The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-02-16
tn E HAfsKI NJ lie TTER
FL BUSTERING
81 Frederic J. Haskin.

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The recent epidemic OF fiiibuster-
ling In the United States Senate has
added some Interesting feats to the
long list Of instances In which sem
ators have sought to obstruct the en-
lactment of Legislation by piiine
mountains OF Language In its way,
The hilibuster as a parliamentary
tactic reaches its highest develop
iment in the United States senate
because the rules Of that body place
absolutely no limit upon debate. In
the House a certain amount OF time
is usually agreed upon for the dis
lcnssion of each measure: this is d.
yided between the opposing floor
Headers, and by them parceled out
amorg certain congressman who
have something to say, in periods
ranging from FIVE minutes to several
hours. Thus debate In the House
generally brings forth certain
number Of long set speeches the
heavy artillery Of the debate as It
Iwere- followed by a sharp volley OF
three minute talks, and eliminating
/ in brief final speeches by the leaders.
Then comes the vote, and nothing
can prevent 1t. iS,5
No such expeditions method Is pos
sible in the Senate. Any one sena-
tor can talk as long as he pleases
upon any one clause in any one bill;
and not only in theory but, often in
practice. sheer physical endurance
Is the only limit put upon senatorial
depression. Needless to say, there is
a large element Of the ridiculous in
this use Of language as a physical
barrier to the transaction of business,
land exasperated Legislators have not
failed to point It out. The spectacle
|of a senator reading poetry to several
|somnolent colleagues. or telling the
story Of his life to empty benches
while weary pages succor him with
glasses of buttermilk, is not one cali
culated to augment the dignity Of
this body. :,
Gentlemen OF tho dominant party
have always shown themselves keen
ly aware of the absurdities of allow
ind unlimited debate, and have de-
nounced it as tool of interruptions
|obstructionists. But the members Of
the minority party, in whose hands
it is a powerful weapon, will tell you.
with some senatorial warmth. that
the right of free and unlimited
speech in the Senate is one OF the
bulwarks Of American liberty. S0
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 sub
liect OF the cloture rule to limit debate
land found that nearly half Of the
senators, including most of the Dem
ocrats. believed that debate ought to
Ebe limited in some way. But It was
impossible to find enough in favor OF
Icloture to amend the rules of the
Senate, and so debate goes endlessly
Ion.
Senator Reed Shoots recent elev.
en-hour speech did not break the rec
ord so far as the length os time he
lheld the floor was concerned. but as
an example Of continuous talking Il
did surpass every previous ftilibuster-
\ ing achievement that the Senate has
seen. Not only did Senator Smoot
hold the floor from ten minutes be
fore ten in the evening until hall
past nine the following morning. but
he did 1t without the aid Of a single
roll call for quorum. without leaning
upon his desk for support. without a
break in the even tone of hts voice
and most marvellous and unpreca
denied of all, without talking about
anything except the bill which was
before the Senate. "
The superintendent Of the Senate
gallery and others who have watched
the deliberations Of the Senate for I
period Of years, assert that as an ex,
lample. of physical endurance and vo,
cal ability, Senator Shoots perform
ance was absolutely unique. Othel
senators engaged in filibusterint
have yielded the floor for roll calls
and sometimes for the transaction oil
other business. Instead OF Depend
ling upon their own brains for ma
|lterial, they have commonly read
reams OF official documents. anc
sometimes volumes Of poetry ant
prose having no bearing on the sub
iect in hand But Senator Smoo
made a real speech about the bill
standing in the middle of the aisle
for eleven hours without support
Ifsnd without nourishment except FOL
"a couple of glasses Of milk.
A close second to Senator Smoot'.
speech as an exhibition of physica
4 Endurance was that Of Senator
Jones, of Washington. who held thu
iocr for thirteen hours. with a RES
of one rour and forty-five minutts II
the middle OF the performance. The
most remarkable thing about Sena'
tor Jones's effort was tina. he STROBE
up and down almost continually
while speaking, and must have Gov
cred as many miles as he did pages
of the congressional record. He en-
itertained the Senate for a lont
stretch with readings from Presl
dent Wilson'S book, THE New Free
DOM s
4 IS |. result Of this continuous fill
!. clustering. the session of the Senate
4 which ended February 10 was ths
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