The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-23
NO SENATE CLOTURE.
DEBATE CANNOT BE SHUT OFF WITH.
OUT GENERAL CONSENT.

ceaIinG Ideas with Words.
WASHINGTON, Sept 22.-[Special.]-It IS
very evident that the senate will not have
anything to do with cloture, at least in this
congress. The suggestion has often been
made that cloture might be adopted as an
expedient for passing the repeal bill, but
there is no sign of its being resorted to.
Cloture, the reader will remember, is q
rule to cut off debate and fix an hour fol
voting upon given measure. In the house
OF representatives they have way of &C
coniplishing this through report from the
committee on rules, and inasmuch as the
speaker always controls the committee on
rules, it lies with the speaker to say when
measure has been sufficiently discussed
and when 1t is time to take vote
In the senate, however, no such rule has
ever obtained. There are no means of stop
ping discussion, and that is why the Sher.
man law repeal bill has consumed so much
time at the northern end Of the capitol.
This right to discuss and debate as long
as any one wishes to take the floor for that
purpose is one Of the very Oldest senatorial
traditions. 1t dates back to tho foundation
of the government, and it is said by those
who are familiar with the history Of the
senate that 1t has never been broken. In
the olden days the practice was to come tc
vote after n reasonable discussion had
been had. Then the art of filibustering fol
the purpose of defeating bills was un.
known, or at least was not practiced.
Therefore cloture was unnecessary, and
would be unnecessary now if 1t were not
for the modern spirit Of legislative obstruc.
tiop which always seeks to make the mi.
nority stronger than the majority.
Tho Shoe on the other Foot.
Three years ago the Republicans of the
senate, then in majority, were greatly
tempted to attempt adoption of cloture
rule for the purpose of passing the famous
force bill! 1t was believed then, and sc
published in the newspapers, that the Re.
publicans were compelled to give up Their
idea on account Of the determined opposi.
ton of the minority. The truth is, how.
ever, that there never was n majority in the
senate in favor OF cloture. All the Demo.
Gratis were against it and quite number
of Republicans In his speech concerning
the late Senator Stanford during the eulo-
gies to his memory the other day, Senator
Vest told u story which explained why Sen.
ator Stanford had opposed not only cloture,
but the force bill itself This was q some.
what remarkable occasion on which to bring
forward an incident of that character, but
Senator Vest did it with his usual grace
and without any violations of the proprie
ties.
a Bit of Inside History.
A bit Of inside history of that exciting
period is pertinent just now while there is
talk of n renewed attempt to pass cloture.
For long time the Democrats who were
fighting the force bill and cloture were not
quite sure of the power of their opponents
They were very much afraid that If a test
vote were reached the Republicans would
be able to muster majority in favor of the
proposed new rule. The means adopted by
the Democratic leaders for defeat of this
effort were somewhat sensational 1t was
arranged that a number of Democratic
senator's noted for their personal courage
and physical prowess were to meet the
force bill with force, and by actual violence
If necessary, suppress the reading clerk
The plan was that when the presiding
officer of the senate put the motion fol
adoption of cloture great hubbub was to
be raised on the Democratic side Senator
after senator was to demand recognition by
the chair. and if the presiding officer re.
fused to recognize them and ordered the
reading clerk to call the roll of the senate
for vote upon the motion, then the phys.
ical force committee were to rush down tc
the front of the chamber where the reading
clerk has his desk and order him not to cali
the names. If the reading clerk persisted
in obeying the orders of the vice president,
as it would be his duty to doethen the
physical force committee were to seize him
and carry him out of the chamber.
Disgrace Happily Averted.
There is no doubt that if the Republicans
had attempted to proceed in this way such
result would have followed. The senate
of the United States, which claims to be
the most dignified legislative body in the
world, would have been disgraced Had
the Democratic physical force committee
made such demonstration, as they had
planned, doubtless Republican senators as
well rs the officers of the senate would have
rushed to the defense of the clerk. In the
passion and excitement of the moment
blows would have been struck and IL scene
of violence and disorder unparalleled in the
American congress would have ensued
Happily this disgrace was averted, cloture
was not adopted, and the force bill never
came to n vote.
Now the Democrats are in control of the
senate and proposition to adopt cloture
would come from them with very pool
grace in view Of their determined and VIC
lent resistance to the same procedure three
years ago. They could not now favor clio
ture without qualification. They have
had no intention of proceeding to this ex.
IRENE, and the probabilities are that fol
many years to come the ancient senatorial
tradition of the right of discussion will
stand unbroken.
Speech of n Presidential Aspirant.
Senator Allison of Iowa made one of the
notable speeches of the repeal bill debate.
MIR. Allison, it is we'll known here, is q
candidate for the presidential nomination
of the Republican party in 1895. Many OF
his friends believe he stands q very good
chance to win the prize, though the most
general opinion in Washington is that