Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-09
Chief Executive Turns Deaf
Ear to Senators Kern and
Lewis; Does Not Want Fur
Their Complications,
CAUCUS LEADER WANTS
RULES RADICALLY CHANGED
Illinois Statesman Believes
Country Should Authorize a
Bond Issue to Meet I'M
pending Deficit

taptc,sL conasaronDsace 10 noRnlnd JouHHsL
Washington. June S.-The quality
OF democratic leadership in the SEN
ate is well illustrated by the spectacle
OF the so-callcd floor leader OF that
body wandering into Washington Just
AZ the administration II haggard with
anxiety over the possibility Of serious
trouble with Germany and Mexico
and suggesting an extra session Of the
senate for the purpose Of revising the
rules.
The complacent proposal OF Sena-
tor Kern. IN crisis like the present.
reveals the determination Of some OF
the democratic leaders 50 20 readJusi
conditions In the senate tnat all safe
guards against unwlse legislation shall
be removed and they may work their
own sweet Will with the lawmaking
Of the country
Two Results of Cloiurc.
Two results would follow the aboli-
ti0n of the famous rule which pre-
vents vote being taken in the sem
ate except by unanimous consent.
The first would be 60 make the sem
ate, like the house. passive instru-
ment for recording the viii of the
president
The second would enable small
committee or group OF men In the
upper branch to plot the business OF
the senate as they pleased and to
carry II through on their own lines,
using party solidarity as the instru-
ment In other words. with a cloture
rule In force the White House could
write the laws OF the country without
h4
was not engaging congress in the
pastime OF tagging after him, a few
self constituted leaders could amuse
themselves with putting through any
piece OF graft or demagogism they
might please, so long as the admins
tration was not known TO be definite
ly against e.
You, Too, !. Ham.
President Wilson has given no on
couragement TO the Kern plan Of an
extra senate session, This Is not be
cause the president would not like to
gag the senate, for his whole record
with respect TO his Legislative program
demonstrates that he would, But MIR
Wilson Is a lone worker, and he might
be seriously embarrassed In his deal
ings with Germany and other trouble
a.
of congressional oratOry turned loose
on the country,
Senator James Hamilton Lewis, at
q time when the administration is do
ing It's best To- conceal its anxiety over
a possible huge deficit, also has added
TO the horrors of the hour the advice
that congress be called in extra ses-
sion to authorize a $500. 900, 600 bond
Il faaaH all
Itself out Of hole by its bootstraps,
The president is understood to
have received this suggestion with
even more GOODNESS than that of Sen
ator Kern, for It is like a red flag to
a bull 90 say bond issue TO a dem
ocrat who, If he knows the history
OF his country realizes that bond is
sues ana democratic administrations
make an unfortunate combination,
Unfortunately for general legisla-
tion, the democrats are In measure
already committed TO cloture pro-
gram-at least, many Of them are.
Just before congress adjourned IN
March, fortN-one members petitioued
Senator Kern for a revision OF the
rules and upon their authority he
appointed committee Of five sena-
tors to report such revision at the next
democratic caucus The committee
consists of himself and Senators Ow-
en- of Oklahoma. chairman Martin
OF Virginia, stone OF Missouri and
Walsh of Montana.
Would Curb Minoritys Power
Stung hy their failure to pass the
shin purchase hill, many Of the dem
ocratic majority resolved to deprive
the republicans Of the power of OBJ
and, as senator Kern has
shown, are willing TO summon ninety
ak men from their needed vacations
In order to deprive the minority of
Its most powerful weapon
Fortunately or otherwise, the
democratic senate Is by no means in
over eloture, While forty
one men signed the cloture petition,
eleven refused TO do SO These were
OF Alabama, Bryan of Flor
ida, Camden Of Kentucky, Gore of
Oklahoma. Hardwick and smith of
Georgia Hitchcock Of Nebraska ov-
erman of North Carolina Smith and
Tilman of south Carolina and
OF Louisiana OF these elev-
en-, all but Camden and Thornton
VIII sit az the next senate session
viii be succeeded by Beck
ham democrat, whose attitude to-
ward cloture is unknown. and Thorn
ton by Broussard formerly Of the
house. As Louisiana is virtually a re-
publican state. as far as the tariff is
concerned, II would seem that Brous-
sard would be slow To fall in with
the cloture program II he expects
any assistance from the republicans
4 Nf.ss. g. +. 4