St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-22
SHUT OFF THEIR WIND.
cLoTURs IN TIE SENATE WILL BRING
A f0TE.
PLATT,s PERTINENT MOTION.
MFR. Lodge Declares That to Vote
Without Debating Might Be
Hasty, but to Debate and
The Cloture Resolution Goes
Over Until Today.

cloture of which he gave notice last
Tuesday.
The rules of the senate. Mr.. Plat said,
ought to facilitate the transaction OF
business. That proposition would not
be denied. The rules of the senate.
as they stood today, made 1T almost or
entirely impossible to transact business.
The senate was fast losing the respect
of the people 1t was fast being con-
sidered body that existed for the pur-
pose of retarding legislation. If vote
on the repeal bill couldn't be reached, a
vote OH the clOture would be forced. If
the consideration of the rule was passed
and delayed factlonally, that fact would
demonstrate that the oppostoB was ob-
structing and fillbustering against the
ed, did not understand why
the senate did not vote. He
doubted whether any explanation could
make clear to them the reason why the
senate did not vote. The country might
Ieel and senators might feel that the
matter had been sufficiently discussed:
but senators in the opposition said that
it had not been so. and when, he asked,
was the time coming that they would
admit that it had been sufficiently dis
cussed. There were just two ways, I'M
der the rules, by which vote
COULD BE REACHED.
One was by getting unanimous con-
sent to take Il vote at certain time. 1t
had been demonstrated that that meth
cd of obtaining vote could not be
made available on the present occasion.
Next came what was known as the pro-
cess of ''Sitting 1t out" hat was for
the friends of the bill to remain in con-
tinuouS session until Its opponents
were physically exhausted, SD that they
could not struggle any longer. That
might Or might not result in a vote
either of the repeal bill or
any great measure over which a
great contest was made. 1t had not re-
suited in reaching vote on what was
called the force bill, although senators
had sat one night over ii. Ii would re
quire the friends of the bill to keep a
quorum present constantly during a
continuous session. There were SEN
ators in favor of the bill VINO could not,
as a matter OF ply steal ability. continue
in session day after day. 1t was a
proposition 10 force the minority to sur
render on test of physical endurance.
The result usually was that 1t was the
majority which surrendered on that
test. That being the case, why had not
the senate just as we'll try TO change its
rules He offered his resolution in good
faith. As one member OF The minority
SIDE or the senate, he would staud by 1t
through thick and thin. He did not
present it by authority of the minority.
lie offered it i'll good faith, believing
that it was practically the only way by
which vote could he reucheu Oh the
repeal bill.
Mr.. Hoar (Rep. Mass.l thought that
Mr.. PlattS resolution was open 10
criticism, in that it gave the vice prpsl-
dent, who was not even member OF
the senate, the power of determining
action Of the senate ltSelf-a power OF
fixing day to
CLOSE DEBATE
and a day to take vote. lie did not
think that the senate ought to impose
that duty on the vice president.
MIR. Lodge (Rep. MasS.,) said that the
senator from Idaho. who had command
of the silver forces in the senate Mir.
Dubois had stated the day before yes
terday i'll his humorous way that he
(Alr. Lodge, had been beating drum,
tor forces or repeal. He was perfectly
willing that that should be so, for be-
lleving that the time for action had
arrived, it seemed 10 him that at the
moment of action, drum beat was
more appropriate than conversation. He
believed strongly in the principle
of Platt's resolution. There was
another right, MIR. Lodge said, more Sa-
cred i'll legislative body than d right
10 debate; and that was the right TO
vote. 1t was 10 be assumed that If by
unWritten law there was 10 be unlimited
debate, there should be no obstruction
TO Il vote. When it appeared that un-
limited debate "a right conceded by
courtesy was used for the purpose of
obstruction, then that system of cour-
reSy became impossible. When mi
nority not only did not allow debate
TO come to close. but would not even
name any date mo matter how distanO
at which it would assent to close of
the debate, then it was obvious that
courtesy had become entirely one-sided
that unlimited debate was to be per-
mtted, but that the right of vote was to
he taken away. 10 vote without debat-
Jig, he continued, might be haSty, might
De ill-considered, might be rash, but to
debate and never vote
WAS IMBECILITY.
Mr.. Hill Uem., New York; suggested
an amendment to the proposed change
vi IuICO DIONiuluS5 LlIat NIlCu a Dill IldS
been debated OH divers days amounting
i'll all TO thirty days, 1t shall he in order
for any senator to move TO fix date for
taking vote, that motion shall not be
amenGable or dUbatable, and. if carried
by majority, the vote on the bill and
pending amendments shall be taken
without further debate or amendment.
Mr.. Stewart rep, nevada announced
himself as ready to prove, by many
precedents, the immense advantage of
deliberation in the senate, and why a
gag rule should not be adopted. Mr..
Teller (Rep., Colorado also explained
himself as DESTROYS OF speaking to the
resolution, but he did not wish now TO
interfere with the senator from Cali
fornia (Mr. Whitel, who wished to
address the senate. The resolu-
ton went over until tomorrow, al
though it had been previously referred
to the committee on rules. The repeal
bill was then taken up and MIR. Calm
ger (Rep., n. H. gave notice of an
amendment which he intended to offer
TO 1t, looking to the appointment of a
monetary commission of three
FINANCIAL EXPERTS
from private life. to be appointed by the
president, three senators and three
representatives.
MIR. WHITE lDem., Cal.) at the outset
said he approached the discussion of
the financial subject with trepidation.
and proceeded to analyze the conditions
that led up to the present situation,
paying especial attention to the farming
and laboring classes. And contin-
uing he declared that the un-
conditional repeal of the Sherman
law meant the total abolition Of
silver as money metal. He followed
with all appeal for consideration for the
silver-producing states, and closed with
brilliant summing up of the glories
| and greatness of the United States, and
said with such land, and with men of
| matchless powers administering her
| affairs, he had no doubt whatever that
the republic would march on and on.
| Mr.. White finished his speech at $40.
having spoken four hours and twenty
minutes. He was complimented by
MANY gprafOrs