The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-04
Courtesy" and Free Speech.

The closing session of the fiftyseventh |
congress was characterized by very ag
gravating exhibitions of obstructive tao
tics in both house and senate. Even in |
the house, where the rules have had the |
so as to preserve a semblance of order |
and decorum, usually, the democratic in
subordination was SO great that additional
restrictions were found necessary, and the
urgent public business, like conference re-
ports on appropriation bills, was delayed
by wanton demands for roll calls.
In the senate a humiiating spectacle
was. presented in the full application. Of
wiat7'that body is pleased to call "sena-
torial courtesy and free speech. Under
such application the Cuban reciprocity
treaty. the Panama canal treaty, the
statehood bill, the Philippine tariff bill
and the Aldrich currency bill are among
the measures shut out of the facts accom-
plished, and it may be said that the neg
1ect of the Philippine tariff bill is a gross
reputation Of bounden duty, and national
duty, based upon the preferences Of self
ish special interests, which never look. be-
yond their own horizon and defy the inter-
est the public has in any matter
The senate has entailed an extra session
on itself by it's contempt for public opin-
ion and national duty, and apparently it:
is just as Indifferent heretofore to the
adoption of rational rule for closing de-
bate and conQuering obstructive tactics.
In the name of ''f1 ee speech the senate
permits days to be consumed in the read
ing Of irrelevant matter by sena tors who
wish to prevent action on a measure they
do not like. In the name Of senatorial
courtesy the senate permits gross I'M
parliamentary conduct, discourteous to
itself and defiant of the. public welfare.
The remedy for this state of affairs would
be the adoption Of cloture, which would
maintain the dignity Of the senate fa1.
more than does the existing practice,
which would seem to open the door FOR
the admission Of His Ma jesty King Comus.
In England the speaker of the comm ons
can suspend a member wilfully obstruct-
ing the business before the house, and the
rules strictly limit the right of free speech
on debate in the case of Individual mem
bers and debate may be terminated under
n certain cOHdltlOlS Uy d pcieHlptOFy vote
In France, if the chamber of deputies
thinks it is sufficiently informed Oh a sub
ject, il can, at any time. demand that
the debate be brought to an enc, even il
the list Of speakers is not exhausted, but
the cloture is not pronounced unless q
majority of members are present The
German reichstag does not seem to ilave
any provision for closing q debate by g
peremptory vote. Limitations to freedom
of debate surely justified on ground:
& of public policy. At every session of con
gress evidence enough is presented tina
there are statesmen who like the rail
way nlagnate, don't care damn for tn,
public and believe they are in congress
to look after their own interests or SOM
special interest Of a constituent. The out
rageous abuse of freedom of speech il
debate, witnessed in the senate during tn
late session, is overwhelming proof tina
statesmen who are bent upon abusing tn
privilege of free speech and obstructin,
public business, should be brought unde
the operation Of a stringent rule, certainl
as effective as that of the French cham
Der, whenever a majority chooses to ap
ply it. AS to our senate, the public b
a very formidable majority, will indors
the sentiment of the veteran chairman q
the house appropriations committee, yes
terday, that public sentiment should las
M the senate into majority rule