The Washington times., 1913-06-16
RULES OF SENATE
CAUSE TURMOIL S
- >A'A ~ AA@N>
By JUDSoN c. wELLIvER.

= The Hon. Wesley L. Jones of Wash
ington has got the Senate into an in
Prospective mood.
When the Senate gets introspective,
1t is tremendously entertaining. AT
present II is considering whether its
sacred and marvellous rules are going
, tn require revision; and such a contem-
. plation brings forward the inquiry
whether the rules or anything else
about the Senate possibly could be i'm
proved. To paint the lily, to gild re-
tined gold, to perfect perfection, to inn
prove the Senate's ruIes-how sadly
futile, Yet the Senate is compelled to
think OF it.
1T started with the conviction on Sem
ator Jones part that minority members
needed more clerical assistance. He
felt that their letters were just as much
entitled to be answered as were those
Of majority members. So he proposed
that more help be provided for them.
The proposition failed of appeal to the
ruling powers, and Senator Jones de-
cided that he would filibuster until
something happened.
He has been conducting his filibuster
thus far as q purely personal anair,
= hist by way OF showing how uncom-
Portable one perverse individual could
be IL he chose to avail himself of the
possibilities of the rules He has, for
instance, blocked unanimous consents;
and the Senate does about nine-tenths of
It's busiess by unanimous consent. Some
Of the things that this flibuster has de-
Seloped are highly interesting.
Must Have Leave.
For example. under the Senate's rules
= Senator must have leave to Introduce
bill. Senators in general didn't quite
realize that until Mr. Jones brought II
TO their attention. The common pro-.
cedure has been for a Senator 20 rise
when this order WAS reached in the
morning hour. ask leave. TO Introduce a
bfll, send 1t to the desk, and have II
read a first and second time by title,
and referred to committee. Average
consumption OF time per bill. about four
seconds. - r-,sssa9.ssA
But having posted up on the rule.
Senator Jones, "a bin being offered rose
and interposed =. - ss--svsA
81 object,vs = 49, .-a4rs-s &
III seemed amusing at fsrst: but Jones
made good. II there was o5jection. the
Senator could not introduce the bill; he
must wait TIL the next day.
Then. the bill being introduced, II IS
read a first time by title. Instead OF
letting the second reading proceed. Jones
objects again, and the bill must go over
another day for the second reading
Total. three days required to get bill
introduced and referred TO COMMITTEES.
instead of four seconds. - -. -.
In the House mem bers their bills
into a hopper. and the fact Is duly re-
corded in the Record next day. So also
with petitions and memorials There is
no procedure for presenting them But
the Senate has. always had bills, petit
lions, and memorials introduced in open
session. People have wondered at times
why II should be necessary, but there
was sufficient answer IN the fact that
the Senate has always done it that way.
The other DAY things came near crisis,
as result of the Jones hlibuster. Senator
Clarke of Arkansas, the President pro
tsmpore, actually started to count a
quorumi The Senate almost got heat
prostration. 1t happened about this