at a large meeting in Chattanooga and Miss Clay the following Sun- day in the Universalist church. On April 7 Miss Elliott and Mrs. Dudley marched in Washington in a parade to the Capitol to interview the Tennessee representatives in Congress on the Federal Amendment. This year Miss Jeannette Rankin of Mon- tana, an organizer for the National Association, came to assist. By October the State membership was 942 and fifteen newspapers were reached regularly with suffrage matter. Booths were con- ducted at many of the county fairs and a "suffrage day'* was given at the Memphis Tri-State fair, when the outside speakers were Miss Clay and Miss Kate Gordon of Louisiana. The News Scimitar issued a suffrage edition. A second convention met in Morristown, October 21, 22. Miss Sue S. White was elected secretary, Mrs. Hardy State organizer and the other officers continued. At the national convention in Washington in November Miss Wester and Mrs. Ford repre- sented Tennessee on the "committee of one hundred," which, led by Mrs. Medill McCormick, chairman of the National Con- gressional Committee, called upon President Wilson to enlist his assistance. That year and each succeeding year letters, telegrams and petitions were sent to the President and to the Tennessee Representatives in Congress urging their support of the Federal Amendment. One petition from Chattanooga bore a thousand signatures. By 1914 the- six largest cities in the State were organized and the majority of the clubs celebrated National Suffrage Day, May 2, with parades and open air meetings to the amazement and interest of the people. The Chattanooga parade, with a s band, ended at the Court House where the steps of that building were aglow with yellow bunting. Mrs. Wesley Martin Stoner of Y ton, D. C, was the principal speaker and 6lO HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE Mrs. Ford, the local president, read the following resolution: "We, citizens of Chattanooga, voice our demand that women citizens of the United States be accorded the full right of citi- zenship." The silence was breathless as the sound of the "ayes" died away and not a voice was raised to say "no." Other speakers were Mayor Jesse M. Littleton, L. P. Barnes, Attorney J. J. Lynch, the Reverends Charles H. Myers, L. R. Robinson and Dr. Daniel E. Bushnell. The State Federation of Women's Clubs in convention at Pulaski voted down a suffrage resolu- tion, though the president, Mrs. George W. Denney, favored it. From March to May 13 there was a spirited controversy as to whether the annual convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association should meet in Chattanooga, which city had invited it, or in Nashville, which had not. Miss Elliott, who was ill, resigned and Mrs. McCormack took charge of the State work. Chattanooga won the convention on the first vote of the State board but after balloting by the clubs through tele- grams for several weeks and much misunderstanding it met in Nashville the next November. The annual convention was held in Knoxville October 28-30, when there was a separation of the State forces, Mrs. Crozier French and her following leav- ing the convention, taking three clubs with them and organizing the "Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association Incorporated," with Mrs. French president. Mrs. McCormack was elected president of the original Equal Suffrage Association, of which this chap- ter is the history. The Southern States Suffrage Conference, Miss Kate M. Gordon, president, met in Chattanooga, November ion, just before the national convention. A special suffrage edition of the News, with Mrs. Frances Fort Brown editor-in-chief, was issued and the conference was a great success. Many promi- nent women from outside the State attended and all except Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont of New York and Miss Christabel Pank- hurst of England, who was with her, went on to the national convention at Nashville. Here a special edition of the Tennes- seean was issued, many street meetings were held and suffrage arguments filled the air. Both State delegations were seated. By the end of the year only four cities with a population of TENNESSEE 6l I five thousand or over were still unorganized. In December Miss Mary Pleasant Jones organized the Nashville Business Women's League with a large membership. Organization was continued during 1915. Through the courtesy of Judge Samuel C. Brown, the Circuit Court at Benton was suspended for an hour to hear the speeches of Miss Wester, Miss Sarah Ruth Frazier and Mrs. Ford and a club was then organized with 100 members. Mrs. Ford organized the Business Woman's Suffrage Club of Chattanooga with 160 charter members. A Men's Suffrage Club was formed there, the first in the State, R. B. Cook, George Fort Milton and J. B. F. Lowery, officers. This year the suffragists assisted a vigorous campaign to secure a majority vote for holding a convention to prepare a new constitution, opened headquarters in the different cities and worked day and night, and they received letters of high appreciation from the chairman of the State committee. The convention really won