The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-03-20
FilibuSterinq
By Frederic Haskin in Washington Star

stances In winch SENATORS ha'e
sought to obstruct the enactment OF
legislation by piling mountains OF
language in its way.
The flibuster as a parliamentary
tactic reaches its highest develop
ment in the United States Senate,
because the rules of that body place
absolutely no limit upon debate. In
tho House a certain amount OF time
"a usually agreed upon for the dis
cussion of each measure; this Is d.
vided between the opposing hoor
leaders. and by them parceled out
among certain congressman who have
something to say, in periods ranging
from five minutes to several hours
Thus debate in the House general
" brings forth a certain number OF
long set speeches-the heavy artil-
lerv of the debate as it were-fol-
lowed by a sharp volley of three mi
nute talks, and eliminating IN briet
final speeches by the leaders. Then
comes the vote, and nothing can pre-
vent 1t.
No such expeditions method is pos
sible in the Senate. Any one sena'
tor can talk as long as he pieases
mon any one clause in any one Dill;
and not only in theory, but often IN
nractice. sheer physical endurance Is
the only limit put upon senatorial
EXPRESSION. Needless to say, there
is a large element of the ridiculous
in this use of language as a physlcai
barrier to the transaction OF busi-
ness, and exasperated legislators,
have not failed to point 1t out. Inc
spectacle of a senator reading poetry
IN several somnolent colleagues, OF
telling the story of his life TO empty
benches while weary pages succor
him with glasses OF buttermilk, ID
not one calculated to augment the
dignity of this body.
One criticises, Other Defends
Gentlemen of the dominant party
have always shown themselves Keeu'
10 aware of the absurdities OF allow
ing unlimited debate and have de-
nounced It as a tool of unscrupuious
obstru .tionists. But the members OIL
the minority party in whose hands
It Is a powerful weapon, VIII zen
Won. with some senatorial warmth'
that the right Of free and uniimi'eu
speech in the Senate Is one OF the
bulwarks or American liberty. DO
there you are; 1t all depends upon
whose bill is being filibustered.
Not long ago a democratic senator
took a poll of the Senate on the SUP
iect of a cloture rule to limit de
bate and found that nearly haif o'
the senators, including most OF the
democrats, believed that debate ough'
IN he limited in some way. But 1t was
impossible TO find enough In favor
OF cloture to amend the rules OF the
Senate and so debate goes endlessiy
on.
Senator Reed Shoots recent eie'
en- hour speech did not break the
record So far as the length OF time
he held the floor was concerned, bu'
as an example Of continuous taking
IL did surpass every previous hlibus
tering achievement that the Senat'
has seen. Not only did Senator
Smoot hold the floor from ten minutes
before ten in the evening until hal
past nine the following morning bu
he did It without the aid OF singi'
roll call or call for quorum, withou
leaning upon his desk for support
without a break in the even tones o
his voice and most marvellous and un
precedented OF all without taikih'
about anything except the bill whicl
was before the Senate!
The superintendent Of the Senat
gallery and others who have watch
ed the deliberations Of the Senate 10
a period of years assert tnat as al
example of physical endurance an
vocal ability Senator Shoots pei
Torrance was absolutely unique
Other senators engaged in hlibuste'
ing have yielded the floor for roll call
and sometimes for the transaction Q
other business. Instead OF dependih
upon their own brains for materia
they have commonly read reams
official documents and sometimes vo
umes of poetry and prose having n
bearing on the subject in hand. bu
Senator Smoot made a real speec
about the bill, standing in the middi
of the aisle for eleven hours withor
support, and without nourishmeni o.
cept for couple of glasses OF milk
Is Close Second to smoot Speech
A close second to Senator smoot
speech as an exhibition of physics
endurance was that of Senator Jone