Page:Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure Upload 2.pdf/50

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46
Debate and Decorum.
§ 41

question (122, 135); in that case the subject of debate includes the whole range of pending propositions.

The presiding officer should not participate in debate while in the chair, or take part in the proceedings in any other capacity than as its presiding officer. He is, however, allowed to state matters of fact within his knowledge, state the parliamentary effect of proposed acts of the assembly, inform the assembly on points of order, and when an appeal (124) is taken from his decision he may state to the assembly his reasons for the decision before putting the appeal to vote.

41. When a member has the floor, the chairman or any other member cannot interrupt him as long as he keeps within the rules of the assembly. (See exceptions in section 78).

Each member in speaking should confine himself to the question before the assembly, and should bear in mind that all language must be decorous. He should not