but was lost by dishonest election re- turns. The annual convention was held at the Hotel Patton, Chattanooga, December 9, Mrs. McCormack presiding. In 1912 a treasury fund of $5.50 was turned over to the new treasurer, Miss Wester, who handled in 1915 $1,127. The National Asso- ciation this year elected Mrs. McCormack auditor. National Suffrage Day, May 2, 1916, was celebrated in all of the larger cities. The Business Women's Club brought Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst of England and Miss Margaret Foley of Boston to Chattanooga and the 5,000 capacity auditorium was packed. The State Federation of Women's Clubs, which was to hold its convention there May 3, was invited to attend and the next day it passed a woman suffrage resolution by a vote of 96 to 43. In May woman suffrage planks were secured in both the Re- publican and Democratic State platforms, after which the State officers living in Chattanooga had a 25-foot streamer pre- 1 with the following words on it: Tennessee Leads the South, The State Federation, Republican and Democratic Parties Endorse Woman Suffrage, and had it stretched across the main street. Over night Police Commissioner E. R. Betterton had made a ruling that banners could no longer hang over the street 6l2 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE and three policemen with the patrol wagon "arrested" it. The women secured the release of the culprit and through the courtesy of E. A. Abbott, a merchant, it was placed over the front of his store and there it hung for several weeks. On June 13 it was taken to the National Democratic convention at St. Louis, where it gave its silent message hanging on the wall of the lobby of the hotel in which the Tennessee delegation had head- quarters. Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Ford addressed the Tennessee delegates to the convention urging them to vote for the woman suffrage plank, which they did unanimously. Mrs. Catt held a successful congressional conference in Mem- phis, spoke at several large meetings and the biggest automobile parade ever seen in the city added to the occasion. 1 Federal Amendment Day was celebrated in twenty-six cities and thou- sands of leaflets were distributed. In October the legislative chairman wrote to all candidates for Congress asking their posi- tion on suffrage and eight declared in favor. In November those elected were interviewed and banquets, luncheons and receptions given them on the eve of their leaving for Washington. In order to unite the two State associations Mrs. Catt sug- gested that they hold their conventions at about the same time in the same city. The Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association, Mrs. McCormack president, set its convention for Jan. 5, 6, 1917, and that of the other was announced for the Qth, both in Nashville. The former was held at the Hotel Hermitage, large and enthusiastic, with the principal speakers Clyde Shropshire, Speaker of the House, the Hon. George L. Berry, Dixon Mer- ritt, editor of the Tennesseean, and Miss Laura Clay. Mrs. Ford was elected president. The latter postponed its conven- tion to January 30-31, which made the union impossible. On February 22 the former association offered its services to Gov- ernor Rye to be utilized as he should see fit, should the United States enter the war. Mrs. Catt called a meeting of the Executive Council of the National Association for the 23rd in Washington to consider offering its assistance to President Wilson and Mrs. 1 Mrs. C. B. Allen organized the Memphis Woman's Party within the State Associa- tion and became its president and Mrs. Ford organized it in Chattanooga with over 400 members, was elected president and ward organization started there. Nashville had the first through ward organization, due to Miss Matilda Porter. TENNESSEE 613 Ford represented Tennessee. The suffragists of this State, as did those of every other, rallied to the colors. Many served in France and thousands at home in every field of activity where women were permitted, in army and navy, in citizen service, Red Cross, Government bond sales, etc., and their devoted ser- vice proved a most effective plea for their enfranchisement. On March 26, 1918, the boards of the two associations met in Memphis at the Professional and Business Women's Club, with Mrs. Allen, honorary president, in the chair. A union was effected and Mrs. Leslie Warner was unanimously elected president of the amalgamated associations. Mrs. Warner spoke at the State Federation of Women's Clubs in Jackson and after one session she asked all to remain who were interested in suf- frage. About 90 per cent, did so and an enthusiastic meeting was held. Her next work was to secure resolutions in favor of the Federal Suffrage Amendment and protests against further delay in the Senate. She spoke before nineteen organizations of various kinds, all of which passed the desired resolutions. It was also endorsed by the Democratic and Republican State Committees. As vice-chairman of the Woman's Committee Council of National Defense, Mrs. Warner introduced Dr. Shaw, its chair- man, to an audience of 7,000 people at Nashville