The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-09
THREE VOTES
OPPOSED
To Changing Rules of Sen
ate to Prevent Fill
busters
"WILFUL GROUP"
BADLY SMASHED
The Senate Adopted Rule by
a Vote of rs to 3
Last Night

more than 100 years under rules per
mitting debate limited only by the phys
ical endurance of senators and provis
ions OF the constitution, the Senate last
night by vote of 76 to put power
in the hands of two-t thirds of its mem
| bers in the future to limit discussion
and to say when a vote shall be taker
on pending measure.
| Never, while the amendment is in thu
Senate rule book, can a "little group OF
willful men," as President Wilson called
those he held responsible for defeat OF
the armed neutrality bill, prevent vote
upon a bill before the Senate if two.
thirds of their colleagues will otherwise
The organized filibuster as recognized
in the Senate is dead.
Action came Unexpectedly after an
hours debate on the new rule, drafted
by bi- bipartisan committee. Although
both Democrats and Republicans had
approved the change in caucus, and Sem
ator Martin, the mapority floor leader
had given notice that the Senate would
be kept in continuous session until a
vote was taken, nearly every one looked
for much longer discussion.
Senator'S LaFollett and Gronna, two
of those who opposed the armed neu-
trality bill, and Senator Sherman, who,
favored it, east the negative votes. SEN
ators Cummins, Kenyon, Kirby, Lane,
Norris, Stone and Nardaman, who were
against the armed neutrality bill, voted
for the amendment. Colleagues of most
! At.at
if they had been present they would
have supported it.
The exact use of the rule will not be-
come apparent until it is enforced, but
il proba bly, cannot be successfully used
to prevent the spectacular one man fiji
busters by which senators have talked
bills pending in the closing hours of a
session to legislative grave. Such
ilibusters probably cannot be prevented
unless they are foreseen, but an organ
lied affair which must be planned two
days or more ahead of sessions end
can be disposed of easily.
The new rule provides that on petition
of l6 senators to close debate on a pend
ing messure the Senate by two-thirds
vote on the following day, but one may
limit debate thereafter to one hour to
each senator. 1t includes provisions TO
prevent dilatory tactics and the introduc-
tion after cloture is ordered of amend
ments, notsgermane to the pending bill.
Many senator's who favored the change
do not look upon it as cloture rule,
such as prevails in the House of Repre-
where the rules committee
kab I'D /. h,I
limits upon speech and the hour for
vote. Others who fear that the action
last night merely forecasts more dras-
tic change in the future. declared it was
but the entering wedge, and that the
days of the Senate as the only legisla-
tive body in the world where there can
be full and free discussion are numbered.
The debate yesterday started peace
fully, but before it had continued long
It branched into discussion on the armed
neutrality bill and the presidents state
ment about the twelve men he held re-
sponsible for failure to get vote upon
It. There were some bitter criticisms
Of the president and of the newspapers. |
Senator Cummins declared that any man
N the Senate or out if high or low" who |
said he attempted or conspred to pre-.
vent a vote on the bill, deliberately |
alsifies."
The last speaker was Senator LaFol-
ette He said he would not discuss his
position on the neutrality bill now but
night have something TO say about it |
ater. Pointing out that some of the
most important appropriation bills had
,een presented to the Senate only a
hort time before March 4. he asked.
were they so long coming to the Senate
because it was undesirable that they be
discussed here?" The army bill was pre-
ented, he said, with provision never
,efore dared to be presented to an Amer.
can CongTess-with universal conscrip-
ion or universal military training EN-
,odied in it,"
"You pile up legislation of that Sort
e continued, "and then As or so hours
,efore the end of the session you bring
bill that trenches on the constitution
/ authority of Congress and demand
hat debate shall be made to conform.
With this sort of rule and an iron
and laid on this body from outside,
nth a Congress that has reduced itself
n little less than three years to lit
lie less than a rubber stamp, do you not
hink this sort of cloture would be pret.
Y effective?"