Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/658

 642 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE Darden and their work was done from there. The amendment failed but not because of their feeble efforts. It was opposed by the strongest political forces in Texas, including the liquor inter- ests. The vote was 141,773 ayes, 166,893 noes; defeated by a majority of 25,120. In eleven days after this defeat on June 4 the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment was submitted by Congress to the Legislatures for ratification. Both of the Texas Senators- Charles A. Culberson and Morris Sheppard and nine Represen- tatives voted for it. RATIFICATION. Governor Hobby issued a call for a second special session of the Legislature to convene June 23 to consider other matters but the opening day found the suffragists on hand ready to ask for ratification. The "antis" were on hand also and while they were holding a conference in the Driskill Hotel to de- vise ways and means of obtaining a hearing before the House com- mittee, Resolution No. I to ratify the amendment was read the first time in the House and referred to this committee. The "antis" came in just in time to learn that the committee had held its meeting, favorably reported the resolution and it had been made the special order of business for 1 1 o'clock the next morn- ing. All of this occurred before noon of the first day. Speaker R. E. Thomason was one of the most ardent support- ers of the resolution and promptly on the hour it was brought up. As a poll of the House had shown that it was safe, the leaders decided not to choose between the dozens who wanted to speak in its behalf but to let the "antis" do the talking since the "pros" had the votes. The "father of the House," Representative King of Erath, alone spoke for it but the opponents talked until 3 155 p. m., when some one moved the previous question. The vote stood 96 ayes, 20 noes. As the Senate committee hearing was set for 4 o'clock there could be no thought of lunch but only to hurry to its room in the far removed wing of the Capitol. That hearing can never be adequately described. Ex-Congressman Robert W. Henry and State Senator J. C. McNealus, fire-eating "antis," almost came to blows over the name of former Governor Ferguson, and Miss Rowe, the New York crusader, had a difficult