The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-09-18
MORTON ruling
CAUSES STORM
Senators May Have to Finish
Waterways Fiibuster With
out Any Interruption.
KENYON HAS MANY RESTS
Question Has Not Been Definitely De-
cided. Due to Executive Session
on Nominations.
KENYON HAS MANY RESTS

Democratic leaders in the Senate yes.
terday invoked a ruling made by Vice
President Morton in the Fifty-frst Con-
gress, while a filibuster was on in the
| Senate against the force bill, to pre-
vent a Senator in debate from yielding
to an interruption from another Senator
| on the floor without the unanimous con-
sent of the Senate.
The object Of the precedent invoked was
! to require the Senators who are now
I talking in opposition TO the rivers and
! harbors bill to speak continuously until
they conclude or are exhausted.
Senator Kenyon was in the fourth day
of his speech against the bill. He has
yielded to interruptions from time 70
| time, and several brief speeches have
been interjected into his long addresses.
The Democratic leaders say that the Iowa
Senator was being given short periods Of
rest in that way, and that there was no
prospect of his wearing out in the near
future. They decided to invoke eXtrsor-
binary methods.
Senator RansdeIl OF Louisiana, asked
permission to interrupt Senator Kenyon
with question. Senator Kenyon yielded
to him, whereupon Senator Bryan, Of
Florida, an advocate Of the rivers and
harbors bill, objected and made the point
of order that a Senator occupying the
floor could not yield even for a question.
except by unanimous consent.
Senator Robinson, Of Arkansas, WIGS
presiding. He promptly sustained The
point of order, and the objection, on the
basis of the ruling made by Vice Presi-
dent Morton In the Fifty-first Congress,
more than twenty years ago.
Senator Gallinger and others sought to
distinguish between that case and the
one of yesterday. Senator Robinson held
otherwise, however, and Senator Smoot
promptly took an appeal from the de-
cision of the chair, and Senator Bryan
then moved to lay the appeal on the
table. On this vote the chair was sus-
tanned by a vote of IS to "a
Following the vbte, Senator Gallinger
asked unanimous consent to make a
statement and claimed that the force
bill ruling was no precedent for the &C
ton taken. and served notice on the
Democratic Senators that they could
not pass the bill by such methods.
Abandon Night Session.
A little later in the day. Senator Rob-
inson left the chair, and Senator Pome-
rene, who had voted against the ruling
of the presiding officer, took the chair.
Senator Clapp, of Minnesota, again
brought the issue to the front by Of
fering to interrupt Senator Kenyon for
a question. Senator Sheppard, of Texas,
riVer and harbor bill advocate, OBJ
jected, raising the point Of order made
earlier in the day by Senator Bryan.
Senator PCmerene declared that he did
not feel like ruling on the question rails
ed, in view Of his vote, and the fact that
the majority of the Senate had sided ad-
versely to the way he had voted
He submitted the question TO the Sem
ate for a decision. and a debate started,
which lasted until 4 o'clock, when the
Senate went into executive session to
considern nominations, under an agree
ment previously reached.
The Senate leaders at the last moment
last night abandoned their plan Of a
night session to try to force through the
river and harbor bill. Unless a COM
promise agreement is worked out before
tonight, it is likely that attempts will be
made to impose a continuous session OF
the Senate