Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-04-15
.FILIBUSTER IN HOUSE.
Mr.. STILLMAN DESCRIBES UNIQUE PAR.
LIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
The Political Outlook: Congressman
Under Ban in the House. and Other In.
terestins Items Concerning Doinss
at the National Capitol.

Washington, ID. c., April 11.-Spe-
cial Correspondence The filibuster
which has been in progress in the
House this week is the first effort in
that direction. of any pretensions,
that has been made for several years.
OF course everybody knows that a
filibuster is legislative scheme to
keep the House machinery revolving
without accomplishing anything. 1t
is like an automobile in mud hole.
The engine runs madly, the wheels
revolve in the mud, but the car don't
proceed. OF course the filibuster is
an instrument made use of by the
minority.
Filibusters rarely yield any benefic-
ial results. II the rules of the House
were like laws, it would be different,
but the rules of the House are very
elastic. They can be stretched, con-
tracted or abandoned at moments
notice, and new rules adapted to
whatever exigency may at the moment
confront the House, substituted.
The Senate and House each has
very small and select committee.
known as the committee on rules. In
the Senate it has little to do; in the
House it is frequently drafted for
strenuous service. In the latter body it
is composed of the speaker and the
leaders. in fact membership on that
committee is badge of real leader
ship. In addition to the speaker,
there are three republicans and two
democrats on the committee, Messrs.
Payne, Dalzell and Sherman. republi-
cans. and Williams and DeArmond.
Under usual parliamentary pro-
cedpre, it was possible for the min
GRITTY TO practically prevent any legis-
lation whatever. by calling for roll
calls on everything. A roll call re-
quires about forty minutes and an en-
tire day could be consumed in dispos-
| ing of single paragraph in bill.
When the House leaders saw that a
real filibuster was on, they turned the
case over to the committee on rules.
which framed special rules. cutting
out roll calls except under certain
circumstances, and otherwise meeting
the situation. and these new rules
were presented and adopted, the re-
publicans, of course, having the votes
to adopt anything desired. There
after the new rules were the laws OF
the House and the legislature Car
forged ahead while the minority said
uncomplimentary things. The minor
ity leader declared the object of his
party in starting the filibuster was to
compel the republicans to get busy.
The republicans retorted by saying
they would do as they pleased.
A filibuster in the Senate is almost
unknown, and if participated in by
the minority, would be very serious
matter OF course it would be quite
possible to bring in special rules linn
iting debate, but such measure
would be resorted to only as last
resort. The wise old heads in the
Senate have various methods they
employ if there seems to be disposi.
tion to unnecessarily obstruct legisla'
tion, and they always work.
The political outlook is giving the
republican politicians much concern
1t is admitted the outlook is not par
ticularly reassuring at this time. II
is conceded that Taft has the inside
track just now but it is not admitted
be has the nomination: in fact a gen
tleman on the inside of the game de
clared to me this week that Taft,
nomination is impossible. He argue!
that the republican party will not
, nominate Taft for the reason that hil
, success in certain states has been OBJ
, tained at the expense of party har
mony and that serious sore spots re-
! main, which cannot be healed. He
, says what would be the logic in nomi
mating man by sheer force of mum
bers Of delegates il it appears that the
, action of the convention would be re-
pudiated at the polls by a large fact
, ion of the party in several states
enough to achieve his defeat? II
seems perfectly clear that unless peace
between the Taft and Foraker factions
! is brought about that Ohio will gt
democratic and elect democratic
| legislature which will choose {
! United States Senator. There are, Il
is said, other states where the situa
tion, while not so bad, is bad enough
to make the outcome doubtful to say
, the least.
|. The republican leaders are praying
| daily that Bryan be nominated. The,
are afraid of Johnson and Gray. par
ticularly Johnson, and freely admi