Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-09
'QOIOR|E| RUE .T'0|
Start senate RON
oaAToRlcAL FLow TO BE ZOOS.
ENEp WHEN PROPOSAL
COMES UP.
ANCIENT CUSTOM NOT
TO De sHELv.D EASILY
Debate in Upper House Unlimited For
nsrations--D Democrats, Remember
ing Late Experiences With Filibustsr
Determined I. Fsres Committee to
Revise Rules.
Especial correspondence.l

Washington, March 9-The news
that forty-one democratic senators
have signed q petition to Senator Kern
the majority leader, for the appoint
ment OF committee of Ave senators
to revise the rules of the senate to
bring about cloture Is better calculated
to stir the senate to its foundations
than an earthquake. For generations
debate in the senate has been unlimit-
ed. A senator once gaining the floor
sould speak as long as he pleased
(about nineteen hours is the record so
far) nor could vote be taken upon
any bill or resolution except under
unanimous consent. The phrase "un-
animous consent has not meant that
senator had only to object to action
to prevent it being taken. for If there
we're a general disposition to take a
vote the Directing senator must take
the floor and hold it with a speech or
yield for vote. In practical operation
the unanimous consent rule Of the SEN
ate has effectually prevented that body
from voting as long as any senator or
group of senators has desired to post
pone a vote on given measure. Thus
a filibuster Is essentially nothing more
than the attempt Of one or more sena-
tors to obstruct action. To take an
individual case. Senator Jones Of
Washington, a republican, at the be-
ginning Of one recent session was re-
fused an additional clerk he wanted.
Thereupon he organized filfbuster all
by himself objected to action upon
everything that came along, demanded
roll calls ceaselessly and otherwise so
bothered the democratic leaders that
at last they capitulated and gave him
his clerk.
Owen Changes Front.
The solitary filibuster is self-lim-
tied institution, however. No one sem
ator can occupy all the time of the
senate for twenty-four hours and keep
the game up, 90 unless q general
agreement exists between the members
of one side to maintain a flibuster
against given measure. the solitary
fighter as a rule must yield in the end.
His only sure chance comes at the end
of a session, when, as in the closing
hours Of the sixtieth congress. Owen.
OF Oklahoma, got the acor and pre-
vented consideration of four great ap-
Precipitation bills until Senators sAldrich
ana Hale yielded his demands with ref
erence to the admission to statehood Of
the territories Of New Mexico and
Arizona. This bit of history is par
ticularly interesting in view of the
fact that since that time Senator Owen
has been the chief advocate of clo-
ture rule and is one Of the committee
of five senator's whom 1t Is desired to
appoint to recommend cloture to the
democratic caucus at the next session.
La Toilette, of Wisconsin, attempted
the same feat in 1908 in an attempt to
defeat the Northumberland emergency
currency bill. He failed, for after he
had spoken all night, or nearly nine
teen hours. he lost the floor thru a
sudden calling OF the roll on the bill
engineered by Senator Aldrich.
Latest Filibusters Best Vet.
The present session has witnessed
the best organized and most deter
mined f1libuster in the recent history
Of legislation. This was the successful
attempt of all the regular republicans
and seven democrats to prevent the
passage OF the administration ship pur-
chase bill The full story Of this re-
markable contest remains to be writ
ten later. It may be said. however,
that 1t was conducted under unusual
difficulties, for the democratic major
ity had 80 amended the rules that a
speaker could insist upon Ghly enc call
for quorum Ga Toilette demanded
and got forty-two roll calls. thus en-
airing him to leave the floor OCCASION