The League of Women Voters campaigned harder then ever before. The held marches and conferences and slowly but surely the states began to ratify. Then in 1920 thirty-five states had ratified the amendment and there was only one more vote needed for it to pass. It all came down to the state of Tennessee. In Tennessee the people wore a yellow rose if they were in favor of suffrage and a red rose if they were apposed. This was how the nickname the "Rose War" was formed. The women's rights leaders could tell by looking around the room at the representatives for Tennessee that it was going to be a very close call because there were an even number of red and yellow roses. It was with the first vote, a defeat forty-seven to forty nine, the second forty-eight to forty-eight, and the third forty-seven to forty-nine in favor. A young man named Harry Burn, who was wearing a red rose, made this final vote. A letter written to him from his mother, persuading him to do the right thing and vote for suffrage brought on the change in heart for him. After the vote was finalized he was chased around the room and had to escape out of a window to save himself. People everywhere put up signs and banners that said thank you Harry and Mrs. Burn! If not for Harry's vote all that the women had worked for would have been ruined. Comments and Questions: WLHScheerchik@hotmail.com |