in April. In July she called 200 suffragists from all sections of the State for a hearing before U. S. Senator John K. Shields, hoping they might convince him that the Tennessee women did want the ballot, as one of his reasons for voting against the Federal Amendment was that they did not. Later when pressed by the women for a declaration during his candidacy for re-election he gave to the press his correspondence with President Wilson who had urged him to vote for it, to whom he wrote: "If I could bring myself to believe that the adoption of the resolution would contribute to the successful prosecution of the war we are waging with Germany I would unhesitatingly vote for it, because my whole heart and soul are involved in bringing the war to a victorious issue and I am willing to sacrifice everything save the honor and iom of our country in aiding you to accomplish that end, but I have IK-CM unable to do so. . . ." The President said in reply : "I realize the weight of argument 614 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE that has controlled your attitude in the matter and I would not have written as I did if I had not thought that the passage of the amendment at this time was an essential psychological element in the conduct of the war for democracy. I am led by a single sentence in your letter, therefore, to say that I do earnestly believe that our action upon this amendment will have an important and immediate influence upon the whole atmosphere and morale of the nations engaged in the war and every day I am coming to see how supremely important that side of the whole thing is." On August 8 the State Bar Association passed a strong resolu- tion endorsing woman suffrage by Federal Amendment. The president, Colonel Ed Watkins, in his annual address, included a strong plea for it and Judge David V. Puryear introduced the resolution. Miss Elizabeth Lea Miller and Mrs. Ford, the first women members of the association ; Mrs. John Lamar Meek and others worked for it. Col. Joseph H. Acklen gave his services as attorney for years to the State association without charge. Urgent petitions which bore the names of all the leading Demo- crats of the State, arranged on a large sheet with the photograph of and a quotation from President Woodrow Wilson, were sent to Senator Shields. The State board sent petitions to the legis- lators urging that they ask him to vote for the Federal Amend- ment resolution, which lacked only two votes of passing the Senate, but he opposed it to the end. The remainder of Mrs. Warner's regime was filled with efforts in the Legislature for the Presidential suffrage bill. She began in September and worked unceasingly until its passage the next April, financing the campaign with some small assistance from her board. During the hundredth anniversary of the city of Memphis in June, a notable State event, a suffrage "victory" celebration was held with addresses by Mayor Monteverde and leading suffragists. The eleventh annual convention was held in the Tulane Hotel, Nashville, June 4, 5, 1919. During the second day's session news came of the submission of the Federal Amendment by the U. S. Senate and excitement ran riot. Telegrams of congratulation were sent to Mrs. Catt, Dr. Shaw, U. S. Senator McKellar and the Tennessee Representatives who voted for it. It was a TENNESSEE 615 dramatic ending of the long contest long even in Tennessee, for here too women had grown old and died in the struggle. Tributes were paid to those who were gone, among them Mrs. Meriwether who had given her life to the work. The two pioneers present, Mrs. Allen and Miss Terrett, gave reminiscences of the early days. Mrs. George Fort Milton was elected president. A call was issued for the final convention of the State associa- tion and the first convention of the Tennessee League of Women Voters to meet May 18, 19, 1920, in the House of Representatives at Nashville. This was signed by the presidents of the following State associations : Suffrage, Mothers' Congress and Parent Teachers', Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Federation of Music Clubs, Daughters of the American Revolution and Press and Authors' Club. Mrs. Milton presided over the convention and Miss Mary Boyce Temple, regent of the D. A. R., presided over the first conference of the League of Women Voters. The association and the League were merged and Mrs. Milton was elected chairman. 1 LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1911. This year for the first time a resolution was introduced by Senator Walter White of Dayton "to amend the constitution so as to give women the ballot." It was referred to the Constitutional Amendment Com- mittee, Alfred A. Adams, chairman, which reported adversely. The women in charge were Mrs. J. D. Allen, State president, and Attorney Frances Wolf, legislative chairman. 1015. The suffragists espoused two bills. The association of which Mrs. McCormack was president worked for a new State constitution because of the great difficulty of changing the old one. The association of which Mrs. Dudley was president asked for an amendment. It received a "courtesy" vote in favor from the first ire and did not come before a second. Mrs. Mc- Cormack, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Henry J. Kelso, Mrs. Hall and Miss Wester were the Legislative Committee. 