Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/118

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96
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE

by any member before it has been debated or any subsidiary motion has been stated upon it. He rises and says, "Mr. Chairman, I object to the consideration of the question." The chairman immediately says, "The consideration of the question is objected to. Will the assembly consider it? As many as are in favor of the consideration," etc. It cannot be debated or amended. If decided in the negative by a two-thirds vote, the whole matter is dismissed for that session; otherwise the discussion continues as if the objection had never been made. If the objection is sustained the question may be introduced at any succeeding session. This objection to the consideration of a question must not be confused with objecting where unanimous consent is requested.

Division of a Question. If a motion includes several independent resolutions, it must be divided on the demand or request of a single member so that the resolutions may be acted upon separately. If a main motion or an amendment contains two or more parts each of which is capable of standing as a complete proposition if the others are removed, it can be divided into two or more propositions to be considered and voted on as distinct questions by the assembly's adopting a motion to divide the question in a specified manner. This motion can be made at any time when the question to be divided or the motion to postpone indefinitely is immediately pending, even after the previous question has been ordered. When