Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-04-30

Senate.
Washington correspondence Troy Times.
When debate is once begun the breth-
ren on both sides usually pitch in and
get 80 wrought up agains. each other
some one bcthinks himself to make u
motion to adjourn, and enough on both
sides vote for it to end one more troubled
day. But supposing no debate is begun
after the motion to go into executive ses-
sion is lost; then because something must
be done before the senate in the nature
of parliamentary business, and the vote
cannot be ut once repeated, another dem
ocrat will get up the following game
which serves as an alternate motion: He
will say, "Mr. President, as we have done
80 little to-day, and as business of impor-
tance awaits our attention, move that
when the senate do adjourn it adjourns
to meet at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning"
(12 o'clock being the regular hOur)
."und on this I demand the
yeas and nays" He doesn't
mean it no more than you or mean to
dye our hair green, but it serves its pur-
pose. Then another democrat rises and
holemnly says: "As that hour would be
inconvenicntly early for many OF the
senators, move to amend the senator's
motion by substituting 10 o'clock
for o'clock, and on this
amendment demand the yeas and
nays" Then third democrat rises and
says: II move to amend the amendment
offered by the senator Just rose by SUBJ
stituting the hour of II o'clock for.1O
o'clock, nnd on this amendment demand
the yeas and nays" Then the vice presi-
dent has to put the amendments to vote,
beginning with the last; the scventy-ninc
tors rising to explain that they are pair
ed This is the formula. II desire to say
that am paired with the senator from
Thinning the state.) If he we're here
he won!d vote nc" or vice versa. Ii q
senator is away when his name is called
his colleague (the other senator from his
state) will often make the explanation
for him. The roll call being finished u
posse OF delinquent senators will strag-
gle III from the cloak rooms, where they
so to talk, or smoke, or talk over private
matters. aud they will raise their hands
denotiug that they have not yet voted
The vice president. recognizes them by
this nnnouncement'of each: "The sena
tor from" (naming his state). The
clerk then calls his name from the roll
and he votes still standing; then turning
on his heel lie goes back to the CLOAK
room, or wherever he lists. In this de
lightful pastime twenty-five or thirt,
minutes may be easily consumed. Thi
disposes Of only one amend
mcnt. The next is then take.
up in the same way, then the origina
motion, all of which are lost. as it wa
known they would be. That brings tn
bushes back to u point where it is il
parliamentary order for some other sena
tor to make a fresh motion to go init
consideration OF executive business
which is also lost; and thus the gam
goes on. Here is the true inwardness q
dilatory motions, or flibustering. an
the state OF things that is indicated b.
this solemn tomtoolery is u deadlock.
have once seen the house of Represents
tives in continuous session for three day
and two nights, in just such deadlock
and half at time. A great crisis Just
fies this sort of thing, but no ordinar
crisis does. This may after all be grea
crisis, for it is deciding the right OF til
majority to rule; and it is also meetin
boldly the tactics which the democrati
side will be likely to adopt next winte
After an all night session of this sor
bits Of torn paper will be on the floor {
thick rs autumn leaves in grove, s
serious and restless do the multitude (
idle hands become. It is exccedingl
wearisome also for the galleries; but
is in the midst of just such deadlock
that spurt of fiery debate that blaze
all over the country is liable to arise.
is only within four years past that til
sort Of tactics has crept into the senat
Or course, when there is large majorit
of either party it cannot occur. 1t
these nearly evenly divided houses th
make tedious and ineffective sessions.