The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-26
For Violating the Right Of Free Dis
cussion in Parliament
tary Body.
That One Made In Behalf Of TYR
amy Against an Oppressed
People.
Yet When Force Of Numbers win Permit
Republican Senators Will Adopt
Like Measures.

for several months, and now the situation
has become critical. The republicans must
either stop the debate ON the election bill
and force a vote upon the measure, or they
must acknowledge themselves beaten by the
democratic minority.
The main difficulty with the republicans
is to find senator who is willing to take
the chair and put the motion for cutting of
debate and refuse to recognize an opposing
senator claiming the floor.
Setting aside the recent proceedings in
the house, which are perhaps OF too recent
occurrence to have established precedent,
it is of interest to notice how the English
house of commons dealt with the question
of obstruction when it was pressed home
upon that body in February, 1881.
The session of the house Of commons that
began at three O'Clock on the afternoon of
Monday, Jan. 81, came to sudden end at
about nine on the morning of the ensuing
Wednesday, after continuous session Of
over forty-one consecutive hours. The
house had standing order against ''wilful
and persistent obstruction" but the chair
had hesitsted to enforce it. The session
had been marked by great disorder, occa-
stoned by the attempts of the members of
the Irish party to force an adjournment of
the debate. DIR. Playfair had occupied the
chair from 11:30 Tuesday night, and had
recognized Mr.. Cummins to make fifth
motion to adjourn, on which he spoke for
two hours. Then Mr.. Barry spoke for an
hour. and was succeeded by Mr.. Sexton
with speech of two hours and twenty
minutes. Then came Mr.. Lealpy, and Mr..
Biggar was speaking when the speaker en-
tered the house at 8 O'Clock on Wednesday
morning. t''he speaker, without calling on
Mr.. BiRgar to proceed informed the house
that after full consideration of all that had
happened since the session began, and rec
ognizing that the credit and authority of
the house could not be vindicated nor the
paralysis of its legislative powers averted
by the operation of the accustomed rules
and procedure, he had determined to take
upon himself the resort to exceptional meth
DDS. He said that he would therefore de-
cline to call upon any more members to
speak, and would at once by his authority
put the question from the chair. He there
upon put the question, aud division was
taken on the amendment of DR.. Lyons Civ
ing precedence to remedial legislation.
This having been neeatived, the chair then
put the main question. the speaker having
deavored to speak. The home rulers there
upon left the house, shouting, "Prlvilege!"
"Privilege!"
subsequently Mr.. Gladstone gave notice
that he would introduce the next day
new standing order regulating the business
of the house, which would provide that on
a motion being made that 1.-The state of
public business is urgent,'' and being sup
ported by quorum, which amounts to
of the members present, the
powers of the house for the regulation of
business upon the several stages of the
bills or motions shall be and remain in the |
speaker until the spenker declares that the |
gent. The house then adjourned. The
next day, the speaker. in reply to ques-
lion by Mr.. Labouchere, said that he had |
acted upon his own responsibility and from |
\ sense Of duty toward the house of COM
mons. When Mr.. Parnell proposed to move |
that the speaker had been guilty of q breach |
If privilege, the speaker held that it was
1ot a question of privilege at all. but that
t was question of order, and that his ac-
ion could be questioned only on specific
notion. So obstruction came to an end in
he house of commons.
The London Times of Feb. 3. comment
ng on the action of the speaker, said: "A
hat as no member can speak without be-
ng called on bv the speaker, the latter was
echnically within his right. But there is
70 denying the plain fact that in substance
he speaker made precedent rather than
ought ono. and looked to the urgent and
EXCEPTIONAL nature Of the case rather than
o the formal authority of his Office"
: II the republican members of the senate
hall conclude to bring in rule to stop de-
'ate, the plan of procedure would undoubt-
dly be the same as that adopted by the
peaker of the English housh of commons.
he senator in the chair will, after fixed
ime. simply refuse to recognize the demo-
ratio senators who attempt to debate the
uestlon of rule to limit debate. But be-
ore the chair attempts this action he will
nsist on being able to see before him for
y-four senators pledged to stand by him.
Cnr OWING r0p x.uayur