The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-24

ueS ON vat100o SAf10 ochoduIGn -
are not necessarily political ~
their lineup. These sroune
bIocs In many instances ine,nS
both Republicans and Demoerrs
who stand together for or as.iss
certain legislative proposals. vifh I
solidarity that 1eopardises leel,as
ton BY both parties which -.
long been the accepted order 3
things in the congress Of the Unn.
Cd States.
Each group has . program ofihs
own. ALI have their axes to eris5
Each has its Views which must =
presented to . patient, long sunis.
ing country through endIeS,
speeches. None Is strong enoueA
In itself to dominate the senatA ~
any one Of them can conduct ~.
cessful filibuster almost indennits.
y and . combination of Two q
more of them can render the n
publican majority virtually HEIR
less. 1t was such q combination
that thwarted the plan to bring ~
tarih debate to An end by clotura
Power Of Small GROUPS,
To-day half . dozen men caapr..
vent the senate Of thu United Sisis.
from functioning, and that Il -.
ing DONE" said Senator Watson. n
discussing the do-nothing situation
Twenty years ago senators con-
ing to Warrington legislate studied
and debated public question:
After . senator had presented his
arguments in full and had done hi,
utmost TO make his viewpoint pfe.
vail, he was content to sit dow
and lot the majority rule.
"Disjointed discussion and jrrels.
want talk more and more are feat.
uring the proceedings of congress
and uAder the existing rules there
10 no way to prevent this. The en-.
ate isn't functioning because W
have here minority rule and ve
shall continue TO be governed bya
minority until the senate rules Of
procedure are changed. l am nov
formulating and intend soon to in
troduce q proposal to change the
rules so that the senate can func-
ton, enabling majority opinion to
prevail ON any subject within 1
reasonably limited time"
Cloture, which Is the power Of
the presiding officer or the major.
ity to shut of debate when legiti.
mate argument has been exhausted
and the debate is being prolonged
for mere obstruction, IL . possible
possible weapon OF gag Law, but
experience has indicated that with
out 1t parliamentary institutions
are likely to break down. In III
house the previous question" has
been the means Of silencing ths
windjammers for many years, bat
because Of its smaller size the sen.
ate had not considered such q ruiz
necessary until the closing hours q
the sixty-fourth congress, which
terminated March 4, 1917. Ths
fllibustering tactics of the senators
whom President Wilson termed the
little group Of wilful men" had
prevented the passage Of the armed
ship bill prior to adjournment
whereupon in the special sesaca
which was called at once the IN
ate passed Z cloture rule on MIRA
s. 1917.
Under this rule Is senators may
sign a motion at any time to bring
to an end the debate on any pending
Legislation and the senate must vote
on this motion within, one hd1r
after it meets on the following cal
endar day bu. one. If two-thirds
of a quorum vote in the affirma-
tive then the pending measure be-
comes the unfinished business OF
the senate to the exclusion OF all
other business until disposed OF,
and thereafter no senator may
speak more than one hour in all on
the bill, the amendments and the
motions affecting the same. No dill
atory motion, or dilatory amend
ment, or amendment not gerkaane
shall be- in order.
1t is apparent that this is not
much Of gag rule, for by the time
it can be carried into effect the sen
ate as a whole must be ready for
action. Indeed, some parliament
tarians declare that unless the SEN
ate is ready to adopt the previous
question rule it is wasting its time
in considering ways and mears OF
limiting debate. Debate in such =
body will be unlimited, or ii Will
be subject absolutely to the will o.
the majority, or of the presiding o.
ficer who represents the majority
However. 1t will be interesting 10
see what Senator Watson evolves
] by way of q new rule.