The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-08-19

tLose ALI the'l SO VI 'ile time NAV "a.
that they have none at their dsnas''
or for some reason do not wish
yield the gentleman time. The y0ns'
man with Il grievance may conclus.
that he will block the business Of ~
house for a time by causing ,.~
call. l have Seen member o..
frankly on the floor that If he ces
not get the time desired he will 10,
it his duty to raise the question q,
quorum. Some times the gentlsm..
in control of the time will give in o,s
yield the time desired, and sometmo.
he will call the other gentlemans hlns
These incidents do not occur vow
often.
Once in a while a little filibuspr !.
resorted to by the minority or by an
Obstreperous member who wants n
force consideration of some spec,l
matter. Then the roll calls come thi4
and fast. One day the committee m
rules tried to get rule adopted giv
ing four hours for debate on a o.,
tain bill. The minority took notion
TO block the game and it took A dav
and a half of roll calls to get tho
rule passed.
Some bills are passed by the major.
ity Of those present without roll call
But any member can always demand
a quorum and if a quorum is not
present a roll call on the bill auta
matically follows. And even If a QUO
rum is present, twenty per cent Of
those present can always demand and
secure a roll call on any proposition.
Too Much Talking, Of Course.
There is much unnecessary talking
in the house. Nobody realizes that 20
much as those who have to be present
and listen to much of it. The same
thing Is true wherever men and women
cOngregate-especial where they
meet to consider matters Of public
concern. AS a reporter | have sat up
past midnight listening to rambling
unnecessary talk over some trivial
matter at a small town council meet
ing where only eight or nine member
had to agree on a policy.
Some freedom must be gwen y
those who want to talk. Some oppor
tunity must be given for all sides to b
heard, 1t requires consideration and
exclamation and talk sometimes to gel
many minds to look at the subject u
the same way.
There is too much unnecessary tall
in the house, but l do not see how
could be eliminated. Who Is to So
what talk may be made and what tall
shall not be made? Who Is so wis
that he may be set up as a censor?
It is not so bad in the house as
the senate. In the senate there Is
limit on debate. In the house deDal
Is always limited, usually to one
two hours, occasionally to four hour
and perhaps twice in recent years
II hours on very important measure
Congress is often criticised for D
ing slow In doing business. Of couri
It is slow. 1t is made up of human D
ings of many minds. They come fro
all parts of great country stretcl
| ing from the Atlantic to the Pacln
The representatives represent people
and communities as diversified and
far apart in thoughts and interests
they are in distance. 1t requires tim
for these representatives OF these var
Gus minds and interests to weigh al
consider and amend and whip lns
shape and finally agree upon propose
legislation that Is to be written fof
hundred and ten millions OF peop'
and may run for all time. 1t nece
sarily taxes time for a majority
435 members to be brought TO 81
things alike.
This is one Of the necessary resul'
of republican form OF governmen
It Is not so In an autocracy. IL ID W
so in Russia. There you get qu'e
action. BY a decree from the au''
Gratis the lands are confiscated. by
decree anything can be done quicA''
But by parliamentary procedure
takes time for just and due conSo'
alton.
But after all congress Is not so Nv
as compared with other goVeln'n
bodies In a republic. Consider ~.
own city council, your own Doaiu
county commissioners, your own -.
legislature. Who has not tlleu :.
years and years to get a certain ~.
light placed, a street crossing -
up, city street cut tnrousn' :.
city park established, the :. !
streets paved, country roso :
, fined or bridge built or tnls
. that law amended, changed, repea,.
or passed? Let that individual v
has never seen these long deia''
getting worthy propositions =, :
through the governing body q. ~
| where every member knows tne :.
| ditions like a book, throw Inc =
> rock at congress.