Evening star., 1895-03-07
Why Objection Was Made to Re-
vising the Rules.
BIMETALLISFS WANT TO TALK
Unwilling to Surrender Their Pres
ent Advantage.
PARLIAMENTARY TACTICS

body, and these, in turn, will give renewed
emphasis to the necessity for a new code
of Senate rules. The business Of the ses-
sion, however, will have to be begun under
the old, the present rules. An effort made
just before adjournment Monday to author
ize the rules committee to sit during the
recess and consider the question of certain
proposed changes failed by reason of an OBJ
lection. Mr.. Blackburn, chairman of the
committee, submitted without remark OF
any kind motion to that effect. The mat
ter needed no explanation. Every Senator
knew what was meant, and remembered
the opinion expressed that the question
could only be properly settled, il at all,
during some recess time. Mr.. Stewart
promptly objected, and this, although Mr..
Blackburn also Is a free coinage man, sug-
gested silver But Mr.. Blackburn privately
appealed to the Nevada Senator, and the
objection was withdrawn. Instantly Mr..
Pettisrew renewed it, and although Mr..
Chandler endeavored privately to have his
objection withdrawn. the South Dakota
Senator was obdurate, and the resolution
was lost. The proposition, therefore, in the
end was defeated by objection from the
free coinage camp.
Silver Tactics
The speculation growing out of the de-
feat Of this resolution shows that two rea-
sons are assigned for 1T. 1t Is suggested
in the first place that the western friends
of silver in the Senate do not intend to
forego any advantage they may possess by
reason of the present unfettered opportun-
tiles for debate in that body. They realize
that the next fight for silver will be, as the
latest one was, fought in the Senate. They
have no hope of the next House. With Mr..
Reed in the Speakers chair, and SO large
a republican membership from the east,
financial legislation, it is conceded, SO Tar
as that body Is concerned Will be fashion-
ed by anti-silver influences. The stand for
free coinage will ~have to be made IN the
Senate, and the purpose is declared to be
to invoke every legitimate agency to hold
the forts for silver there. No distinct
threat of filibustering is heard: The state
ment merely is made that with so much
at stake; with the House and the President
both against silver. 1t Is clearly the duty
of the friends of silver in the Senate to
place where something, by resolution and
good management. may be accomplished.
They will insist therefore, on the old
rules. at least. until such time as the full
purposes of the opposition with regard to
silver in the next Senate are clearly de-
fined and the new policy, in the shape OF
financial measure. Is presented. Then the
lines Of that measure will determine their
further action.
The Control of the Senate.
SecOnQ
new rules, If at all. should come from the
new controlling power in the Senate. The
majority of the present committee on rules
Is composed of democrats. The democracy
has passed from control in the Senate. A
combination with the republicans furnish
ing nine-tenths Of the working and voting
force, will take charge and be responsible
for legislation. This combination should
draft and present any changes thought de-
sirable in the business procedure Of the
body, and such action cannot take place
until the necessary combination has been
effected. The republicans must make over
lures for votes enough in addition to their
own to set the wheels of legislation in
motion. To whom will they turn? Not to
the democrats, because the national cam
paign being at hand the two old parties
will be exceedingly distrustful of each
othes even on the score Of business details.
They will be forced then to treat either
with the populists. properly SO called, or
with tho two bimetallists from Nevada,
and in either event, silver, as the western
men believe, ought in some way to reap an
advantage. The friends of silver will thus
be able to enter into the whole question,
not only as to what shall be presented for
debate, but also as to any new regulation
about governing debate that may be pro-
posed. The point is considered of great
Importance, and the free coinage men, both
In and out of office, are very glad that by
Mr.. Pettigrew's action, whatever his pur-
pose may have been, it is now reserved
The Cloture Question.
There is feeling that the postponement
of this question may defeat it for some
years to come. 1t is not regarded as the
difficult question it once was If the ex-
perience Of the last two years has de-
veloped the full power of the minority
under the present Senate rules it has also
developed the remedy necessary to put the
majority in proper control of business 1t
is seen that nothing In the nature of
snap judgment in bringing debate to a
close need be taken. The best parliament
tarians on both sides of the chamber have
submitted propositions covering the points
in dispute, and all are agreed that only
after debate has been in progress a reason
able time should notice be given to bring it
to a close, and, moreover, that the time
specified in such notice should be liberal
The difficulty really Is reduced to the propo-
sition to limit debate, and this turns not so
much upon the merits of the proposition
itself as upon how and when it should be
adopted. But very few Senators are op-
posed to putting limit on debate. At one
time or another all have suffered by reason
Of the lack of the right to move the pre-
vious question. But nearly all in turn have
employed the means Of obstruction thus
made easy and accessible. The filibuster
of one session has more than once become
the champion of quick work in the next 1t
has all depended on what measures were
up and which party was to be benefited.
Even legislators are more or less influenced
by these everyday and altogether natural
considerations.
UnfavOrable Conditions.
But simple as the proposition now is, it
is considered necessary for the conditions
to be very favorable to insure it's adoption.
The thing to be avoided is the appearance
of bringing it forward for the purpose of
controlling a particular state of case. This
defeated the efforts to change the rules at
the special session of the Senate in 1893,
and again during the regular session last
year. 1t was charged by the silver men
in the one instance and by the prohibition
lists in the other that the aim only was to
pass particular bill. Ard this, 1t is seen,
will come up again next winter The free
coinage men will object to having any new
rules applied until silver has been disposed
of, and after silver has been disposed of the
Senate may be in a mood so bitter that
nothing calling practically for unanimous
consent can be done during the remainder
of the session. Still, discouraging as the
outlook may be at that time, the effort to
change the rules will be renewed then, and
something more than mere motion TO