Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-27
THE rlLisUsrsR

g.
last few days has teemed with state
ments 20 the effect that the Republic
can members Of the senate intended
TO filibuster on the bill relative to the
purchase by the United States OF
ships 10 be engaged in commerce, and
the editorial in the Star-Bulletin ON
Thursday CT last week made reference
to some famous illustrations OF the
noble art OF filibusterfng. In the Con-
gressional Record Of January 4th may
be found several threats by prominent
Republican senator's that any attempt
on the part of the Democratic major
ity to force the bill through the sem
ate without adequate debate would be
met by filibuster. OF course the
senators who made the threats did
not admit that the course Of action
decided on by them would constitute
"filfbuster.'' They simply claimed
that they would resort to all tactics
permitted by the rules Of parliament
tary law to prevent the passage OF
the act
While fflibusters, as pointed out by
the star Bulletin in ifs editorial on
Thursday, are by no means unconi
mon, the modus operandi Is not exact
~ understood The various moves
made by proponents and opponents OF
bill resemble TO some extent those
made by opposing chess players.
A rule of the senate permits CIV
en- senator to speak only twice on a
given subject on the same legislative
day But twice, il the senator each
time talks three or four hours, con-
sumes considerable time. If the sen
ator is net alone in his contentious,
but has back OF him half dozen sena-
tors with equally long-winded ability,
the "a hours which the calendar says
belong to a day are easily consumed.
The senators who oppose the filibus-
ter have the next move. Having a
majority of the votes they are able to
handle all questions of adjournment
They therefore resort to, and use their
majority for the purpose of carrying
through their plan, recess rather
than an adjournment. The result
Of this is the anomaly that the Con.
gressiona Record, say of January 5th,
may show what took place IN the SEN
ate on that day, was of the legislative
day of, say January I'd. In short, on
January I'd, instead of adjourning, the
senate took recess until the next
day, and pursued the same tactics
from day to day. If, therefore, a CIV
en- Senator has talked on given
question on January I'd, and has
talked again on the same question on
January Sd, he is not permitted to
talk on the same question for the
third time on January 4th, since as
Car as the record shows, it is still jan
nary "a, and he has already talked
twice on the subject on that day. 1t
will be seen at once that the matter
resolves itself SO far into a question
of physical endurance.
The filibusterers do not admit yet
that they are beaten Any senator
NAV tank twice on the same subject
on the same day, and talk as long as
he pIeases or is able to. The next
move Of the filibusterers is in Great
inc new questions under which new
opportunities will arise. Therefore,
when the senators engaged in the iii.
buster have each talked as long as
they can, twice on the subject, resort
is had to offering amendments to the
bill in controversy. Each amendment
raises new questions. On each new
question any senator may talk twice
on the same legislative day. A bill Is
susceptible, from the standpoint OF
parliamentary law, OF many amend
ments. Here the filibusterers shine,
and If they have in their band doz-
en- members, may prolong discussion
indefinitely.
In the discussion of questions no
senator is bound by any rule whatso-
ever Should the question be one OF
national prohibition he may, should
he choose, in the delivery Of his re
marks, read a text book on the habits
of the boa constructor, or remarks by
some impassioned orator on the util-
ity of the initiative and referendum.
Indeed, il IL matter of record that
IN discussing a rivers and harbors
bill senator in a famous flibuster
read for several hours from one Of
Dickens novels.
Should the present filibuster win
out and in the course of few years
Hawaii be admitted to statehood, cant
didates for senatorships may qualify |
by an assiduous cultivation of the sew
eral gymnastic courses given in Homo |
lulu. since If it does win out physical
endurance will be responsible for It
The Congressional Record during |
the first week of the new year of 1915, |
along the lines noted above, is ex.
ceedingly interesting. Adhefents OF |
the Wilson paliey Of the United States
going into the shipping business rec
commended by Senator -Shoe-Bnll
Stone Of Missouri, who Is nothing If |
not frank, there fatty state that the
administration has the votes, and is |
going to pot the bin through. Old
DR.. Gali;nger of New Hampshire heads
the Republican opponents. and suave-
q