New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-29
OBSTRUCTION IN THE COMMONS.


ago shows that the British Commons share
with the Swedish and Hungarian representa-
tive assemblies the distinction of having no
power to protect themselves against factious
opposition. In all other national legislatures
means are provided whereby debate may be
brought to a close and the obstruction of pub
lie business prevented In the United States
the previous question can be ordered by
majority of the House; in the German Reich
stag the order of the day may be voted by
thirty members after motion to that effect
has been put in writing; in the Belgian
Chamber it can be proposed by ten members,
and in the Danish Assembly by fifteen
in the Austrian Reichstag the previous ques-
ton is regulated by majority OF the men,
bers and in Switzerland and Spain there are
similar regulations. In Italy the previous
question can be moved by any member, and
only one Representative can speak in ODposi-
ton to it. In France the presiding officer can
close the debate after taking the sense of
Senators or Deputies, and only one member
can speak against the cl0ture; and during the
final debate no member can speak without OBJ
tanning the consent of the Chair. In the Eng
li,h Commons the privilege of debate has
always been enjoyed without restriction, the
presumption being that while any member
might interrupt the business OF the session and
make a caprIcious use Of his privileges, no
one would ever venture 10 violate the I'M
written presidents OF Parlmnrntarv life. Since
1877 Il rcsOlute faction has repeatedly deted
the great body of the Commons, ingcniously
contrivinG to keep within the rules and ut the
same time to obsruct public business and To
bring Parliamentary procedure into dlSrc-
putc. On one or two occasions the standing
rules have been amended. and the attempt
has been made to discipline those who have
abused their privileges. but no effective meas
urcs have been taken 10 prevent the rccur-
renee of similar scenes and to enable the ma
iority to control the cour'c of public business.
In the preliminary contest over the Cocrc on
hill, the Home Rulers renewed Their ob5truc-
ton tactics and compelled tho Hone to re-
main in session twenty-five hours before a
simple motion Civ ng thar measure precedence
over 9th I'm .nrsS cutid I've passed. II Mr.
BisgaI's zeal lad not carried him outside the
Standing rules aud thus su' irci"d him 10 sr,-
IrasiUn. his supporters might have prolonged
the struggle indefinitely. 1t was expected that
under Mr.. PaiHri'> leadership iLl~ little knot
of nal,ont,ntS would b. more cautious. and
that the Coercion bill would hc opposed
with the same doygod persistence wn'rh
charact. rizcd The IRISH debates of 1911
Last night the struggle WIS resumed. How
far the resistance of the Home Rulers can he
carried i Il matter Of ~urmi>c, hut IL Is prOhI-
bic that they will gard it rs n patriotic
du'y H. we'll as IN irIcni 'Us p'li'Ir3, device To
piploug the debate by reading extracts from
book, and newspapers, by ut,rpolaung dlll-
tory motions aud cal Tor divisions. AID by
r,-orling to al other form, of what AWcrl-
cans would tenn "liIbusicuug,' before
allowing "A Volc To hr taken on the measure at
any STAGE In adopting these tactics they Will
comply wiki all the outward forms of the
House. bll at the same time they will violate
what i, most sacred in the ewes # every Eng
li>Imln-thc unwrittcn pre- 'cdcnts of PaIim-
mrntary life. The uuNillngnc>s of the Conn
mons to protect themselves against the un,cTu-
Dulou, devices of Il factiuus minority can only
be- explained by that very reverence for es-
tablisrcd usage which the Home Rulers have
set at nausht. "'Thcir Good is Prcredcnt,n as
Mr.. Emerson srntcntiou,y says. For cen
tn!v or more it has been the boast of English
legislators that every Member of Parliament
enjoys absolute freedom in debate. and the
Commons naturally shrink from restricting
that privilege in the slightest degree The
fact that Lord Granville has employed his
foreign CORES p0ndcnts To compile general
digest of legislative practice. and that the
Liberal leaders are practically introducing IT,"
Previous Question, proves that the Mimi try
are bent upon releasing the Commons from
bondage to an INSCRIPTIONS minority and
bringing Parliamentary procedure into line
with the experience of other national assem-
bics. In order to do this they must sacrifice
a precedent, but that means every thing in
England.
I'LL IL ,rnLnt.N L, lAt,,L,r.