On a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee I was reminded that Nashville was once the epicenter of the battle for the women’s right to vote. The year was 1919 and Congress had passed an amendment to allow for the women’s right to vote (the first such amendment was introduced in 1878), but the amendment, like all amendments at that time, needed 36 of the then 48 states to pass or ratify that language.

At this point, 35 states had successfully ratified. Tennessee was the last state needed to put the ratification over the threshold. Six other states had rejected the amendment, three other states refused to participate, and that left only North Carolina and Tennessee as the pathway to this ridiculously long overdue victory.

During the Summer of 1920, this long simmering battle was fought furiously in heart of Nashville, the capitol of Tennessee.

Both camps had lodged in the Hermitage Hotel and the lobbying of legislators and swaying of public opinion was a constant activity. After much debate and publics speeches, the Tennessee State Senate passed the resolution to ratify. It wasn’t even close.

However, in the lower house, commonly known as the House of Representatives (our State Assembly), the fight was much more bitter. To set the stage, the pro suffragists wore yellow roses and the anti-suffragists wore red roses (known as the War of the Roses) and the battle, as documented by historians, noted a fierce and brutal campaign. When the Assembly actually voted on the amendment it was
largely unclear how this vote would end, other than it would be close.

First, a procedural motion to table the vote was defeated 48-48. Then, to the consternation of many of the suffrage supporters, the Speaker called a vote to ratify or defeat. Both sides felt that the long fought battle to defeat the amendment was close at hand. But an unknown event occurred hours earlier somewhere in the dark corridors of the Capitol (this sounds eerily familiar to experiences in Trenton)
that would forever change –think Earthquake change – the political landscape both locally and nationally.

One particular legislator, Harry Burn, a proclaimed and announced anti-suffragist, received a special letter from a very special constituent –and it read, in part, as follows:

Dear Harry –

“Hurrah and vote for Suffrage! Don’t keep them in doubt. I notice some of your speeches against. They were bitter. I have been watching to see how you stood, but have not noticed anything yet……be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt (suffrage leader Carrie Chapman Catt) put the ‘rat’ in ratification”.

Signed, Phoebe Ensminger Burn (Mama Burn)

Needless to say this letter brought some conflict within the representative, but when called to vote “YES” or “No” on the amendment, this red rose wearing antisuffragist shocked the world and voted “YES.” The amendment passed and the vote for women was now written for the ages in our United State Constitution. Harry Burn’s mother was the last voice needed to push this amendment on to victory.

Those of us that have been lobbied and had to withstand pressure from all sides on important issues can somehow relate to what was going on in Harry’s mind. I never received a letter from my mother to vote a certain way, but I am fairly certain that I wouldn’t want to disappoint my mother, and in this case all the women in the United States of America and beyond.

Another lesson for the young and up and coming elected representatives, don’t ever go so far out to say you are a “NO” on emerging social and big picture policy votes, you never know how the wind blows or how the force for or against will clinch a green or red light.

PS – There is a legend out there in Trenton Land, that a prominent Democrat from Essex County was on the Senate floor in the 1960’s (not Richard J Codey) and this legislator was gifted with a soaring and inspirational speech pattern that was envied by many, he finished dismantling the merits of a bill and he absolutely convinced a few fence sitters to vote No as well. As he was about to sit down he
was handed a small slip of paper, he read it and got fully back on his feet and said— now that I gave you the reasons not to vote for this bill, let me tell you the opposing view and why I will vote YES on the bill. He finished by reading off the highlights and the bill passed—it got everyone wondering what was on the note. It wasn’t the senator’s mom, the note simply said –the county boss needs a Yes.

Trenton rules.