The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-02-18
To CHANGE THE RULES.

| things TINT A smarter man with less gilt OF
CAB would never be able to do, but neverthe-
less in the long run aud from an economic
standpoint, the dangerous fluency causes
fearful loss oftime, which is popularity sup
posed to be money. But ifthis great mod
ern talker would be seen to the greatest adj
vantage, il his wonderful command Of
the kings .and gutter-snipe's English
would be most fully appreciated, he must
be seen and heard in the Legislative halls.
1t is there that he boldly enters into and
vanquishes time, there that his choicest
sentences are uttered, there that his master
pieces of loquacity are created, Public
business waits, public interests may Ian
gush, but what cares hc2 He is an Amer
lean, indulgng in the Americans most
precious birth-rght, displaying the Amer
leans most coveted gift, listened to through
the fundamentally of the press by
countless thousands--he is talkingl
As incontroyertble as are these truths,
however, there are men in this land Of Ill
crty who would check this constitution
guarded privilege, who would curtail the
the legislative assemblies, for so insigniti-
cant reason as that the necessities of the
country demand that the political oratory
OF the land should remain silent for suill-
cient length or time to.permit the ordinary
course of legislation to proceed. Even that
wise and dignilicd body known as the SEN
ate of the United States feels called upon to
muzzle its famous takers, so that it may
pass a few bills which their CON
stituencies think are at pres
ent worthy of consideration. 1.-THE
previous question:" that bugbear of the
member who is always ambitious of educat-
ing his followers and the public generally,
is not known among the rules Of the senate,
and as consequence, debate in that body
degcnerates simply into linked sweetness
long drawn out. The proposition now is to
SO change the rules of the senate as to in
corporate check on lengthy discussion.
In the early constitution of the senate its
members were SO few and its audiences so
limited and wthal, its members were so
full Of fogyism and patriotism, that
the only concern seemed to be to go to work
upon the business in hand, get through
with II, talk only when necessary, and 20
home TO tell the people what had been
done. Since the introduction of gas and
other modern improvements, however, into
the old chamber, II wonderful revolution
has taken place. The senator's have caught
the inspiration and imbibed the spirit of
progressiveness of the times, and recognize
the fact that nothing is so tedious and
tasteless ms the monotonous routine of law
making Bright eyes don't smile approval
from the galleries upon a commit.
tee report and admirng spec-
mems of the stronger sex don't
suggest cup Of coffee" in the basement
as a gentle appreciation of the heroism of
attentiycly to the second and third
readings of bill. What can the senators,
therefore, do? Nothing but that which they
do--talk, There is only one possible reason
for our approval of this suggested innoya-
ton in the rules of the senate, and that is
that some little legislation may be permit
ted TO proceed, of which the country stands
sadly in need, Three months have
gldcd swiftly by and we are not aware
of any remarkable dispatch of bust
ness, and from this considcra-
ton, and this only, we are in.
clincd TO believe that temporary cessation
of Washington oratory, while il may to a
certain extent il is true, abridgc American
liberty, would not thrown the country into
arevolution or state of hopclessness. There
fore, we think that the previous question"
ought to be at once introduced into the SEN
ate and rigidly enforced in both that body
and the lower house until few of the more
important bills now pending could be
passed, Apropos to this question the New
York Herald of recent date has the follow.
ing, at is u curious parliamentary coin.
cidcnCc that the house of commons in
England and the senate in Washington
should be considering ut the same
time the question of change in
the laws governing their proceedings Sc
as to cut oil the we'll of English, dc.
filed aud undeiicd, and allow some bust
ness to be done, The senate and the com.
mons are probably the most talkative bodie,
In the world, and CARLYLE doubtless had
them in his mind when he lamentod that
the two great English. speaking nation.
were running to wind and tongue. In IN,
house the Iloodgatcs Of debate are cut of
by the previous question, which, uniortu
natcly, does not sxist in the senate. Tn,
latter body now contains eleven more mem,
bors than the first house of representatives
and Us every enc is talking for his constitn
cnts, the necessity for drawing the lin,
somewhere must be apparent to every one
Let us have some sort of previous uues
ton In the senate
WnES so eminent an authority and ord,
narily SO wise and safe guide AS In
Chicago Times speaks pointcdly and un
hcsitatinrlv To n flct A Il war,h,, nf an