1917. In March the Legislature passed an Act amending the 1 Thr Ijtts of the many officers of the association during the years are unavoidnhlv perfect to be used without fining injustice to those omitted. In Mrs. Ford's strong desire to give full croiit tn all the men and women who were actively connected with the work for woman suffrage in Tennessee she sent lists so long that the lack of space made it absolutely necessary to omit them.6l6 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE charter of Lookout Mountain so as to give the women Municipal suffrage. The prime mover was Attorney James Anderson and Mayor P. F. Jones, and the other commissioners voted unani- mously for it. Mrs. Ford, the State president, a lifelong resident, had the previous year registered there in order to call attention to the injustice of "taxation without representation" but her name was removed from the records. Early in 1917 Mrs. Ford called on President Wilson at the White House and asked him to send a message to the Legislature in favor of the pending Presidential suffrage bill, which he did. [Mrs. Ford's thorough account of the fortunes of this bill through the Legislatures of 1917 and 1919 is so largely covered by the report in Part I of this chapter that it is omitted here.] 1 After the law was enacted Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Kimbrough appeared at the office of the county trustee and made a tender of the amount due as their poll tax. He refused to receive it, acting under instructions from the county attorney who declared that the laws of the State exempted women. They then filed a bill in the Chancery Court of Davidson county asking a decision. Chancel- lor Newman dismissed it with an opinion in part as follows : "It will be observed by Section 686 of the code that those liable for poll taxes are males between the ages of 21 and 50 years on the loth day of January the year the assessment is laid. Women were not liable Jan. 10, 1919, for poll tax and plainly it was never the purpose or intent of Section 1220 that a qualified voter as a condition precedent to the right to vote should produce satisfac- tory evidence that he had paid a poll tax assessed against him for which he was not liable. . . . All women between the ages of 21 and 50 years, otherwise qualified as voters, are entitled to vote in the November election of 1920 without paying a poll tax for 1919." The case was taken to the Supreme Court, which ruled that women did not have to pay in order to vote that year. RATIFICATION. When the Legislature of Washington in March, 1920, ratified the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment making the 35th, there came an absolute stop. The southeastern 1 The gold pen used by Governor Roberts in signing the bill was one used by Dr. John W. Wester when drafting the first anti-liquor bill ever introduced in the Tennessee Legislature, in December, 1841. With it also Governor Rye signed the Lookout Moun- tain Suffrage Bill. It belongs to Mrs. Ford, grand-daughter of Dr. Wester. TENNESSEE 617 States had rejected it and it had been ratified by all the others ex- cept Vermont and Connecticut, whose Governors refused to call special sessions. It looked as if the women of the United States would be prevented from voting at the presidential election in November for the lack of one ratification. There was every reason to believe that the Legislature of Tennessee would give this one if it were not prevented by a clause in the State constitution. Meanwhile the ratification of the Federal Prohibition Amend- ment by the Ohio Legislature had been sent to the voters by a recent law, they had rejected it and an appeal had been taken to the U. S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the referendum law. On June i, in Hawk vs. Smith, this court held that a referendum to the voters on the ratification of Federal Amendments was in conflict with Article V of the Federal Consti- tution, therefore null and void, as this Constitution was the supreme law of the land. The decision said: "It is not the function of courts or legislative bodies, National or State, to alter the method which the U. S. Constitution has fixed." Article II, Section 32 of the Tennessee constitution reads : "No convention or General Assembly of this State shall act upon any amendment of the Constitution of the United States proposed by Congress to the several States unless such convention or General Assembly shall have been elected after such amendment is sub- mitted." The presumption was naturally that this clause was nullified by the U. S. Supreme Court's decision. On June TO, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Suffrage Association, telegraphed Governor Albert H. Roberts, urging him to call an extra session. He, thereupon, sought the opinion of Attorney General Frank M. Thompson as to the power of the present Legislature to ratify, who answered that it would -. er. He said that he had submitted the question to the