Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-05-26
WORTHY DISPUTANTS

1t would be idle TO suppose tnat
the Senate rules, against which Vice.
President Dawes is crusading, have
come into existence without any
merit and have been retained solely
for the convenience of a minority OF
that body. 1t has remained for ex-
Senator Beveridge with IL years of
experience as a member of the Sem
ate to present the clearest and with
al the most convincing argument for
retention of those rules, that has yet
appeared.
He declares in an article in the
Boston Herald. without reservation,
~Throughout our whole history in
times of peace no so-called 'filibust-
err ever succeeded which was not APP
proved by the judgment Of the ma
ton after the people learned the
facts and weighed the arguments on
both sides of the question and then
made up their minds about it def
nitely. On the other hand, no So
called 'filibuster ever failed which
was approved by the settled judg-
ment of the people when they were
advised of the reason for such deter
mined opposition"
While it is possible that Mr.. Bev-
eridge in some instances may have
termed acouiescence. Indifference or
b feeling of helplessness on the part
of the public as approval never
theless it would seem to be up to
General Dawes and those who fav-
or the change to make this clear.
The doughty ex-senator is stu
dent. also he speaks out of long ex-
perience with the cogency and vigor
for which he is noted. AS he says:
sAny schoolboy or schoolgirl as well
as the ripest student of American in
situations knows that the Senate was
created to act as a check on hasty
legislation and impulsive projects;
It was to be the stable and STABILIZE
ing force in the legislative branch Of
our government" We should not
forget this. We doubt if the Amer
lean people on mature judgment
would wish to depart from this check
on haste and immature conclusions.
Mr.. Beveridge warns that cloture
in the Senate would surely prove a
two-edged sword. This, too, should
be taken into consideration. Legis-
lation brought about by wave of
public sentiment may be utilized by
radicals as well as conservatives, in
fact is more to their liking. 1t is
said every dog has his day, so it is
not irrational to suppose the radicals
will have theirs.
General Dawes does not think we
should deem 1t necessary in order to
protect majority to permit a mi
nority to exercise the privilege of
filibustering. While the filibuster
might cite Horatius at the bridge as
the shining example to follow, this
would hardly be convincing to a
modern publics mind, who likes to
see public business and the admin
istration of law conducted with more
regard to common-sense than to ira
dition. On the other hand the fact
that foreign law making bodies adopt
cloture is not necessarily a good rea-
son why: we should do SO. Beveridge
shows that conditions here are diff
ferent from those abroad, and de-
clares the British would like to
adopt our method If their affairs, in
GLIDING the legislating respecting
their colonies. would permit of this
being done.
Beveridge insists it was not intend
ed by the Constitution that the SEN
ate should be a popular body like
the House: that if the Senate be not
capable of making it's, rules it is in
capable of attending properly to it's
other duties; that those rules should
not be changed in response to
worked-up clamor. There is some
sense in all this, but no body of men
" SAAAS SoHAtAJ 10 SdCTOSdUCl, the
Senate cannot expect to escape criti-
cism and must defend itself. The
criticism has come from both con-
servatives and radicals and members
OF the Senate, themselves are On
record as being critics. But there
should be proof to support the criti-
cism. Beveridge denies the existen, n
of such and proceeds to tell us that
the vice. President has great capacity
Tor mischief. that he may disregard
The Senate's rules Of procedure and
no one can prevent him SO doing. as
he Will have violated no law and is
not exposed to impeachment. Rut
because the vice President NAV
abuse his office is no reason why tha
Senate should be permitted TO abnse
the public, assuming, as MANY do
tsiat II occasionally does SO.
Let the discussion go on and pub-
nc sentiment shape up under it IT
IS Always better to make the best of
imperfect tools, than to throw them
ASIDE for untried experiments. No
interest is suffering SO greatly