Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-31

10 o'clock. That would seem TO facili-
tate the business Of the Legislature rs
much or moro than trying to have a ses-
| sion tomorrow. One reason is that 1t
seems very desirable to all the parties
concerned, including the Governor. that
the Legislature attend the celebration in
Bangor; and, II 1t is to attend. it should
attend in a body and do 1t right. We
feel, therefore, that an adjournment until
Monday will probably be. conducive to
that same purpose. After the strenuous
time we have had this week we are ali
tired, we are exhausted and nervous.
and it is the feeling. as I say. that VIC
will do better justice to the State If We
do not try to have session tomorrow.
1 am simply making this announcement
so that when the order comes over. If
agreeable It may be settled without any
discussion and without taking up any
time.
The Chair wishes also to suggest to the
House that when the calendar Is reached
and you will note that there are several
items still on the calendar to be disposed
of-some decision be made in regard to
limiting debate. The Chair; is of the opin-
ion that it expresses the feeling Of the
majority when it says that it seems to it
that some of these subjects have taken
up more time than the occasion would
warrant in the past. 1t also seems to the
Chair that if we are ever to get through
We must nut some sort of limit on de-
bate. IT occurs to the Chair that when
subject is reached on the calendar II tho
House agrees that certain number OF
minutes shall be devoted to that partlcu-
lar subject everybody will be just as
we'll satisfied. This. of course, is entirely
within the province of the House. The
! Chair does not mean to imply that any
one man in the House has talked too long
on any subject or TOO much, but is speak
ing in general terms. (Applause)
! Mr.. BUTTON of Bingham: l believe.
Mr. Speaker, that everybody in the House
| is DESTROYS of transacting the business
on the calendar with as much dispatch
as nossible. / would move you at this
time that the limit on all speeches for
the remainder of this week shall be five
minutes
The SPEAKER: The only suggestion
! about that would be that, of course
some subjects are of more Importance
| than others. 1t occurs to the Chair that
! it might be desirable to assign a half
hour to the discussion of a certain top
! ic. One man might be more interested
! in that than another, and 1t might per-
haps be for the interest of the subject
| under discussion that one man take up
! all of that time That is the only sug-
| Cestion the Chair has to offer; and,
while the Chair is perfectly willing to
nut the motion. it occurs to the Chair
that perhaps a conference of two or
three men, or committee named by
the Chair. would permit the drawing
up of a set of rules with regard to this
thing that will be acceptahieao a ma
iority of the House. This is merely
suggestion. The gentlemaTs motion Is
that debate be limited to FIVE minutes
each individual speech. 8;
Mr.. BARNES Of Houlton: Mr.
Speaker, the most important business
OF the session, and most of the most
important business Of the session is to
be presented between now and ad-
journment The entire question OF rails
ing revenue, the entire temperance is
sue-and | might so on and take five
minutes in telling YOU about it. 1t Is
the important business of the session.
Now it would be extremely unfortu-
nate if we were limited to so minutes
and lukewarm friends Of the measure
occupied that 80 minutes. I hope that
the gentleman from Bingham (Mr.
Dutton) will perhaps withdraw his mo-
ton. | think there is a good deal of
merit in the suggestion of the Chair.
! that a conference committee might de-
eide on cloture rule like this.
Mr.. BUTTON of Bingham: Mr..
Speaker, have no objection to with
drawing my motion if that is the will
of the House: hut I think you will all
agree with me that we have been
obliged on nearly every subject TO lis
ten to extended speeches. and on every
subject they seem to come from about
the same source. | believe there are
other mmbers of til House who desire
to express their opinions on different
subjects and have not had an oppor-
tunity to do so because Of protracted
speeches by others. That is my posi-
ton in the matter; but if it is the will
of the House. I withdraw my motion.
Mr.. HOLLEY of North Arson: Mr..
Speaker, ] move you that the Chair
appoint a conference committee on this
matter composed of five members to
draw up a set of resolutions and pre-
sent them to this body.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. ROUNDS of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, it seems to me that it would
have been better if this had started in
the first place, but they have been hold
ing these reports back to the last day
The SPEAKER: The Chair must re-
mind the gentleman from Portland (Mr.
Round) that there is no motion before
the House.
Mr.. ROUNDS: thought, Mr.. Speak
err there was a motion before the
House.
The SPEAKER: The motion was
carried that a committee Of five be
named to formulate some rules to close
debate The Chair will appoint that
committee later.
On motion by Mr.. Dutton of Bingham,
the rules were suspended to enable the
taking up out of order Of a Senate or
der
The SPEAKER: Evidently the SEN
ate has overruled the Speaker of the