Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/135

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CHAPTER XVI.

OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES.

Chairman or President. Unless some special title is given to the office in the by-laws, the presiding officer is called the chairman, and is addressed as Mr. or Madam Chairman. When he has a special title the word "Chairman" is replaced by that title. Whatever his title, in referring to himself as presiding officer he uses the term, "the chair," never the pronoun of the first person. He should set an example to the assembly in fairness, courtesy, and obedience to rules. He should call the meeting to order at the appointed time; preside at all the meetings; announce the business before the assembly in its proper order; state and put all questions properly brought before the assembly; announce the result of every vote and the next business in order if there is any; inform members on points of order, and answer parliamentary inquiries relating to pending business when necessary to enable members to proceed in order; preserve order and decorum; and decide all questions of order subject to an appeal. When putting a question and announcing the result, and when speaking

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