Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/Practical Suggestions

by Orson B. Felt

Layout 2

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.

166. In closing it may be said that a work of this kind would hardly be complete unless it offered a few suggestions for those who desire to take an active part in the proceedings or to preside over a deliberative assembly.

Each member of an assembly should bear in mind that the rights of the individual members are based on the fact of the equality of the members, and by reason of said right each and every member is entitled to the same courteous attention while participating in debate or other proceedings of the assembly. Therefore, as every member has the right, it is the duty of the presiding officer to insist that every other member so conduct himself that this right may be effectual, and while enforcing the rules preserving order or ruling on such questions as may necessarily arise in the course of proceedings, he should be careful not to wound the sensibilities of any member, and to so perform the duties of his office as to abstain from even the appearance of partisanship. Such action on the part of the chairman shows proper courtesy to the members and will do much to inspire confidence in the timid members, and to make them more free to exercise their right to express their views in debate, or to offer such suggestions or amendments as the may think proper.

167. While it is the first duty of a presiding officer to observe the will of the assembly it is important that he hold the members as nearly as possible to the business before them by confining debate to its proper channel, and by not allowing members to filibuster by making unnecessary motions for the purpose of wasting time, causing delay, or preventing action. It has come to be a common practice among members of of deliberative as well as legislative assemblies to hinder the transaction of business by making use of even proper parliamentary motions for the sole purpose of delaying action of the assembly, and when such action is leading to confusion the chair would be justified in interfering.

By unanimous consent many things may be done that will save time—for example, in matters of trifling import or in the ordinary routine of business the chair often assumes a motion to be seconded and puts it without waiting for a formal second, and since, by unanimous consent, an assembly may do anything which is competent for the assembly to do, he may announce that “if there is no objection such will be considered the action of the assembly,” but this is understood to be only by unanimous consent, since such proceeding may be stopped by some member objecting. Therefore, where there are members who are continually objecting, or raising points of order, the safest course is to proceed strictly according to the forms of parliamentary law.

Members who are not well informed in the rules of procedure frequently make motions to effect purposes for which other motions would be more suitable, and when such motions are made the chairman may, with propriety, suggest how the desired object may be accomplished—for example, “if it be moved that a certain question be laid on the table until a certain time,” the chair might suggest that the proper motion is “to postpone to that time,” or if it be moved to “reconsider the vote by which some question had been laid on the table,” he might suggest that it be taken from the table.

168. A judicious presiding officer will remember there are many things, such as inconsistency, incompatibility, or unconstitutionality of proposed action, which are for the assembly to decide, and while he may offer suggestions in reference to the subject, he should not attempt to dictate or to usurp the rights of the assembly by suppressing such action as being out of order, for in all such cases the will of the majority is the supreme power and the decision of the chair may be promptly overruled by the assembly. In short, it may be said that while it is easy to state these rules in words, it is often difficult either to enforce them or to rule upon them in practice; therefore the chairman should have a good temper, much firmness, great tact, and, above all, common sense as well as ability to make good use of these gifts, because the larger the assembly the more complicated the business before it, the more imperative it is that the presiding officer be equal to the occasion.