Page:Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure Upload 2.pdf/28

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24
Duties of a Presiding Officer.
§ 17

duct of the presiding officer than upon any other condition, it therefore follows that in order to have perfect control of the assembly he should be able to control himself, pay strict attention to all debate, be ready to answer all parliamentary inquiries and to explain the parliamentary effect of proposed acts of the assembly. Remembering always that he is not the autocrat, but the servant of the assembly, subject always to its control, and he should be ready at all times to obey its commands, since if he abuses his authority the assembly has power to censure, reprimand or, (unless the term of office be fixed by higher authority) to remove him from office for violation of the rules or for misconduct while in office.

17. When a motion has been made and seconded it is the duty of the presiding officer (of the motion is in order) to state the question so that the members may know what question is before them. The question should be stated in the form in which it will appear in the minutes (21) if it passes in the affirmative. The chair should state the motion in language as near