Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-07
SENATE FTLIBUSTERS
CUT TO TWO DAYS IF
OWENS PLAN WINS
Older Members Oppose
Change and May Waste
Much i'm e Fighting
/ me-saving Rule.
By BURTON K. sTANp1sH

WAsHGNGTON. oct. AFTER the end
Of the next session of Congress, II pre-
ditcions of Senator owen, of oklahoma.
are fulfilled, there will be no more end
less debates in the United States Senate
It will be possible, II the plan OF the
Oklahoma Senator is carried out, to make
motion at any time in the consideration
of any bill to bring debate TO close
within two days, half the time remaining
after the motion is carried to be assigned
to each side of the argument
For obvious reasons, no fight Is being
made at this session to put through any
such radical rule. number Of tho older
Senators are desperately opposed to any
change and would flibuster against It.
Under the present rules, II enough SEN
ators got together and continued to talk
It would be impossible for a vote ever
to be reached. so that plenty OF time
would be lost putting through this time
saving rule. But time is just what there
is scarcity of at this session Of Con-
gress, which has already dragged along
TO almost record-breaking length and
threatens to continue until December,
when the next regular session begins
striking example Of what one Senator
Is able to do in the way Of obstructlnE
legislation was shown Mt this session in
the action of Senator Burton. Of Ohio. in
opposing passage of the rivers and har-
bors pork barrel" bill. Under tho pres
ent rules, a Senator may discuss a bill
for a year continuously, IL he is physically
able to do so, nor is he confined to the
subject under discussion
They still tell the story of how pitch
fork" Ben Tillman. on one occasion. while
flbustering against some measure to
which he particularly objected. quoted
word in a peculiar sense. His use Of the
word was questioned. whcreupon he had
dictionary brought in, and TO prove that
the definition of the words and definitions
In that dictionary were to be accepted.
read page after page of words and defni-
tions to prove that the dictionary he
quoted was an authority which could be
accepted.
The principal defense OF the present sys-
TEN is that no flibusterng could succeed
which did not have popular sentiment
behind II. II L. pointed out that If Sena-
tor Burton did not have strong support
to prevent the passage of the rivers and
harbors bill he would not have been able
20 resist the outCry which would have
been aroused by the terrific waste of time
to which he is resortins. II is pointed out
that Senator German, of Maryland. was
cherished Except on one or two ocCa-
sions) by the people of that state because
of his famous fiibuster which prevented
the passage OF the FCrce bill.
Senator Owen himself. who is leading
the fight for cloture in the Senate. was
recently taxed by Senator Gallinger, of
New Hampshire, with having flibustered
aS8iust the bill admitting Arizona and
New Mexico as one state. He retorted
that he was proud of his action on that
occasion, and as long as the rules per-
mitted would not hesitate to take advan-
taEe OF another opportunity to kill a
piece OF legislation he considered bad.