Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-19

off debate for partisan purposes.
''Of course, an attempt to amend the
rules Of the Senate In this particular will
meet with very strong opposition. 1t
may bring about such q II ibuster
against the proposed cloture rule as has
rarely been seen in the hist Try of the
Senate. The longer senators have
served the more they a'e inclined to
they now exist. and to favor the un
limited deb-te. On the other hand the
younger senators are more impatient and
demand that the rules be SO amended
that the majority may at all times con.
trol, and that the nower which may now
be used by one senator or small group
Of senators to defeat legislation shall
be taken away.
Expects Bitter Opposition.
IT know there are senators from south
ern states who would bitterly oppose the
proposition to adopt a cloture rule in
the Senate. They bark back to the
days of the filibuster against the so
called force bill This bill. which would
have worked a great injustice to state
in the south. was talked to death by
band of devoted senator's. It Is always
admitted that in this instance the I'M
limited debate was of great value to the
country. There are other such instances
have no doubt.
But it is to be seriously doubted that
the benefit derived from the unlimited de-
bate now allowed In the Senate exceeds
the loss which comes to the country from
the holding up Of legislation which is
greatly needed"
The Senate of the United States is the
last legislative body in the world in which
debate is unlimited. with no cloture rule.
This right of unlimited debate has been
jealousy guarded for many years. It has
been attacked several times In the past.
but without success Back in 1893 Sena-
tor Vest of Missouri introduced an amend
ment to the rules to terminate debate
Senator'S Platt Of Connecticut, Hoar Of
Massachusetts, and Hill Of New York also
introduced similar amendments during the
same year, each differing slightly from
the others. Senator Lodge Of Massachu-
sets. still a member Of the Senate gave
his earnest support to the cloture rules
proposed by Senators Plat and Hoar.
Senator Lodge said at that time:
I'VE govern in this country In our re-
spective bodies by voting and debate. It
Is most desirable to have them both. But
If we are to have only one, then the one
which leads to action is the more impOr-
tant. To vote without debating may be
hasty-may be ill considered, may be
rash-but to debate and never vote is Inn
becility."
The progressive element In the Senate
on both sides Of the chamber may be said
to be lined up for a cloture rule Of some
kind There Is some question, however,
whether Senator La Toilette of Wiscon-
sin. one of the republican progressive
leaders. will be willing to have such rule
adopted. He has always stood for the
fullest kind of debate in the Senate. and
has frequently objected when request was
made for unanimous consent for debate
on certain bill to close at given date.
Record as Filibuster.
Senator La Toilette, too. has been a
flibuster at various times. when he
has used the power Of unlimited debate
to hold UP or defeat legislation which
| he did not believe desirable. During the
consideration Of the vreeland-Aldric
emergency currency law in the Senate
| he headed a filibuster that will live
long In memory. Together. with Sei,a-
tors Clarke Of Arkansas and Gore Of
Oklahoma, Senator La Toilette en-
deavored to talk the emergency cur
| rency measure to death. and he almost
succeeded. For eighteen hours on a
stretch the senator from Wisconsin
held the floor himself, having food
Drought to him on the floor. He took
| the food at intervals, while the CLERK
was calling the roll to obtain q quorum.
Ahc hlipoSlST lOSt out Wne0 senator
La Toilette was snatching a much
needed sleep in his office, relying upon
Senators Gore and Clarke to keep the
| ball rolling until he could return. Sem
ator Clarke was in the cloakroom
| awaiting his turn to speak when SEN
| ator Gore stopped. Senator Gore Is
blind, and was unable to tell that his
Fellow -nl1buster was out Of the cham
Der. and yielded. Quick as a flash
Senator Aldrich obtained recognition
roll
had already begun when Senator Clarke
hurried from the cloakroom, too late
to object
The filibuster is most often resorted
70 IN the Senate at the close of a
membered. Senator Fall of New Mex
leo talked to death the Indian appro-
priation bill because he disbelieved In
some of its provisions.
Owen Begins the Fight.
Senator Owen Of Oklahoma chairman
of the Senate banking and currency
committee. fired the. first shot in the
coming fight fer q cloture rule in the
Senate last July. The movement for
| a cloture rule Of some kind was hard
ly under way at that time, and outside
Of the speech made by Senator Owen
nothing was done in the matter. SEN
ator Owen introduced a cloture resolu-
ton which was referred to the Senate
rules committee and 1t is still pending
before that committee.
Senator Owens amendment to the
rules would give the Senate power ct
any time upon motion OF a senator,
to fix a day and hour for a final vote
upon any matter pending in the Senate;
| provided, however, that this rule shall
not prevent debate by any senator who
| requests opportunity to express his
| views within a time to be fixed by
the Senate. The notice to be given
the Senate under this rule shall not
| be less than a week. unless such re-
quests be made within the last two
weeks OF q session. The amendment
proposes also to eliminate all dilatory
or obstructive motions.
| In offering his proposed amendment to
| the ru .es Senator Owen said:
''The minority vote In the Senate. with
| it's power to prevent the majority from
| fulfilling its pledges to the American peo-
| pie, must end. The right to obstruct the
public business by q factional filibuster
must cease. The power Of an individual
4 ~ - n