The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-05

A Proposition Which Promises to
Result in Il Hard Fi-SHt-Mr. Bacon
Objects and Gives TOtice of Deter
mined Opposition to Its Adoption.
A sensation was sprung in the Senate
today by Mr. Plat of Connecticut who
offered an amendment to the rules lin
itiug debate on all matters and establish
ing the ciOture rule. The minority re
scnts this attempt to make another Car
Reed out of Vice President Roosevelt and
the proposition promises to lead to weeks
of hard fighting since the Democrats will
not surrender and can talk as they
please until the cIoture rule is adopted.
The matter failed of action today and
went over until tomorrow. when a num-
her Of Senators viii be prepared to speak
on it.
The Plat amendment is a. follows:
Resolved, That the rules of the Sen
ate be amended permanently by adding
thereto the following:
When any bill, resolution or other
question shall have been under consider
alton for q reasonable time it shall be in
order for any Senator to demand that de
bate-thereon be closed On such demand
no debate shall be In order. and pending
such demand no other motion except one
motion TO adjourn shall be made. If such
demand be seconded by q majority of the
Senators present, the question shall forth
with be taken thereon without debate.
If the Senate shall decide to close debate
On any bill, resolution, or other question,
the measure shall take precedence Of all
other business whatever, and the question
shall be put upon the amendments. if any
then pending. and upon the measure in
its successive stages according to the
rules OF the Senate. but without further
debate. except that every Senator who
may desire shall be permitted to speak
upon the measure, including all amend
ments. not more than once, and not ex-
ceeCing thirty minutes.
After The Senate shan have decided to
close debate as herein provided. no mo-
ton shall be in order but a motion to I'd
5ourn or to take a recess. when such mo-
tons shall be seconded by d majority of
the Senate. When either Of said motions
SHAH have been lost or shall have failed
Of q second, 1t shall not be in order to
renew the same until one Senator shall
have spoken upon the pending measure,
OF one vote upon the same shall have in
tervened
Pending proceedings under the forego-
ing rule no proceeding in respect of a
quorum shall be in order until it shall
have appeared on a division or on the
taking Of the yeas and nays that quo
rum is not present and voting
Tending proceedings under the fore
going rule all questions of order. whether
Uron appeal or otherwise. shall be de-
cided without debate, and no obstructive
or dilatory motion or proceedings of any
kind shall be in order
For the foregoing stated purposes. the
following rules, namely: VII. VIII, TX. X,
XII, XIX. XXI, XVII. XVIII,
NXXY. and XII are modified
MIR. Plat declared that the time had
come when the majority must rule, and
this amendment, he said. would have the
proper effect
r. Hoar claimed the authorship Of the
amendment
Mr. Mason stated that the majority had
no rights that the minority would respect
and that the majority had no respect for
the minority.
Mr.. Bacon said that he objected to the
Platt amendment and would do all he
could TO defeat it, as it could not apply
to the Senate.
Mr. CockreH said that there was no
need for cloture rule since the River
and Harbor bill had been defea ed.
Mr. Wellington charged that the ma
~o- 49, ---E'e---7 ~ 50 - ~'-t7F ioh
the defeat of the River and Harbor job.
Notice was served on me" said he
that unless I desisted in my opposition
to This bill, q cIoture rule would be adopt
ed This threat is being carried out
Mr. Mason called attention 10 the fact
that 1t was Impossible for the majority to
get a vote on anything without yielding
to the minority
Who ever heard Of a majority yielding
to a minority" said Mr. Wellington
MessTs- CUlIom and Mason argued in
favor OF the amendment
On motion Of Mr. Hoar, the matter went
over until tomorrow.
Nj Morgan offered a resolution decIar-
ing the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty abrogatod.
This also went over until tomorrow