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

sentative editors and publishers at the annual
meeting of the Associated Press, he stated his
position in carefully prepared address He urged
reform of the senate rules as subversve to repre-
sentative government and put his thus in
part:
~ AS vice president elected not by the senate, OF
10Y a. state but by the people of the United States
90 preside over the senate, I conceive myself
charged with the duty Of calling attHns0n 70
The issue is this: Shall the senate continue uh
possible, at times the exercise py mlnor..y, %
even one senator, of power to block the purpose
of a majority of the senate to legislate!
with full confidence in the patriotism and integ-
rity of senators when they confront a question
plain duty affecting the interest OF the nalion
Il appealed to them for their rectlncaton 81
Rule 20 SO as protect the majority Of the senate
constitutional right to legislate o,t,.ans
And than this, now appeal TO the cilizens
of the different to impress upon their indl-
vidual senators by correspondence by resolution
or petition, their attitude on this proposiIon.
No argument is sound to the effect that, to pro-
tect majority of the senate and or the american
people themselves, It Is necessary 70 pue 1th q
The end of session, at the mercy OF either q
minority of any one United states senator
Now. this writer has no brief either for Dawes
or for the senate His purpose in this article is
not argumentatiye but Informative For example,
how can enjoy the fireworks unless ne knows
what "Rule 22n is and how it works-or doesn't
work? Anyway, lere is Rule y, with a rev par
Hamentary fourishes omitted:
a time motion, signed by sixteen SehH-
tors to bring to a close the debate upon any
pending measure is presented, the preslolns
officer shall state the motion one
hour after the meets the following caIen-
efar day but one, shall lay the motion before the
senate and direct that the secretary call the roll
The presiding officer shall, without debate,
submit to the senate by and nay vote the
question: is it the of the senate that the
debate shall be brought to close? II that
question shall be decided in the affirmative by a
two-thirds vote those voting, then said measure
shall the unfinished business to the excursion
of all other business until disposed Of
Thereafter senator shall be entitled to speak
In all more than hour the pending meas
ure and it shall be the duty of the presiding
officer to keep the time of each senator who speaks
Except by unanimous consent, amendment snail
he in order. -. No di1atory motion, or dilatory
amendment or amendment not germane shall De
In order Points of order including questions OF
relevancy, and appeals from the decision of the
presiding officer, shall be decided without debate
This rule means that any question can DE
brought to a vote-after 90 one-hour speeches
II two-thirds of the senate wants it done. But
that two-thirds is what Dawes wants changed to a
majority This rule can workAand did work In
ahe last congress the Isle of Pines treaty,
which had been before tie senate for more than
twenty wears. Senator Copeland of New York be-
ran a filibuster. Thereupon Senator Curtis OF
Kansas majority leader, got busy and the treaty
was ratified within two days-because nearly
every senator was ashamed of the long neglect of
the treaty.
So, WIEN Dawes says that the senate, almost