Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-06-11

alone chooses to conduct its business under rules
which, do not provide properly effective cloture,"
those senators opposing him reply
"Let us keep the United States senate the one
legislative body in the world where minority, even
those representing unpopular causes, cannot
complain of drastic limitation their freedom to
express their views"
General Dawes put Senator William NJ. Butler
of Massachusetts record in his Lexington
Alarm address at Boston by calling upon him
for statement. Senator Butler said he purposed
to devote his time in the senate to bringing about
reform.
Senator Frank B. Willis of Ohio Republican,
who is reported to have Presidential aspirations,
appears to be advocating compromise in his
speeches: the cutting down of debate unim-
portant measures; reasonable debate on big
Issues.
Senator Walter e. Edge of New Jersey, Re
publican, unequvocally favors the. proposed
change; he believes thoroughly in a majority
clOture
Senator George H. Moses of New Hampshire,
Republican, who will preside the senate in
the vice presidents absence, took direct issue with
General Dawes in public address at Syracuse
He denied the truth of a statement by Senator
Albert B. Cummins of Iowa that nine-tenths of
the senators desired the proposed change in the
rules; he thought there had been time
when even 81 per cent for 1t. His own ex-.
perience had taught him that the present rules
mad saved the country ana us treasury IEOIn
embarrassment, and he took this fling at the vice
president:
IT is to be observed that with few exceptions
the demand for change in the rules of the senate
arises from those whose contact with the senate is
either brief nonexistent. Many man has come
into the senate with determination to tame 1t,
and almost without exception these men them
selves have been tanned by the senate and have
come to realize the true value of the senate rules
Senator Moses declared that limitation of de-
bate already existed in the senate It was gen
orally applied, he said, under unanimous consent
agreements-agreeing to time for vote and
that, pending such vote, no Senator should speak
more than once, nor more than given time, upon
measure proposed amendment. lie then
explained Rule % and its workings and said, in
part:
Nevertheless there is a remedy for everything
complained Of and one which may be appneo
wholly outside of the rules of the senate. The
senate itself has twice shown a willingness TO
adopt this remedy: Senator Norris q Nen ,t
has proposed, and the senate has agreed 20 sunni
an amendment to the Constitution which Wouiu
enable the new President and congress to take
office in the January Following their electlon ~
November Under such arrangement there
would be so-called short session OF congress-
and in consequence filibuster could be INDUCED
in have not observed that any Of those now SO
busi1y engaged in defaming the senate nave
shown any willingness to indorse Senator Norris
appeal It may be that they as ignorant OF 1t
as they the actual effect of the rules OF the
senate. ,,. -,
1t is Of course automatic that the majority has
the right rule But majorites differ from uay
to day, and majority in the senate is no longer
partisan political In point of fact, except
through artificial means strict party dlvlson , -
rarely to be had nowadays at either END or the
capitol and the engrossing question OF tederal
legislation nowadays those of economic import
affecting the material interests of sectional groups
of states.
The inevitable result is series of coalitions
differing from day to day and with the character
of the proposals which the various groups espouse;
Under these circumstances majorties are oouh aa
to be as reckless they are ephemeral; ana the
safest and the strongest safeguard against me
powers which the system entails 10 to be founo