The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-08-24

tnefe are often TWO OF three vacancies
on account of death or resignation. SO
it usually requires pit or 21S members
to make a quorum. When the house
is doing business rs the committee OF
the whole 100 members make a uuo-
rum.
Reasons for Demanding a Quorum.
The point of 10 quorum is raised
often BECAUSE Il member wants a full
attendance when the question before.
the house is considered. 1t is raised
sometimes because some one present
wants a good audience for an import
ant speech. 1t is raised occasionally
merely in order to delay the game and
Is resOrted to by the minority to use
up the time and postpone or defeat
legislation that cannot be defeated by
a majority vote. 1t is frequently used
when a filibuster is in progress, and
sometimes the roll Is called six or
eight times a day. AS it requires 80
or 40 minutes to call the roll 1t can
be seen how a few roll calls will block
the business of the day.
Occasionally the point Of no quorum
VIII Dt IdlStu Oul VI spite. ~ IutilDcT
may desire some time to speak and
those In charge of the time may feel
that they have none at their disposal
or for some reason do not wish to
yield the gentleman time. The gentle
man with a grievance may conclude
that he will block the business of the
house for a time by causing a roll
COLL hnxn Soon p,nr,,hnr ctnfn
frankly on the floor that If he can
not get the time desired he will feel
1t his duty to raise the question of a
quorum. Some times the gentleman
In control Of the time will give in and
yield the time desired, and sometimes
he will call the other gentleman's bluff.
These incidents do not occur very
often.
Once in a while a little ilibuster Is
resOrted to by the minority or by an
ObstreperOus member who wants to
force consideration of some special
matter. Then the roll calls come thick
and fast. One day the committee on
rules tried to get a rule adopted, CIV
Ing four hours for debate On a G.
tulh Jill 4hC IL ily tOOh u hOIlN
to block the game and it took a day
and a half Of roll calls to get the
rule passed.
Some bills are passed by the major
ity Of those present without a roll call.
But any member can always demand
q quorum and II a quorum Is not
present a roll call on the bill auto
nootinallu fn1lnuvc And oynn ~ a mr.
rum Is present, twenty per cen 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 so
much as those who have to be present
and listen to much Of it. The same
thing Is true wherever men and
cOngregate-especially where they
meet to consider matters Of public
concern. AS a reporter l 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 members
had to agree on a policy.
Some freedom must be gwen to
those who want to talk. Some Oppor-
tunity must be given for all sides to be
heard, 1t requires consideration and
explanation and talk sometimes to get
many minds to look at the subject In
the same way.
There Is too much unnecessary talk
In the house, but / do not see how 1t
could be eliminated. Who is to say
what talk may be made and what talk
shall not be made? Who Is SO wise
that he may be set up as a censor?
1t Is not so bad in the house as in
the senate. In the senate there is no
limit on debate. In the house debate
Is always limited, usually to one or
two hours, occasionally to four hours,
and perhaps twice I'm recent years to
IL hours on very important measures.
Congress Is often criticised for be-
ing slow In doing business. OF course
1t is slow. 1t is made up Of human be-
ings of many minds. They come from
all parts of a great country stretch
ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The representatives represent peoples
and communities as diversified and as
far apart In thoughts and interests as
they are in distance. 1t requires time
for these representatives of these vari-
Gus minds and interests to weigh and
consider and amend and whip into
shape and finally agree upon proposed
Legislation that Is to be written for q
hundred and ten millions OF people
and may run for oil time. 1t neces.
sarily taxes time for a majority of
,435 members to be brought to see
things alike.
This Is M Of the necessary results
of a republican form Of government
1t Is nct so In an autocracy. 1t II not
80 In Russia. There you get quick