The daily banner., 1914-07-25
SENATE RULES CAUSE
UNFORTUNATE DELAY.
Rule Permitting Unlimited Debate
Prevents Passage of Remedial
Legislation And Enables NinOri-
ty to Defeat Wishes OF the People

1t, is evident from the tone of
the Republican press that an at
| tack is to be made on the Demo-
ktic party for not having enacted
Legislation on all the subjects COW
cred by the platform. For fear
that some Democrats may be misled
by these attacks, it is worth while
to point out the real reason for de-
lay The President has been dill
gent in season and out of season;
he has kept the members of Con-
gress together in continuous ses-
sions ever since he entered upon
the duties of the office. Surely no
lame can be attached to him, for he
has kept the hopper full of RENE
dial legislation. The fault has been
with the mill-stones-the two hou-
ses of Congress-Which must con-
cur in legislation. And the fault
has not been with the House OF
Representatives either, because that
body has promptly passed the meas
ures recommended by the President
there has not been the slightest
discord between the President and
the House Even where, as in the
case of the tolls bill, few Demo-
Gratis opposed the measure, action
has been prompt.
t. s. 70
Lay has occurred, and here the fault
does not rest upon the majority
:ft.is to he found in the rule which,
permits unlimited debate. This rule
may have been good enough in it's
time, whep the Senate was small
and when the number of measures
demanding attention was few. But
times have changed. In the begin
ming there were thirteen States,
with twenty-six Senators; now there
are forty-eight States, with ninety
~ Senators In the beginning Con-
ess had three millions of people
legislate for; now there are
hety millions-thirty times as
kany as in 1875. There is no
I: y l 81 Z nd
when the Senate rule will be chez
ed so as to permit the majority to
rule, and to rule within reason
able time, but when the attempt is
made to change the rule, there will
he Lob 70 thn q MI n
will be conducted under the rule al
lowing unlimited debate. 1t has
been impossible to take UP the
change in the rule without suspend
ing, for an indefinite time, all hope
of legislation.
This rule is not a Democratic
rule, nor is it Republican rule;it
is simply an ancient rule that has
outlived it's usefulness. Upon it
must rest the blame for the fact
that Congress will adjourn with
some of the platform pledges yet
to he carried out. This fact should
be known and Democrats should be
in position to answer the arguments
which Republicans are making. The
rule which now obstructs legislation
under a Democratic administration,
existed under a Republican admin
istration but it worked no such
hardship then as it does now, be-
cause the Republican party was not
urging remedial legislation. The
rule allowing unlimited debate is
harmless when there are no reform
bills pending; but such a rule Is
real injury to the country when
the people have voted for reforms
and when the party in power is
honestly attempting, as 1t now is,
to redeem the pledges made. At
this time the rule giving unlimited
debate operates in the interest of
the minority because by means of
the rule the minority can slow down
the processes of reform and de-
crease the number of remedial
measures which it is possible to
pass. 1t might he we'll for the vct-
ers to let their Senators know what
they think of rule that obstructs
the carrying out of the will of the
people, deliberately expressed at
the polls.-W j. Bryan, in the