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PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE

but he cannot speak a second time if a member who has not spoken on the question wishes to speak and claims the floor. A member who has spoken seldom should always have the preference over one who has spoken frequently. No member can speak longer than ten minutes at any one time.

The members may be so peaceable and orderly that it is not necessary to require a motion to be made before the subject is discussed. The chair may allow the method of the English Parliament in its early history to be adopted, namely, to consider the general subject they wish to act upon until they are practically agreed upon a course of action, and then to have the chair frame and put to vote a question expressing the idea. In all cases a vote should be taken on whatever action it is proposed to take. [See R. O. R. pp. 212-214.]

Business in Meetings Designed for Other Purposes. In many societies there is practically no business transacted except at the annual meeting when the reports for the year are received and acted upon, officers are elected, and committees appointed, etc. Other societies find it convenient also to have regular business meetings quarterly, or even monthly, these meetings frequently being in connection with, and at the close of, the regular literary, musical, scientific, social, or religious meeting. These business meetings are under the rules of deliberative assemblies.

While in such organizations most of the business