Evening star., 1901-03-05
1T WILL BE PUSHED
MIR. Platt's Proposed Change in the
Senate Rules.
AN EXCITING Time Is POSSIBLE
The Vice President May Follow
Speaker Reeds Example.
AIM OF THE RESOLUTION

y In VI IL - - ~
The introduction by Mr.. Platt of Con-
necticut, in the Senate today of reSOlu-
ton providing for cloture is understood to
be preliminary to a determined fight for
this change in the Senate rules.
The adoption of similar rule for the
House in the Fifty-first Congress was
complished only by the Speaker adopting
ar arbitrary course. This was rendered
necessary by the fact that the rule of un-
limited debate which admitted of bill be-
Ing filibustered to death would enable the
defeat of any proposed change Of the rules.
To overcome this difficulty Speaker Reed
applied cloture in compelling vote on the
rule authorizing it. Since that time the
House has had the power to limit debate
and a protracted flibuster has been inn
possible in that body. 1t would have been
impossible for any man in the House to
have talked the river and harbor bill to
death. as did Mr.. Carter in the Senate dur
ing the last hours of the congress just
closed.
The Vice Presidents Possible Course.
1t Is understood to be the well-considered
purpose of the republican managers in the
Senate to adopt cloture, that the Senate
may be as free from filibusters Is the
House. This will be determinedly resisted
by the minority, and it may greatly pro-
long the special session of the Senate. rem
dering it exciting in the extreme Under
existing rules of the Senate this motion to
adopt cloture is subject to the same sort
of unlimited debate and obstruction to
which all propositions are in that body. 1t
is said, however that Vice President
Roosevelt will adopt the course which
Speaker Reed successfully followed and
put the question and compel vote when
ever 1t is developed that a filibuster IS be-
ing made against the resolution.
The rules Of the Senate are continuous
and do not have to be adopted anew at
the beginning Of each Congress. 1t will
be contended that there can be no depart
ure from these rules in considering this
amendment, and there likely to be a SEN
sational contest II the Vice President at
tempts TO compel vote, as expected. Tha
rule introduced by Mr.. Platt is the same
which was reported from the committee on
rules during the Fffty-frst Congress, on
which they could not secure action by the
Senate.
Matter VIII BE Pushed.
In speaking about the proposed new rule,
Senator Platt said that the rule would be
| pushed during thls extra executive session,
| but he could not tell whether action would
| be taken on 1t or not.
| Certainly the Senate had perfect right
| to amend or change its rules at this ses-
sion, but whether the committee on rules
would be ready to report it at once or de-
sire to consider it until the regular session.
l cannot say, but 1t will be referred to the
committee for action.
Certainly" continued Senator Platt. "it
! is time that the majority In the Senate
should be able to bring a measure to a vote
after a reasonable discussion.
The maJority should at least have halt
| of the time of the debate at its disposal
| but now it cannot answer the arguments
| of the minority without becoming party
! to the filibuster and consuming time. In.
| deed, in the Senate the majority does no,
rule, when a minority Is determined tc
| talk a bill to death, and 1t is time some
| change should be made
| MY resolution will be sent to the com.
mittee rules. and 1t depends upon that
| committee whether action will be taken OF
| not"
| The Change Proposed.
| The proposed change Of rules provides
| that when any bill, resolution or othel
| question shall have been under considera
| ton for a reasonable time 1t shall be IL
| order for any senator to demand that debate
thereon be closed. On such demand de-
bate shall be in order. and pending such de-
mand no other motion except one motion tC
ADJOURN shall be made.
| III such demand be seconded by ma ajor
| ity Of the senators present, the question
| shall forthwith be taken thereon withou
|
debate on any bill, resolution or other ques
| tion, the measure shall take precedence OF
all other business whatever, and the ques
tion shall be put upon the amendments, Il
any then pending. and upon the measur.
| In It's successive stages according to the
rules of the Senate, but without further de
| bate, except that every senator who may
| desire shall be permitted to speak upon the
measure. including all amendments, no
more than once, and not exceeding thirty
minutes.
After the Senate shall have decided tc
| close debate as herein provided no mo.
ton shall be in order but motion to ad.
| journ to take a recess, when such mo-
| tions shall be seconded by a majority OF
the Senate. When either of said motions
| shall have been lost or shall have failed OF
a second. it shall not be in order to renew
the same until one Senator shall have
spoken upon the pending measure, or one
vote upon the same shall have intervened
Pending proceedings under the foregoin,
rule no proceeding in respect of a quorum
shall be in order until it shall have ap
peared a division on the taking OF
the yeas and nays that a quorum is no
present and voting.
Pending proceedings under the foregoin,
rule all questions of order, whether upol
appeal otherwise, shall be decided with
out debate, and obstructive or dilatorl
motion or proceedings of any kind shall b.
in order.
For the foregoing stated purposes tn
following rules, namely: VII, VIII, TX. X
| XII XIX, XXI, XVII, XVIII, XXXN
and XII are modified"
|
Commissioned as Rear AdmiraIs.
| was tho Nouy Dapo ~