U. S. Department of Justice through Solicitor General John rierson, to whom President Wilson had also appealed, whose answer in brief was as follows: "The ruling of the Supreme in the Ohio case and the consideration which I gave to this inn in preparing those cases for hearing leave no doubt in my mind tn:t the power to ratify an amendment to the Federal VOX. TI 6l8 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE Constitution is derived solely from the people of the United States through this constitution and not from the people or the constitu- tion of the State. The provision of the Tennessee constitution that no Legislature shall act on an amendment to the Federal Constitution unless elected after the proposal of the amendment, if valid, would undoubtedly be a restriction upon that power. . . .. If the Legislature is called in extra session it will have the clear right to ratify." A request was made to President Wilson for assistance, and on June 24 he sent the following telegram to Governor Roberts: "It would be a real service to the party and to the nation if it is possible for you under the peculiar provisions of your State con- stitution, having in mind the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the Ohio case, to call a special session of the Legislature to consider the Federal Suffrage Amendment. Allow me to urge this very earnestly." At the same time the Governor received a telegram signed by practically every member of the Tennessee delegation at the National Democratic convention meeting in San Francisco, impressing on him the advantage to the party of his calling the extra session. In addition U. S. Senator Kenneth McKellar, a member of the platform committee of that conven- tion, secured a plank in the platform, endorsing the amendment and urging the Democratic Governors and legislators of Tennessee and other States to unite in an effort to complete the ratification. On June 26 Homer S. Cummings, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, informed the Governor that the committee that day by unanimous vote had directed him to send the following message: "We most earnestly emphasize the extreme importance and urgency of an immediate meeting of your Legislature for the purpose of ratifying the proposed igth Amendment to the Federal Constitution." On June 8 the Tennessee Democratic convention had passed the following reso- lution: "We heartily favor the ratification of the I9th Amend- ment to the Constitution of the United States . . . and we demand that the Governor call an extra session." Governor Roberts answered President Wilson : "I will call the extra session in ample time for the women to vote in the TENNESSEE 619 1920 elections." This he did on August 7, calling the Legislature to convene on the 9th. 1 The first of July Governor Roberts appointed Mrs. Leslie Warner State chairman to organize for ratification. She selected a committee of one hundred, some from each county, recom- mended by the legislators, and opened headquarters at the Hotel Hermitage in Nashville and Mrs. James B. Ezzell was elected vice-chairman, Mrs. Margaret Ervin Ford, secretary of the com- mittee, which became known as the Democratic Ratification Committee. On the advisory board were : Miss Charl Williams, vice-chairman of the National Democratic Committee ; Miss Delia Dortch, regional chairman of the National League of Women Voters; Mesdames A. H. Roberts, wife of the Governor; Guil- ford Dudley, third vice-president of the National Suffrage Asso- ciation ; John B. Gilmore, James S. Fraser and Miss Lutie Jones. Mrs. George Fort Milton, chairman of the League of Women Voters, appointed Mrs. John M. Kenny State chairman for rati- fication with Mesdames John R. Aust and Claude B. Sullivan chairmen of committees. They opened headquarters at the Max- well House. Mrs. James Beasley became chairman of the Republican committee and ex-Governor Rye of the Men's Com- mittee, assisted by ex-Governors Albert A. Taylor and Ben W. Hooper and Mr. Hal H. Clements. Early in July Miss Marjorie Shuler, chairman of publicity of the National Suffrage Association, was sent by it to assist. She expressed gratification at what had been accomplished, saying : "The Tennessee women have done wonders; they are now will organized and things look promising for ratification." She joined with the committees in urging Mrs. Catt to come and direct the work and she came soon after the middle of July and remained six weeks. 2 Her first move was t start a series of letters through the League of Women Voters to local groups urging meet! 1 Ami suffragists from all over the State bombarded Governor Roberts with threats of defeat for reelection should he persist in pushing ratification, many of whom were hi* strongest friends and supporters. At the special elections during the summer held to fill vacancies in the Legislature several suffragists were elected. am UK them M II haver, who took thr *rat of Senator J. Parks Worley. arch enemy of suffrage. I K Riddick, a prominent lawyer, made the race in order to lead the fight for i I the Home. Representative J. i ,r| c a flying trip from San Fran- cisco to cast bis vote for it.
- Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Upton and Miss Shuler did no lobbying in the State House. 62O HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE
deputations to legislators and the return to headquarters of their signed pledges to vote for ratification, which later were very use- ful. With Mrs. Milton and with Miss Shuler in charge of pub- licity, a speaking tour began at Memphis and ended in eastern Tennessee, including all the large cities and creating much favor- able sentiment. During this trip Mrs. Catt did not hesitate to call attention to the sinister forces which it was discovered were working against ratification and she sent a message to Senator Harding and Governor Cox, the presidential candidates, describ- ing them. On July 24 Miss Esther Ogden, a director of the National Association, with a deputation of women, appeared before the National Democratic Committee in session at Colum- bus, O., presenting a memorial from that association, signed by Mrs. Catt, urging the committee to assume the responsibility of achieving the ratification and she brought their favorable answer to Nashville. The last week in July Mrs. Catt received the following from Senator Harding: "I am exceedingly glad to learn that you are in Tennessee seeking to consummate the ratification of the suffrage amendment. If any of the Republican members should ask my opinion as to their course I would cordially recommend immediate favorable action." He sent a similar message to Senator John C. Houk, State chairman, but later when the Harding-Coolidge League of the District of Columbia urged him to appeal further for ratification he an- swered: "You can understand why I cannot consistently urge Tennessee legislators to vote for ratification without knowing their reasons for such commitment as they have made. The situation is being reported to national headquarters, where it will be given attention at once." A letter from Governor Cox to Mrs. Catt said: "I am very much gratified at the news that you are to remain in Tennessee for the ratification campaign. It gives me added reason for expressing confidence that the Legislature will act favorably, which will greatly please the national Democratic party." In addition he sent Miss Charl Williams, a member of the Demo- cratic National Committee, to Nashville with the message that if necessary he would himself come and fight for it. On August 7 at the request of Will H. Hays, chairman of the TENNESSEE 621 Republican National Committee, Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, vice-chairman of its executive committee, came to assist. Urged by President Wilson, Governor Cox, George White, chairman of the National Democratic Committee, and Senator Pat Harrison, its chairman of publicity and speakers, U. S. Senator McKellar came with his valuable help. Miss Edna A. Beveridge of Maryland and Mrs. Lydia Holmes, president of the Louisiana Suffrage Association, came to assist Mrs. Catt. Miss Sue White, Tennessee chairman of the National Woman's Party, assisted by Mesdames L. Crozier French, Walter Jackson, Frank Phillips, Miss Anita Pollitzer, Miss Betty Grim, Parley P. Christensen and others, also opened headquarters and worked for ratification. Since there were so many committees at work it was decided to appoint a general chairman and Miss Charl Williams was the wise choice. From the time the special session was called anti-suffragists gathered in Nashville from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, many of them paid workers. Everett P. Wheeler, a New York lawyer, president of a so-called American Constitutional League, formerly the Men's Anti-Suffrage Association, came and formed a branch composed of men prominent politically, who used every means known to influence legislation ; sent speakers into the districts of friendly legislators, promised rewards, used threats, and charges of bribery were so insistent that Judge D. B. DeBow ordered a grand jury investigation. There was no depth to which some of the men trying to defeat woman suffrage did not descend. 1 Mrs. James S. Pinckard of Alabama, president of the Southern Women's Rejection League; Miss Josephine Pearson, its Ten- nessee president; Miss Mary G. Kilbreth, president of the 1 After Mrs. Catt returned to New York she said: "Never in the history of politics has there been such a nefarious lobby a labored to block the ratification in Nashville. In the short time that I spent in the capital I was more maligned, more lied about, than in the thirty previous yean I worked for suffrage. I was flooded with anonymous letters, vulgar, ignorant, insane. Strange men and groups of men sprang up, men we bad never met before in the battle. Who were they? We were told, this is the railroad lobby, this is the steel lobby, these are the manufacturers' lobbyists, this is the remnant of the old whiskey ring. Even tricksters from the U. S. Revenue Service were there operating against us, until the President of the United States called them off. . . . They appropriated our telegrams, tapped our telephones, listened outside our window* and transoms. They attacked our private and public lives. I had heard of the 'invisible government.' Well, I have seen it work and I have teen it sent into oblivion." 