New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-25
TIE MAJORITY WILL RULE.
SENATOR SAXTONS CLOSURE RULE
ADOPTED BY A STRICT PARTY VOTE.

DEMOCRATS RESISTED THE INNOVATION bOl
THE UNITED REPUBLICAN FORCES OVER
CAME THEIR OPPOSITION.
rroN TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oY TIE TRIBUNE
Albany Ian. Ex-senator Saxton pushed
through the Senate to-day his closure RUE i"0
Republican Senators thus made an innoVauo"
IN the rules of the Senate which have m'hei'o
allowed unlimited debate. but they foresaw mat
with Iieutenant-G Governor Sheehan acting as
chairman. and with the Democrats possesseu
of the privilege Of unlimited debate, none OF 'he
measures going to protect the purity OF eIec-
.ions and secure a better ballot system ana none
of the bills restoring the home rule HSh'' u
cities could be passed They. therefore, h'u
closure rule drawn up ana passed..
Crosure however was practsed by the Demo-
cratic Senators at ;he opening OF the Hehd"'
so..,or In 1899. in the unseatng of Republican
Senators and the seating of Democratic "e"'-
tors who were not elected. Closure therefore
will not be an innovation In the practlce Oh '"c
Senate although 1t has not before peeh ii'coi-
porated in the rules. 1t was practlsed ny inc
I,o,oo,ro,ic Senators in 1852 under the pretence
that no rules had been adopted. they ca'eiu'iS
,eeraiuing from adopting any so that they couia
be fire.. to use the previous question: ~ i
their partisan measures.
fully examined the closure rule submitted 10
49, 1-ri,ed States Senate in August last by
Da,id r. HILL and shaped his upon that 1t
was the knowledge that Senator Saxton in
,erded 10 press Mr. HIS closure rule Tor
odon,ion I'm the New-Yoril Senate that de-
,pora,ized the Democratic Senator's when they
assembled at the Capitol this morning. All
of thcnn perceived how inconsistent it would
he for then, to praise Senator Hills support or
closure in Washington and yet assaii IL IN
Albany.
Nevertheless observation-disclosures Sheehan
made an effort to induce the Republicans not
to press the question. He sent for Senator
saxton and asked him If the Republicans would
not compromise upon a rule empowering the
Committee on Rules 10 select any bill they
pleased for immediate action
.No Mr.. Sheehan," said Senator Saxton,
1--WE will not change front just as the battle
is TO begin II is right that majority should
rule We will either have a closure rule or
no rules at all. If we do not have any rules
we shall rely upon the previous question. You
remember, Mr. Sheeban, that two years ago
YOU ruled that If there were no rules, uhuer
common parliamentary law the previous ques-
ton existed. We shall use the previous-ques-
ton motion, therefore. If You fllibuster against
the adoption of closure rule
The Democrats were much disappointed, but
Senator Saxton was firm. and left Lieutenant
Governor Sheehan's room determined to press
the adoption of the rule. When the Senate
me. he at once called the rules from the table
and in an able speech advocated their adop-
ton. He read the closure rule to the Senate
1t is as follows:
Rule a. When any BIZ. resolution or motion shall
have been under consideration for six hours snail
be In order for any Senator 10 move that the us
bate shall be closed and the President shall recos-
nze the Senator who wishes TO make such NOTION
Such motion shall not be amenabie or deoataDie
and shall DE Immediately put, and II 1t shal re-
ceive the affirmative votes Of a majority OF ,he
Senators present the pending measure snail take
precedence over all other business The vote sAah
thereupon be- taken upon such bill. motion or reso-
luton with such amendments as may De penoihs
at the time of such motion according to the rules
of the Senate. but without further debate except
that any Senator who may desire so to do snail De
permitted TO speak thereon not more than once
and not exceeding hour. Any Senator who does
not wish the time thus allotted 10 MIN may
yield the whole any part thereof to any o.her
Senator Senators. After such motion 10 ciSae
motion shall be in order until the same mas i
voted upon by the Senate After the senate snaii
have decided 10 close debate as herenbelore proV9
ed no motion shall be in order but motion 10 az
iourn. When such motion 10 ADJOURN shail nave
been lost it shall not be in order 10 remew me me
Until wS m 5 iha T Tave sRS have been
taken upon pending amendment Should sald mo
Sheraton at sSa be the pending question when the
Senate shall again convene and shall be taken up
at the point where IL was at the time OF such au-
Senator Saxton said that under this rule no
debate could be closed under six hours, ana men
every Senator present could make an houI
speech II he SO desired. No bill, therefore couid
be passed under thirtyeight hours if the minority
and the majority all took advantage or TINS
priyi
1892 the Democratic Senators had put the IKE,
publican Senators in contempt becat Sc they hau
refused TO vote at once upon bill or whose
character they knew nothing. The Repupmcah
Senators intended to act more fairly. Ihey
would give the Democratic Senator'S ample uine
to debate measure. Senator Cantor in ls92 pre-.
scented a closure resolution for the seating OF
Senator Walker and Leutenant-G Governor Shee-
han had declared the motion to be In order: no
doubt the minority would not filibuster, and yet
IL was well TO prepare for war in time or peace;
Il was impossible to tell what emergency might
arise. The majority simply wished to be IN a
position to do the business which 1t had been
elected to do.
Senator Cantor protested against the adoption
of the rule 1t would he said. be an inno-
walton upon the rules Of the Senate. The minor
ity did not intend to hlibuster. but only 10
oppose the expanding Of money for partisan i,ur-
poses He was by means sure tnat the re
nublicans would not unseat enough Democratic
Senators to secure two-thirds majority in the
Senate He hoped the rule would not pass ana
that the State Senate Of New-York would not be
the first TO adopt closure rule
Senator Saxton replied that he had examined
the rules of thirteen States. and In elght OF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Ohio. Michigan, Tennessee,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington and North
Dakota-the previous-question provision existed.
Senator Cantor said that all these states but
Tennessee were Republican gtatcs.
WELL isn't this Republican StaieY' asked
Senator Coggeshall amid laughter.
1--WE have Democratic Governor yet, an
swered Senator Cantor.
senator Bradley Independent Democrat, said
ne was In favor of unlimited DEBATE. and there
fore should oppose the closure rule
Senator Mcmahon. at the solicitation or Lieu
tenant-Governor Sheehf H., made speech OPP
posing closure.
Senator O'Connor earnestly supported the rule
and affirmed that II would be credita bic thing
for the New-York Senate to make such a
precedent toward establishing the right OF the
majority to rule. Senator OConnor asked how
much time the minority wanted TO debate
measures
'Oh. about sixty days" replied Mr.. Cantor.
"You would take ninety days In police court
remarked Senator Coggeshall.
Senator Guy. of Tammany Hall. denounced the
resolution. 1T is intended" he said "to be used