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

in the opportunity for unlimited debate which the
rules of the senate now provide.
Senator Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas SEN
ate minority leader, said in public address that
Vice President Dawes has the remedy in his own
hands, To reverse an old ruling of previous
senate presiding officer that senator is the sole
judge of whether he is speaking to the question
during debate "All that is necessary is for Vice
President Dawes to do just what presiding officers
in other parliamentary bodies do he said. When
a point of order is raised that senator is not
speaking to the subject before the senate, If the
point of order should be sustained majority
vote would be required to enable the senate to
proceed"
Senator Walter f. George of Georgia, Democrat,
has suggested in print that abolition Of the Tame
duck" (short term) congress would bring about
the result desired by Genera Dawes, thus agree
ing with Senator Moses.
Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi was asked
to state his attitude and made this characteristic
reply:
1t is said that once a fly lit upon the dome of
ST. PauIs cathedral. Crawling across one of the
seamlike connections, he flew to tell the other
flies that he had discovered terrible defect in
this the greatest work of Sir Christopher Wren.
commend this story to General Dawes
Senator Oscar w. Underwood of Alabama,
Democrat, generally considered one of tie ablest
men in the senate, has long been an advocate of
demand rentroduced a resolution providing for
better cloture. Underwood says fatty that no man
can successfully deny that the present rules
are ineffective for transacting business in an or
DERBY manner He says that the larger part of
the time of the senate in the last congress was
taken up by ilibuster against the Muscle Shoals
bill and that bills allowed to go throug had only
crrsory examination or were passed by unanimous
consent without any consideration at all. And
he says:
We come back to the real question to whether
we should closure rule for the senate or
not-a rule to close debate such as is usually
called in parliamentary law the previous ques-
ton" The Constitution of the United States con-
templates that a majority Of the United States
senate shall transact business But when the rules
Of the senate permit small minority to occupy
so much time in the debate any question that
such a minority force concessions from an
unwilling majority in order that legislation may
be achieved the constitutional requirement that a
majority may transact business undoubtedly is
nullified.
aHell Maria, Dawes crusade is, of course
good copy Lots of people don't seem to love
the senate any more. Apparently they hope the
"Bogy Man. will get it-and rather think he Will
And lots of people, who not wildly enthusi-
astic over General Dawes, say quite bluntly that
ne wants to be President and is manufacturing
an issue all his own. Anyway editorial writer's
para graphers humorsts cartoOniStS, reporters
and correspondents busy over tie various
phases of the affair. Public opinion, as reflected
in the press. is wide apart as the poles. Every
day or so some senator is put on record, pro or
con. Political leaders in bosh parties seem to
think thar it will be forced on them in 1926 as
an issue in the senatorial campagn. Altogether
the situation reminds many of rhe story of the
man who prayed for assistance liz fist fight upon
which he about to engage, bet, he said. I'll
YOU feel, O Lord that YOU can't take sides in this
scrmmage l advise you, if you have nothing par
ticular to do. to stick around for little while
and you will see the godarnedest, prettiest scraI
you ever laid eyes on.