Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-16
GAG RULE FOR
SENATE POSSIBLE
DEMOCRATS GIVING coNslDERA.
TON TO PLAN BECAUSE OF
FlLlBUsTER.
OBJECTIONABLE LEGISLATION
WOULD BE POSSIBLE
Strong Demand For Rule to Curb e.
forts Of Minority-With Secret eau
Gus in Vogue, Senate Would Guido
House in Jammins Thru Measures
Desired by Administration.
Especial Correspondence

!
Washington, Feb. 15.-Growing out Of
| the flibuster over the ship purchase
bill, there is increased effort to pass a
cloture rule in the senate. Several
plans to choke off debate on any bill or
proposition before the senate have been
proposed. Senator Owen has long
urged cloture, Senator Norris has a
| cloture plan, Senator Reed has one,
| Senator Williams has one and so do
others.
! The senate has always stood for the
! right of unlimited debate. Many times
| it has been urged that this practice
ought to be abolished But senators as
a rule have insisted that the practice
| continue. Generally speaking, senators
who have had much service in the
body, without regard to party, in the
past, at least, have opposed cloture.
Two Sides to Question.
Two sides to this question can be
presented with a good deal of force.
The argument for cloture is that the
senate at times when it is confronted
with a big piece of legislation, con-
| sumes great amount of time. 1t is
possible for a minority to delay legis
lation for long period. Once in a
while, especially at the close of a short
session, bills are blocked by one man
or few men acting in concert. This
is one phase Of the situation. 1t is pos
sible to point out that at times legis-
lation for which there was large public
demand would have been passed more
| quickly in the senate with clOture.
But there is another and important
side to the question. 1t is undoubtedly
a fact that if a cloture rule is adopted
by the senate the minority in that body
will practically cease to be a factor in
legislation. And this is the more true
because at present legislation is being
shaped, not in the senate itself, but in
| the secret caucus.
Might Impede Legislation.
/ A prominent senator who is opposed
to cloture pointed out today that clo-
ture without the caucus was one thing
but that cloture with the caucus was
quite another thing. He voiced the
fear that If a cloture rule were adopted
the senate would do as little real leg
islating as the house. Under the house
rules, there is no longer freedom of dis
cussion and amendment. The house
does what the organization decides as
3 rule. II clOture Is adopted in the
senate, it will be possible for the dem
ocratic caucus to shape up a bill and
decide 1t must pass, then by use OF
cloture to hurry it thru. The minority
can not even have recourse to the ex-
pedient Of making such extended criti-
cism of the bill as will expose to the
country the weaknesses of the bill, if it
has them, and so arousing public senti-
ment. It will be possible for the White
House plus the secret caucus absolutely
to drive any desired piece of legisla-
ton thru the senate. Undoubtedly the
freedom Of debate in the senate has
many times resulted in meritorious
amendments OF bills and better legisla-
ton.
| Some Of the senators who oppose clo-
ture would be much less apprehensive
over it If they believed the secret eau
Gus on legislation was to be abolished.
The republicans, because of the out
break of the insurgent republicans sew
eral years ago, have been forced to
abolish it. But the democrats still cling
to it and use 1t, altho it is causing Sc
rious discord among them and may
cause a big party split.