Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-11

that this is an inconvenieni rule and
seldom praoticed. He thinka that NJ.
Grevy at one time exercised hia right
~ president in carrying out this rule.
Butthe manner now ia yoguein France
he states NJ follows;
"Our rules contain on article to tho
eject that. In case no quorum is present,
u voto ON the question undor discussion
will DO called Tor at the next sitting whom
the result will bo valid whatever may I've
tho number OF deputies who take part In
the ballot. so tho president orders d
vote, declares there Is not quorum, all
iourus tho sitting, calls the house to order
at the and OF ten minutes, and then orders
now vote, which thi. time becomes
valid"
NJ. Louis Ruchonnoi, president Of the
Swiss Confederation says that the
course pursued by Mr.. Reed was In
accordance with Swiss procedure. He
illustrates the method In hIs country In
this way: The Council Of States ls
made up Of a mumpcr. Is proceeds
ings are legal II % members are
present. fla ballot Is taken, and eight
members, for instance, vote aye aud
four no, eleven do no, vote at all, the
ballot IL valid and the council has voted
Ia the affirmative.
In Belgium the question Of quorum
IL regulated by the rules. Hut essen-
TALLY In extreme case. the same prac.
tlse Ia observed rs that rosoried 10 by
Mr. Reed. Every member present ON
the floor Of the house when n ballot IA
taken IL obliged to take part In II.
Members not voting must state their
reasons for not doing 20.
According to the president Of the
Danish Lower House "nelther OF the
two houses may sit unless more than
half OF the members are present aud
vote" But, he adds, II has long been
the custom for members who reply,
when tharoll IL called, ~ do not VOTE"
TO be counted as present, auI conse.
quontlyto contribute to the formation
OF u quorum, notwithsta nding their
non.participation In the ballot.
In the Dutch Chamber the sessions
begins only whcnan abso lutte majority
Of the legal nu mber is pres Mt. This
majority Is also required to make a
ballot valid. The president Of the
Chamber says that no provision il
made Tor member refusing 10 vote
when present, because II could not be
conceived that a member who could
retire II ho 40 deslfe :. would remain to
hear his name called aud not reply.
In the Portuguese Chamber, Deputies
sometimes leave the House whcn'n
ballot Is being taken; but oflen they re-
main, and do lot vote, though thi. 10
against the rules. In this case they are
not counted for the purpose OF making
a quorum. In fact, the question has
never been raised Ia Portugal.
Ia the Lower House OF Norway de.
puties who absent themselves can be
ilned from 400 10 1000 crowns.
In the German Reichstag there nre
no rules prcviding for an oxtfeme case
such as tbatunder discussion.
In the Swedish Diet no quorum Is
necessary In either OF the two Cham.
bers for the Transaction OF business.
The ballot IL secret. the vote can not
be published, 80 II member declines
10 vote there is no way to compel him
TO do 20.
Ofnllthe European counties, Franco
alone had quorum troubles the same M
ours. Norway has no dliilculty be-
cause OF IL pecunlary Rning system.
Sweden has no quorum requlsitisn.
In Portugal ono.lhlrd makes q quorum.
In Denmark noa-voteTs arc counted
present. In Germany this Is no, done,
but Pafliameutarians think It would
be Justlhablo. Switzerland and Italy
have rules providing for quorum dlfl.
ties. In the Netherlands they have
never had such problem bofste thcm.
The placid Dutchmnn could not even
conceive how such m absurd question
could arise, az man being present and
at the same time be recorded assent.