The Portland daily press., 1890-09-29
A Quorum In Parliament

PROFESSOR James Bryce. NJ. P, the emf
nent Englishman, author of the recent and
celebrated work upon the American Com
monwealth, has contributed to the North
American Review for October an article en-
titled "a Word as to the Speakership''
Many American readers who have formed
their opinion of Mr.. Reeds course from
Democratic or Mugwump papers VIII De
surprised to learn from so eminent authority
as Professor Bryce that there is nothing I'M
precedented or revolutionary about the
counting of a quorum. The English Par
lament will be acknowledged upon all sides
to be model of conservatism in matters
parliamentary. 1t was the model before the
eyes of the fathers who framed our own leg
islative code; Its parliamentary examples
have always been received with respect by
legislators the world over. Therefore. when
Professor Bryce says that the English House
Of Commons knows no other quorum than
one counted by the eye of the Speaker, be
utters fact full of confusion to every critic
l of Speaker Reed. Professor Bryce says:
In both Houses of Congress another long habit
has established the right of members to be physi-
cally present during division and yet to abstain
from voting In both Houses of Parliament
every member present has always been held
bound TO vote, and recusant members have more
than once been positively compelled TO vote. The
only resource OF person who seeks to escape
this duty Is TO hurry out Of the House before the
two minutes allowed for members to come IN
have elapsed and the doors have been locked.
do not know whether the Amer ican habit of per-
hitting members to have each his own desk.
where he can read and WRITE has anything to do
with this permission to remain silent spectator
of division. To us Englshmen both the desks
and the habit Of non participation while physically
DfP2pnt we'll the riQhr tn chanQa Onn,g
While the division proceeds, seem unfortunate (;
and we not surprised that technical Difficult
rum where the anomaly exists Of divisions of the
House which are not divisions OF the whole body
OF members present. sach question ss as that
which has been embodied in the rule since enact.
/ ed by the House, could not have arisen at West
| minister, where we know of only one quorum--the
| quorum consisting of every member within the
four walls Of the chamber whom the eye of the
Speaker sees and his finger Tor rather the cooked
Il hat he points Wlt1) ard voice count audibly when
l count Is required.
1t should be noticed also that Professor
| Bryce says that the doors of the House of
Commons are locked while vote is going
| on. There can be no sneaking into corridor.
| to escape voting or to escape the Speaker
/ eye. Under the rules of tine House of Rep.
resentatives the doors of the House may be
| closed only when there is call of the House
| for obtaining a quorum, and even then we
find Mr.. Kigore of Texas breaking down 6
door in defiance of the Speakers tyranny.
as the Democrats have been pleased to cal
It, Upon a vote members are free to com,
and 60 as they like.
AS time goes on, and the licenses elaine,
by the Democrats are more fully understoo,
In the light of the usages of other legisla
tive bodies and the practices of common
sense, there will be few intelligent men il
this country who will not wonder that sucl
child's play as these habits of obstruction
were ever tolerated for moment in our frs
legislative body.