The Washington times., 1915-02-14
A'FIGHT FOR CLOTURE

The reports Of the action taken by
the Democratic caucus last night
looking to adoption Of some plan of
cloture do not make plain whether it
will be proposed to adopt general
rule of this kind, or a special one for
the purpose Of passing the ship pur-
chase bill. In either case, however, a
cloture fight means certainly an ex-
ira session, if there were previously
any chance to avoid such result of
the present legislative conditions.
A general cloture rule such as
Senators like Norris and Owen want,
such as the parliamentary bodies Of
tho world have, would not be adopted
without long and bitter fight. The
tradition of the Senate's institution
of unlimited debate. is firmly ground
ed in the belief Of the elder states
men, especially, that it is the thing
that makes the Senate the greatest
legislative assembly. Not a few
other people believe this custom is
the thing that prevents the Senate
being the greatest lawmakink body.
The difference is as wide as the
poles, and will have to be threshed
out to a conclusion. He would be a
thoughtless observer Of the tenden-
cies Of the times who would doubt
that such a discussion would touch
upon and point the decision of ques-
tions absolutely vital in the develop
ment of the American system of
government. Likewise, it is difficult
to believe that in the long run such
discussion can result in any other
than the determination that the
power to do business must be pre-
served to the Congress even if 9 be-
loved tradition of the Senate is sSc-
rificed.
It is to be admitted that =.och
that is forceful will be said on both
sides of the question. Among the
men who have been in recent years
leaders in the effort to liberalize the
procedure of the Senate, and who
have been most devoted to progress
sive causes, have been more than a
few who sincerely believed that the
privilege of unlimited debate was of
great value. Thus the late Senator
Dolliver in his later years of fight
against the domination of a caucus
bound majority was wont to declare
the first belief that unlimited debate
in the Senate was the real safeguard
of our institutions. For he believed
that the determined fight of minor
ity to prevent what they thought
wrong, was the most effective way to
force the country's attention on the
issue, and to make certain that al
length a verdict, representative OF
real public opinion, would be made
up.
That view would have more force
if ours were a system of responsible
parliamentary government; if appea
were made to the country on a par
ticular issue or a very we'll indicatet
set of issues. But when elections
come at regular intervals, whether ,
set of issues has been made up O.
not, whether there is any sharp di
vision of public sentiment, it is al
ways difficult to conclude on the da.
after election what the countr,
really meant to decide. The casual
ness with which platform pledge
have been regarded has added to tn
difficulties of the situation; and final
ly, the caucus-control system ha
made it quite impossible to kno,
whether men mean what they sa
when they talk on the floor: whethe
they are attorl. -ys for King Caucu.
or exponents of their own convie
|, tions.
So a cloture fight involves a wild
range of big problems in parliamer
tary government and in our politics
system. 1t will not be settled easily Q
all at once. But it is a fight ths
!, must be made, and that will hardl
be ended short of establishing an e.
r fective system under which actio