Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-03-18

objects aimed at" So 1t would seem
TO one sitting up In a tree or I'm the
gallery.
The Previous Question.
"Thc previous question which Sen
ator owen has labored so long TO get
to was a thorn in the side of clay.
Following the filibuster on the bank
bill Clay said on July l. that he
would introduce a resolution 10 pro
vide IN the rules Of the senate for the
previous question. The record shows
that Senator King said: 81 tell the
senator then that he may make his
arrangements at his boarding house
cor the winter"
This charming little threat was
made in July, so il will be seen there
was some delibcration ahead in the
mind Of Senator King at least The
senator was right, for that bit Of
repartee occurred 76 years ago and
the previous question has not been
reached yet.
The Oregon bill set out fos a fill
clustering record in 1916, when an at
tempt was made without success 70
induce the minority to fix a day for
voting. II had been debated for two
months and never came to "A vote.
Things then drifted along fairly
well until 1856, when Senator Doug
las took a forensic shot at the fill
buster in these words on July 23: 1T
is we'll understood to be the party tao
tics of the minority here to defeat
every bill, appropriation and every
thing, to prolong tire session of con-
gress for partisan purpose. The ac-
lion Of everyone of you thus far con-
Ninces us that II is the policy to de-
feat action, to occupy time on ques-
tons relating to priority of business,
TO prolong discussion"
Trumbull DCnonnccs II.
A measure involving the suspension
of habeas corpus was the next TO get
tangled up in the 1abyrnth Of fill
clustering procedure and there strar-
gle to death. Senator Trumbull took
II upon himself TO unburGen his mind
about the filibuster, but the wisdom
thus unloaded fell on barren soil. This
was in 1903. In 1873 a fihbuster
tasting Il days was directed against
the repeal cf certain election laws and
the minority won.
The next filibuster in chronological
order, 1881, became one of the most
famous in history and lasted from
March "a TO May l6, when Senators
Conklin and Platt suddenly resigned
from the senate, thus breaking the
deadlock and throwing the majority
! back to the Democrats, who had neen
in the minority, and made the long
fight against changing officers in the
the senate. 1t was the slecial session
of the For'y-scventh congress and the
! Republicans had come into a major
ity. They Immediately proceeded to
run things to suit themselves, but In
stead ran into the well-known fill
| buster.
The Conklin InsurrcCtiOn.
There We're an equal number of
| democrats and Republican senators,
thus giving the vice president the de-
Gliding vote. His right 70 cast a vote
! On reorganization was questioned. The
| Democrats mad always been strong for
majority rule and still were-eXcept
| in this particular case The Demo
| Gratis made long speeches, moved TO
| adjourn, raised the point Of a quorum
and refused to attend the sessions
| Then Suddenly Conklin and Plat re-
signed and gave the Democrats ma
| iorty of two and the question of re-
| organization was dropped.
The Flair educational bill was the
next victim OF a filibuster. 1t was
discussed for 26 days, from February
| 3, 1890, To March 20. and then re-
! jccted
| The next measure to take It's place
alongside the ConlSlin-Platt row in the
filibustering hall of fame is what Is
| known as the force bill. 1t was re-
! ported out on August 7, 1890. The
/ stubborn and continuous efforts CT the
majority to pass this bin and a reso-
| luton to amend the rules so as to
| limit debate in order that the major
! ity party would have control of legis-
lation without unreasonable delay was
one~of the most hotly contested par
| liamentary battles in the history OF
! the senate.
Debate on the force bill ran for 90