The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-22

SENATE DEBATE
|S0PPOSED
SENATOR OWEN WILL LEAD 'HE
FIGHT FOR CLoTuRE RULE =
MUST HAVE STOPPING PLACE
FOR SENATORIAL FlllbUSItHS.

Washington, March 2l.-Senator
Robert l.. Owen Of Oklahoma, author
of the cloture rule presented to the
senate last session, and chairman OF
the cloture committee, of which there
are forty -One members, has called
President Wilson's attention to the
necessity of having stopping place
for senatorial filibusters. BY the
rule of unlimited debate, the admins
trations shipping bill failed to get
vote. Other legislation, particularly
during the closing hours of congress,
died for the same reason.
The president has been urge6 by
Senator owen to call the senate in
extra session for the purpose OF act
ing upon the Nicaraguan and Colom-
bian treaties and the proposed clo-
ture rule, which he will present at
the convening of the next congress.
Senator Sheppard of Texas is for the
Owen cloture rule. Senator Gore or
Oklahoma is against it. There are
sufficient number of senators be
| lieyed to be averse to upsetting the
| order of debate that has existed since
| the senate came into being and
which has gained for it the reference
OF being the most deliberate body on
earth to make it extremely doubtful
| of adoption. Nevertheless the Okla
homa senator proposes to push the
rule, win or lose.
The cloture, ii may be explained
is n rule by which consideration OF
a question NAV be terminated and
the issue before the legislative body
brought to a vote by given time
1t is otherwise known as the pre-
yious question" which means that as
soon as it IS adopted the main ques-
ton must also be put to vote. The
previous question itself may only be
ordered upon vote varying as 10
size in discretion of the legislative
body.
No Limit on Senate Debate.
The existing rule of unlimited de-
bate in the United States senate has
always been resorted to in choking
off legislation Objectionable to a mi
nority of that body theoretically
one member of the senate, if his
powers of physical endurance be suf-
licient, could stand on the floor anC
talk until the session came to an end
Since such performance woulc
rarely be possible the time of fill
buster is usually divided among op-
ponents of The measure, and the
speaking goes on in relays. For prac-
ticable purposes it may only be APP
piled with effect near the approach oI
the final adjournment of congress
A favored scheme to help the senator
holding the floor is for another sena-
tor supporting the tilibuster to cal
attention to the absence of a quorum
q. (something that ordinarily exists
in the United States senate), which
means roll call, and the speaker
holding the floor gets a few minutes
rest. At that senators have been
known to hold the floor for hours
/, sometimes speaking to the subject
under consideration but often upon
wholly irrelevant subject matter. In
order to make a speech string out
documents which might have remote
application to the legislation are read
into the record
During a filibuster the senate may
be kept in continuous session fol
hours. and all members who are moi
physically infirm, compelled to re-
main in attendance. Beds are erect
inactive senators may sleep between
roll calls. Usually twenty-four tC
thirty six hours time is a sufficient
physical test, and the majority con.
sents to an adjournment. That give:
all hands a rest, after which thC
majority again starts its attempt tC
wear out the minority. but rarely
with success Probably the record
for long distance work rests Will
Senator Smoot of Utah, who stoot
r on his feet for thirteen hours durini
( the shipping bill filibuster, talkini
= practically all the time.
II Killed the Force Bill
2 Freedom of debate and withou
,. limit enables a minority of the sen
' ate TO thwart the will of the major
ity, for as long as there is anyon
who wants TO talk no vote can b
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