Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/711

WEST VIRGINIA 695 promising when suddenly its advocates found themselves in a torrent of opposition, due to the injection of the fight that was being made for the governorship and interference from outside the State. The Maryland Legislature sent a committee to urge its rejection and anti-suffrage leaders from all over the country made their appearance. The vote was taken on Wednesday and stood 47 ayes, 40 noes in the House. The vote was 14 to 14 in the Senate. A motion to reconsider was lost by the same vote. In the meantime Senator Jesse A. Bloch, who was in California, telegraphed : "Just received notice of special session. Am in fa- vor of ratification. Please arrange a pair for me." This was re- fused by the opponents with jeers. Secretary of State Houston G. Young immediately got into communication with him on the long distance telephone and he agreed to make a race across the continent for Charleston. Then came the struggle to hold the lines intact until his ar- rival. The situation was most critical because a motion in the er House to reconsider had been laid on the table and could be called up at any time. Many members were anxious to go home and there was difficulty in keeping enough present at roll call to defeat hostile attacks. The tie in the Senate held fast, however, as Senator Bloch sped across the country. The day he reached Chicago the opposition resorted to its most desperate client by producing a former Senator, A. R. Montgomery, who about eight months before had resigned his seat, saying that he was leaving the State, and later had moved to Illinois. There was documentary evidence that he had given up his residence. Tie demanded of Governor Cornwell to return his letter of resig- nation. The Governor refused and he then appeared in the Senate that afternoon and offered to vote. President Sinsel ptly ruled that he was not a member. On an appeal from tliis ruling he was sustained by a tie vote and the case was vred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. When Senator Hloch reached Chicago h c found that not only a special train but also an airship were awaiting him. 1 He chose the train and made the trip with a speed that was said to have 1 It was k r time who w.v ;< for this arrangement huf later it waa found to be Captain Victor Urn inn.-iti, who had charge of the National Republican headquarters in Chicago.