Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/55

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SECONDARY AMENDMENTS
33

reasonable opportunity has been given for amendments to be proposed to the words to be struck out. When no further amendments are proposed and no one claims the floor, the question is put on the complete motion to strike out and insert.

A motion to substitute is treated in the same way. The friends of the paragraph to be struck out are first given an opportunity to modify it by amendments so as to diminish the chances of their defeat. The friends of the proposed new paragraph are then given a similar opportunity to modify it with a view to gaining votes for their side. When both paragraphs are thus perfected the question is put on substituting the new one for the old one. After this the question is put on adopting the main motion as it then stands, whether the amendment is adopted or not. This is illustrated in the Drill, page 43.

While one secondary amendment is pending no other secondary amendment of the same motion is in order. A secondary amendment cannot be amended. After an amendment of the first or second degree has been disposed of, another amendment of the same degree is in order. Great care must be taken that after every motion and every vote the question before the assembly is clearly stated, especially when several amendments have been offered. To illustrate: There is pending the resolution "Resolved, That John will saw wood." The primary amendment to add the words "because he loves to do so" is offered; while this is pending the