622 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE National Anti-Woman Suffrage Association, with many of their followers were at work with the legislators. They were indus- triously assisted by Mrs. Ruffin G. Pleasant, wife of the ex-Gov- ernor of Louisiana, and by Miss Kate M. Gordon of that State and Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky, ardent suffragists but opposed to the Federal Amendment. The presidents or other officers of anti-suffrage associations in Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, Massa- chusetts, Maine and other States joined with the forces above. The Legislature convened in extraordinary session Aug. 9, 1920, and heard the Governor's message, which said in part: 'The Legislatures of thirty-five States have ratified the amend- ment, only one more being required to make it effective as a part of the Constitution of the United States. Its prompt ratification is urgently recommended. Tennessee occupies a pivotal position and the eyes of all America are upon us. Millions of women are looking to this Legislature to give them a voice and share in shaping the destiny of the Republic." He then quoted the plat- form declarations of both State and National Democratic and Republican parties urging ratification. The next day the Senate was called to order by President Andrew L. Todd, who introduced the ratification resolution. It was introduced in the House by the Shelby county delegation, all for it. Both were referred to the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. On the night of August 12 a joint hearing was held and able speeches were made by Senator McKellar, Generals James A. Fowler and Charles A. Cates, Jr., and Attorney Ed T. Seay. Anti speakers were : Congressman Finis J. Garrett, Major E. B. Stahlman, Judges S. F. Wilson and G. N. Tillman. Miss Charlotte Rowe, of Yonkers, N. Y., represented the National Anti-Suffrage Association. The next day a memorial from Maryland "antis" urging rejection was read in the Senate. Senator L. E. Gwin presented the committee report recommending ratification, signed by himself and Senators M. H. Copenhaver, John C. Houk, C. C. Collins, J. W. Murray, T. L. Coleman, Douglas Wikle and E. N. Hasten. Senators W. M. Cameron and J. W. Rice presented the minority report. After many eloTENNESSEE 623 quent speeches in favor and two in opposition the Senate vote was ayes 25, noes 4, two not voting, and a motion to reconsider was tabled. On August 17 the House Committee reported in favor of rati- fication, saying: "This is the performance of solemn platform promises and we take great pride in the fact that to Tennessee has been accorded the signal distinction of passing a resolution which will secure the final adoption of the iQth Amendment." Speaker Seth M. Walker then moved to adjourn to gain time, which was carried by 52 ayes, 44 noes. He had given the suffra- gists his word that he would not only vote for ratification but would lead the fight for it in the House. On the contrary he suddenly underwent a radical change and fought it bitterly through the entire session. On August 1 8 occurred the most exciting and dramatic session ever held in the House. Speaker Walker moved to table the reso- lution in an effort to kill it. R. L. Dowlen, who had undergone a serious operation, was brought from his bed to the Capitol to vote for it. T. A. Dodson received a message that his baby was dying and after he had taken the train it was found that his vote would be needed to carry it. A member reached the train as it was pulling out, found him and they leaped off. He cast his vote for the resolution and a man who was able to do so sent him home on a special train. The Speaker lobbied openly after clearing the House of suffrage lobbyists. Sitting with his arm around the shoulder of Banks S. Turner he stopped his voting when his name was called, but Turner won the honor of all present when, at the end of the roll call, he threw off Speaker Walker's arm, stood up and cast his vote for ratification. Harry T. Burn, aged 2.}, had been voting with the opposition but had given the suffra- his word that, as he had voted for the Presidential suffrage hill in 1919 and as his mother wanted him to vote for ratification, he would do so if his vote should be needed but otherwise he would vote against it, as his constituency was opposed. When the vote was a tie 48 to 48 he instantly realized that the resolution would be lost unless he should vote for it. This he did and the vote stood 49 ayes, 47 noes. Speaker Walker then changed his 624 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE vote from no to aye, making the vote 50 ayes, 46 noes, and moved to reconsider. 