Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-04
THOSE WHO FAVOR
| PUNCH THE BUTTON
Probable Call in the. Future
From the House Speak
er's Rostrum.
CHANGE IN VOTING PLAN
UNDER CONSIDERATION
Representative Garrett Proposes the
Installation Of an Electric Sys-
TEN Of Balloting.

/
sentatives by roll calls is approaching
Its doom. In fact, 1t may be said to
be suffering from an attack of near
lelectrolysis, for the scheme which Rep
resentative Finis ]. Garrett of Tennessee
has preached to Speaker Clark and to
l.other. House leaders is composed. of such
a combination of House rules and me-
chanical appliances that Mr.. CARROTS
new proposition may be said to be the
first example Of electro-politics ever seen
in this country.
Seriously, Representative Garrett has
laid before Elliott Woods, the superin-
tendent Of the Capitol building. the sug-
gestion that an electric voting device be
installed in the House, and Mr.. Woods
says right off the reel that it is prac-
teal and practicable plan. And there
are lot Of congressman who will realize
right away that If such thing is done it
will be long farewell to many and many
a orty-five-minute delay when fill
buster is going on and some one calls
for a yea-and-nay vote.
If the mechanical difficulties can be
brushed aside, as Mr.. Woods says they
can. there remains the possible unconsti-
electric light. but there, again. Mr.. Gar
rett comes to the front with the state
ment that it is perfectly constitutional.
No Mention Of Method.
"The Constitution provides that a yea
and-nay vote may be called for" he ex-
plains. but it does not specify whether
1t shall be recorded by pen and ink or
electric device, or what not
How an electric voting appliance will
do away with the forty-five-minute de-
1ir1Cr ftNr y.<NlI 1v~1
vote In the House Is not apparent to
strangers to House custom, perhaps.
Under the present rules, one of the
easiest methods Of delay Is making
Of the yea-and-nay votes. That means
that the entire list Of members of the
House must be called out carefully by
the clerk, and after the first call Is over
the list is read aloud, the operation TAX
Ing forty-fve minutes at the last session,
and will take more time at the coming
| session because of the increased number
| OF representatives.
Mr.. CARROTS scheme would mean that
voting would take five minutes or less.
second time. In fact, the rules would
| be changed, II Mr. CARROTS ideas pre-
vail SO that there would be more men in
the hall Of the House all the time. He
| Is OF the opinion that members would
stay around the House more than they
do at present. Now q loud gong rings
three times in the corridors OF the Capt.
| tol and the Office building, and members
as present" and then walk back to
their Offices again. at times wholly ig-
norant OF what is going on in the House.
Under the New System.
To bring this state of affairs to a prac-
teal existence under the new rule there
would have to be beneath every chair in
the House box, containing three but
tons, recording present" aye and
mo-" Each member would have a key
to his own particular voting box and no
| other key would fit it. When the time to
vote came the Speaker would say. per-
IAN those in favor of this amendment
| will punch"
The ayes will then press buttons all
over the House. and at the clerks desk
/ all the votes will be recorded mechan-
| ically on a card. The noes will do the
| same thing. Presto. all is over. There
| will be no waiting until the second roll
call to see how certain men are going to
| vote If there should be no quorum, ac-
! cording to further details OF Mr.. Garrett g
| scheme. the rules should be changed 80
/ that the record will show the names OF
the men present at the time no quorum
| is announced. At present. when a point
| Of no quorum Is raised. the speaker
| counts noses. satisfies himself that there
| is no quorum, and the clerk begins TIC
| call. Meantime members flock IN to the
| chamber on the double roll-call system
| and the Congressional Record shows the
| names of those who answer. The Record
never publishes the names of the few men
who are present at times just before the
/ roll cali starts.
Another Feature of Garrett Plan.
The third feature of Mr.. CARROTS ideas
/ 1olo nd 10
call as a filibustering weapon is the prop
/ osition to abolish the publication Of pairs.
Scores OF members never appear in the
| House because the Congressional Record
| prints at every vote the fact that they
! are paired off with some member of the
opposition party, thus canceling a vote.
It looks good to the constituents bach
/ home. Mr. Garrett believes that if the
| Record should show just who is absent
without explaining the pair proposition.
there would be considerable hustling to
| be in the House when there was public
| business to attend to.
Mr. Garrett, being a member OF the
| rules committee. has naturally spoken OF
| his ideas to members OF that powerful
| committee, which would pass on the par
| liamentary features of these proposed
! expeditions changes. The commission or
| members which looks out for the physical
features of the legislature would pass
| on the electric voting device.
| New Members Likely to Approve.
There will be loud objection to the
electric device and also to the proposed
changes In the rules as to a quorum,
| but there will be large number of new
! members in this Congress, and new men,
| bers generally believe they should be In
| the hall Of the House attending to the
| public welfare and business. They would
not fight the scheme. it is believed.
| These, added to the hundred and fifty
! or so Of members who are generally in
| or near the House. would make cons-d-
! cradle of a majority.
Pirates Loot British Steamer.