Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-02-18
MORRIS PUTS ONE
OVER THE SENATE
clever Maneuver Brings Up
CIoture Question to Be Dis
posed of Before Proceed
inu With Ship Bill.

Washington, Il. G., Feb. l5.-The
purchase bill today continues to toss
lbout ON uncertain and shifting seas.
It is only II guess as To what VIII come
ST it in this session.
The most important fact in the sit
lation Just now is that Senator Nor
MS has the whip hand in the Senate
IN the extent that he has proposed q
general rule for cloture of Limiting de-
bate, that he has put this proposal into
4 parliamentary situation where 1t has
to be voted on and that he has turned
a deaf ear to the ~pleadings of the Sen
nre democratic leaders who want him
to withdraw it in order to permit a
vote on q special cloture rule pro-
posed by Senator Reed to end debate
on the ship bill and vote February 19.
Senator Norris looks on cloture as
more important than ship purchase.
and he has cleverly mancuvered things
SO that he can get a vote on it UNI
less it is debated until March 4 or
unless Senator Reed WithdraWs his
special rule. OF course by majority
vote the Senate could turn its atten-
ton to other business.
The ship purchase bill by what the
Senate democrats now view as a blum =
der, has been displaced from the cal
endar as the unfinished business and
cannot be put back except by majority
vote, and it is uncertain whether Sen
ator Norris will permit it. The demo-
Gratis need his vote il they are to re-
place ship purchase on the calendar
as unfinished business, and he prefers
to consider cloture.
Filibusterinq Again.
While the administration democrats
We're reframing the ship bill for a new
drive in the House, the republican fill
buster blossomed out anew today in the
Senate, whore Senator Gore tried to
have the commerce committee dis
charged from consideration of his
substitute, which is to be used as one
OF the bases of compromise. Senator
Burton took the floor for q speech that
promised to last all day and it was APP
parent hat the republican opposition
was prepared to hold Its lines firm I'M
til the administration compromise took
a thoroughly definite form. Senator
Weeks. author OF the bill, which is alsc
a part of the compromise. predicted il
could not be accepted in the Senate
with the amendments proposed by the
administration In the House.
Administrator leaders on the House
side went ahead with the drafting OF A
compromise bin in accordance with
plans approved by President Wilson
The new BIZ: would organize a shipping
board with an appropriation Of $4,000,
900 to engage in the shipping business
" d pei lDu ciihI'S L"o E@IS "itS' thc
close of the European war.
Chairman Padgett, of the nava com
mittee. prepared a special rule for con
sideration OF the administration pro,
posal and arrangements were made 70,
a Caucus of House democrats. Monday
night. to bind the majority to supper
II.
The rule would discharge the com
mittee from further consideration of tht
Weeks naval auxiliary bill, take In thu
Gore bill and the other amendments a:
| outlined by the administration. cut Of
all other amendments and allow 81,
hours Of general debate, so the entir'
measure could be put through thu
House in a single session.
1t was expected the plan would brin,
the ship bill before the House Thurs
day or Friday.
Senator Cummins today announced
he would present an amendment to thu
Norris general cloture rule providing
that cloture should not apply wheI
a party caucus has bound senator's t.
support a bill or measure before tn,
Senate. Senator Kenyon will supper
1t and it will receive general repub
lican support.