The sun., 1914-09-18
OLD RULING LIMITS
PORK BARREL DEBATE
Morton Decision Invoked to End
Filibuster Of Kenyon
and Burton.
STOPS INTERRUPTIONS"
Senator's Must Talk Continuous
ly Till Through-Plan
Night Sessions.
STOPS TNTERRUPTIONS"

NAsHrNGroN, Sept 17.--Democratic
leaders In the Senate to-day invoked a
ruling made by Vice-President Morton
In the F1fty-fourth Congress while a fill
buster was on against the force bill, to
prevent "A Senator in debate from yield
ing TO an interruption from another SEN
ator without unanimous consent
The object OF the precedent invoked
was to require the Senators who are
now talking in opposition to the river
and harbor bin to speak continuously
until they conclude or are exhausted
II was desperate attempt to brea. the
hlibuster being conducted by Senator
Burton OF Ohio and Senator Kenyon OF
Iowa.
Evidently the coup was carefully
planned. Senator Kenyon was in the
fourth day OF his speech against the
bill. He has yielded to Interruptions
from time 10 time. and several brief
speeches have been interjected into his
long address. The Democratic leaders
saw that the Iowa Senator was getting
short periods of rest In that way and
that there was no prospect OF his wear
ing out in the near future. They de-
cided to-day TO invoke extraordinary
methods.
OpIeCttoh IN
Senator Ransdell of Louisiana asked
permission to interrupt Senator Kenyon
with n question. Senator Kenyon yielded
to him, whereupon Senator Bryan OF
Florida, nn advocate of the river and
harbor bill. objected and made the point
OF order that Senator occupying the
floor could not yield even for question
except by unanimous consent.
Senator Robinson OF Arkansas was
L.. 81, 90 tIar
Marshall. lie promptly sustained the
point OF order and the objection on the
basis OF the ruling made by Nice-P Presi-
dent Morton more than twenty years ago.
Nice-Prcs!dent Morton held that the
rules OF the Senate did not contemplate
that one Senator having gained recogni-
tion to make speech could retain the
floor indefinitely, farming" out his time
to other Senators.
Senator Smoot promptly took an appeal
and Senator Bryan then moved TO lay the
appeal on the table. on this motion the
chair was sustained by a vote of 2S TO "a
The following Democratic Senators voted
against sustaining the chair: Pomerene
of Ohio. Reed OF Missouri Lane OF oregon.
Shafroth of Colorado. Overman OF North
Carolina and West OF Georgia. The Re-
publlcans voted solldly against the ruling
of the chair.
The roll call proceeded under the
greatest excitement.
Denounced as Gag Rule
This is plainly an attempt to impose
n gag rule on the Senate, and ! shall
vote against IT," roared Senator Reed OF
Missouri from the main aisle.
Senator Overmnn warned his Demo-
cratic colleagues that they were making
n precedent that would come back 10
plague them. and Senator Shafroth pleaded
with them not TO insist on the ruling.
Senator Lane paced up and down denounc-
ing what he characterized as gag rule"
Senator Robinson attempted to make
n statement justifying his ruling, but
Senator Reed declared that Mr.. Robinson,
even though in the chair. could not Inter-
rupt Mr.. Kenyons speech, except by
unanimous consent, under the ruling he
had Just delivered.
81 will not ask unanimous consent to
make my statement" said tho presiding
officer, who lapsed into silence.
Senator Kenyon then resumed the floor
and served notice that he would speak
1t was evident that crisis was APP
prpaching in the Senate in the consdera-
ton OF the bill, Senator Sheppard cir
culated "a paper calling for Il continuous
Sc ssion OF the Senate night and day until
the bill Is disposed OF. beginning tonight.
The Senate leaders at the last moment
abandoned their plan OF a night session.
Unless a compromise Is worked out be-
fore tomorrow night 1t is likely that at
tempts will be made to impose n con-
tnuous session of the Senate