1 By the rules of the House Speaker Walker had for three days the exclusive right in which to call up the motion to reconsider, after which others could do so. During this time the opponents worked madly to get one of the loyal 49 to change his vote without avail. They attempted every unscrupulous scheme known to control legislation. All failing, as a last desperate move, 36 in the early morning hours made a hegira to Decatur, Ala., where they remained for about ten days. On August 23 the seats of the "antis" were conspicuously vacant. As the Speaker had not asked for a reconsideration, Mr. Riddick moved to call from the Journal the motion to reconsider. Speaker Walker ruled this out of order, giving among other reasons that Judge E. F. Langford of the Chancery Court had granted a temporary injunction restraining the Governor, Secre- tary of State and Speakers from certifying to Secretary of State Colby that the Legislature had ratified. Mr. Riddick appealed from the decision of the chair and it was not sustained. He then moved that the House reconsider its action in concurring in the Senate ratification, which was defeated by 49 noes, 9 present and not voting. He next moved that the Clerk of the House be in- structed to transmit to the Senate the ratification resolution, which was carried by a viva voce vote. Governor Roberts, himself formerly a Judge, could not be checked by the devices of the opposition but asked Attorney General Thompson to place the matter before Chief Justice D. L. Lansden of the State Supreme Court. He issued a writ of supersedeas and certiorari, which, taking the matter out of the jurisdiction of the Chancery Court, 1 Burn's vote so angered the opposition that they attempted to fasten a charge ot bribery on him. On a point of personal privilege he made a statement to the House which was spread upon the Journal. After indignantly denying the charge he said: "I changed my vote in favor of ratification because I believe in full suffrage as a right; I believe we had a moral and legal right to ratify; I know that a mother's advice is always safest for her boy to follow and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification. I appreciated the fact that an opportunity such as seldom comes to mortal man to free 17,000,000 women from political slavery was mine. I desired that my party in both State and Nation might say it was a Republican from the mountains of Blast Tennessee, purest Anglo-Saxon section in the world, who made woman suffrage possible, not for any personal glory but for the glory of his party." [Lack of space prevents giving the names of the immortal 49, which were sent with the chapter.] TENNESSEE 625 amounted to a dissolving of the injunction. The Governor then mailed the certificate of ratification to Secretary Colby at noon, August 24, which he received on the morning of August 26. This completed the necessary thirty-six ratifications and Secretary Colby immediately proclaimed the Federal Suffrage Amendment a part of the Constitution of the United States. During the weeks of machinations by the opposition, Governor Roberts, State Superintendent of Education Albert H. Williams, the other officers of the administration and the efficient Steering Committee, made up of members of the Legislature, headed by President Todd and Chief Clerk W. M. Carter of the Senate, were on complete guard night and day. After the American Constitutional League had failed in the courts of Tennessee they planned to secure injunctions against election officials to prevent women from voting and carried their fight to the courts of the District of Columbia, losing in every one. They finally reached the Supreme Court of the United States, which eventually decided that the I9th Amendment was legally and constitutionally ratified. [This matter is referred to in Chapter XX of Volume V.] Meanwhile on September 20 Speaker Walker and other opponents went to Washington and requested Secretary Colby to withdraw and rescind the ratification proclamation. Failing in this effort they went on to Connecticut to prevent ratification by the special session there, which had at last been called, and this mission also was a failure. To Tennessee will forever belong the glory of placing the last seal on the Federal Amendment by which the women of the 1 United States were enfranchised.
The Suffrage Map from 1869 to 1893. Wyoming as a Territory In 1869 and as a State In 1890 gave equal suffrage to women.
The Suffrage Map from 1893 to 1910. Colorado gave equal suffrage to women In 1893 Utah in 1895, Idaho In 1896.
The Suffrage Map when Congress submitted the Federal Amendment June 4, 1919. In the white States women had full suffrage. In the dotted States, Presidential; in Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee and Vermont municipal also; in the first three County besides.
The legislatures of all the white States ratified the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment; those of the black states rejected it except that of Florida, whose Governor said it would do so if he called a special session.
The Suffrage Map after the Ratification of the Federal Amendment — universal, complete woman suffrage in every State.
- ↑ The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. John M. Kenny, an officer of the State Equal Suffrage Association from 1914 until the ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment in 1920.