The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-22
Little to Be Accomplished With
1t, Say Some.
CLOTURE OF SMALL VALUE
Requirement of Two Thirds Vote Of
Senate Makes II Intellectual as q Par
ty Measure-Martin Comes into His
Own az Senate Lesder-The Senators
From Maine.


Washington, March 20.-fSpecial. J.
1t has been often denied that the lash
ing which the president administered
TO the senate On account OF Its lack OF
"A rule to bring about a vote caused
the senate to adopt such a rule. At
the same time the action Of the senate
followed quickly upon the criticism of
the president. With but mighty little
discussion and almost unanimously the
senate cast aside what has been one
OF its sacred traditions.
Had the hlibuster which preceded
this action been a party matter there
would have been no cloture. But the
bill which was defeated was made to
appear as a highly patriotic measure,
and on that account cloture was forced.
Called q Gold Brick.
10 has been several times described
as a gold brick cloture." The very
fact that 1t requires two-thirds of the
senate to force a vote renders IL OF no
value as n party measure. The presi-
dent, VINO Is an intense party man, IL
aware OF this fact, and no matter what
"a tohhth1 my wv "b obphh us
victory over the senate he is aware
that very little has been accomplished,
particularly If n partisan measure
should be presented.
1t is scarcely probable In the time of
men now living that the senate will
ever have a two-thirds majority Of ell
Their party.
Why II May Fail.
Courtesy IL still a distinct senatorial
attribute. Senators realize that they
are dependent upon courtesy and ia
vors of their fellow senator's In many
ways I'm the matter of securing leglsla-
ton, and they know that ~antagonistic
senators can give them a great deal OF
trouble. Consequently It Is going to
be very hard to get sixteen senators
TO sign a request TO shut Off debate
wanted by a number OF other senators
on a measure which may seem vital.
Then 1t will also be difficult to get two
thirds of the senators 10 sustain such
n demand.
Senate Leader.
IL In no d-isparagement to former
Senator Kern OF Indiana to say that
the Democratic party is fortunate In
having as his successor MS senate lead
er Thomas s.. Martin OF Virginia.
When the Democrats took control OF
the senate four years ago they found
that Martin had been the official leader
OF their party. away with him!
Down with Martini" was the cry OF
the progressive element, and Martin
was deposed, and Kern. a man who
had served two years. was made the
official leader.
Martin took his medicine. He made
no complaint. He went ahead aud did
all that was In him 10 do as a party
man, and his advice was constantly
fought I'm every crisis.
Cannot Do Justice.
Although the Democrats of the sen
ate after four years have done justice
to Senator Martin OF Virginia by MAX
ing him the leader, they cannot turn
the clock back and do n like measure
OF justice TO Augustus O. Bacon OF
Georgia.
-Four years ago the senate refused 10
give Bacon the small but honorable
position OF president pro tempore of
the senate, although he had received
the vote of every Democrat for that
place In the preceding congress.
Bacon died soon after. He never
could understand why he had been so
unceremoniously set aside. 1t broke
his heart and embittered his last days.
r.. Masra Qana&
Old habitues of the senate, those who
have looked upon the body for a quar-
ter Of a century, were much interested
In seeing the two Maine senators. They
were interested because Ii so happened
hat In the dra wing OF seats these two
senator's were seated side by side.
These old timers could not but re.
member that for a period Of thirty
years Maine held a place of pre-emi-
hence In the senate. because Hale and
Frye were her senators, and each had
a congressional reputation gained by
long service In the house.
Fred Hale Is the son OF the former
senator. Senator Fernald has already
served a few months and made a name
for himself.
Dry Journeys.
There are dry regions I'm this o
try when we come to look at 1t. A
man travelling from the shore of Mary
land south along the Atlantic coast
and west along the gulf coast cannot
legally buy liquor until he reaches
Louisiana. Travelling from Washing
ton, the national capital, he would be
In dry territory until he reached New
Orleans If the laws were rigidly en-
forced.
After the LIST Of July all this vast re.
gion will be bone dry" and after
Nov. l Washington will be dry, though
It Is yet unknown whether the Reed
bone dry law will apply to the Dis.
trict OF Columbia.
In the west there are still greater
reaches Of dry territory.