The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-03-08
WILSON ASKS
RULE REFORM
IN Sc A I |:
Twelve Senators, Including
Two From Iowa, Block
Armed Neutrality Bill
as Session Closes.
MANIFESTO PLACES BLAME
Handful of solons, by Means of
Unlimited Debate Provided
by Rules, Defeat
Majority.
MANIFESTO PLACES BLAME

Washington, march 6 President
Wilson believes the killing of the armed
neutrality bill by the Senate fflibuster
before adjournment yesterday, may eff
fectually prevent him from exercising
the executive prerogatives to arm mer-
chant ships, and advocates immediate
reform of rules by the Senate at the
session today to prevent a small minor
ity from holding up legislation in the
future.
After 12 senator's, led by Senator La.
Toilette, had defied the wish of an
overwhelming majority for the neutral
ity bill until forced adjournment yes
terday noon, carried the measure down
to it's death, President Wilson issued a
statement ~denouncing the obstruction
lists and expressing doubt whether he
can proceed to arm ships without legis-
lative sanction. Referring to the fill
buster, the presidents statement said:
Makes u. S. Contemplate.
9TH result in this case is a complete
PARALYSIS alike of the Legislative and
executive branches of the government.
"A little group of willful men, repre-
senting no opinion but their oWn, have
rendered the great government OF the
United States helpless and contempti-
BILE"
The dozen senators, led by Senator
La Toilette and encouraged by n
Stone. democratic chairman OF the for
eign relations committee, in a ilibus-
ter denounced by President Wilson'S
spokesman as the most r~eprehensible
in the history of any civilized nation,
defied the will Of an overwhelming ma
jority in congress up to the last minute
and denied to the president a law au-
thoriZing him to arm American mer-
chant ships to meet the German sub
marine menace.
unfolding throughout 26 hours of
continuous session to appeals that their
defiance of the president would be hu-
initiating to the country; uncompro-
missing in a crisis described to them as
the most serious to the nation since the
civil war, La Toilette and his small
group of supporters refused a major
ity of their colleagues an opportunity
to vote on the armed neutrality bill,
and it died with the Sixty-fourth con-
gress at moo
They Fix Responsibility.
To fix responsibility before the coun-
| try, re senators, 80 republicans and 46
democrats, signed a manifesto pro-
| claiming to the world that they favored
passage of the measure.
This declaration, embodied in the
record Of the Senate, referred TO the
| passed a similar bill by a vote of 4O3
to 13, and also reiterated that the SEN
ate rule permitting unlimited debate
gave a small minority opportunity to
throttle the VIII OF the majority.
Thirteen senator's declined to sign
the declaration, but Senate Penrose.
republican, of Pennsylvania. announced
that he would have voted for the bill
had opportunity been afforded him.
The IL who went on record with the
13 members of tho House against
| granting to President Wilson the au-
| thority he asked for from Congress- in
the crisis We're:
The 10 Senators,
Republicans Clapp, Minnesota,
Cummins, Iowa: Gronna, North Dako-
TIA; Kenyon, Iowa; La Toilette, Wis
! consin; Norris, Nebraska; Works, Cali
fornia-7.
Dernocrats-Kirby, Arkansas; Lane,
Oregon; O'Gorman, New York; Stone,
Missouri; Vardaman, Mississippi-5.
Association with them in opposition
to the armed neutrality bill were the
following representatives, who voted
against the House bill Thursday night:
Republicans-Benedict, California;;
Cary, Wisconsin; Cooper, Wisconsin;
Davis, Minnesota; Helgesen, North Da-
kota; L%indborgh, Minnesota; Nelson,
Wisconsin,; Stafford, Wisconsin,; Will
son, Illinois-9.
Democrats - Decker. Missouri:
Shackleford, Missouri; Sherwood, Ohio
3.
Socialist-London, New York..