Robert's Parliamentary Practice/Chapter 18
CHAPTER XVIII.
SIXTH DRILL, ILLUSTRATING MINUTES, APPEAL, NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO BY-LAWS, ETC.
[This is an adjournment of the meeting described in Chapter XV.]
President [rapping on the desk]. The meeting will come to [or will be in] order. The secretary will read the minutes.
Secretary [standing and reading the minutes of the meeting described in Chapter XV].
A regular meeting of the Society for Community Betterment was held Jan. 9, 1921, the president and the secretary being present. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
Mr. A offered the following resolution: "Resolved, That ill-nourished children in our public schools should be furnished with a hot luncheon." Mr. B moved to postpone it to the next regular meeting. These motions were laid on the table after the chair, in response to a parliamentary inquiry, had explained that a motion was not killed by being laid on the table, but that it could be taken from the table by a majority vote at any time not assigned to another subject, provided no question was pending.[1]
Mr. E moved "that the society organize a community singing school." Debate on the question was limited to one speech of two minutes by each member. After debate the motion was lost.
Mr. I moved "that a reading room for juniors should be a part of our public library." While motions "to refer this question to a committee of five to be appointed by the chair," and "for the previous question on all pending questions" were pending, all pending questions were laid on the table in order to hear an address by Mr. C. R. Leslie. After this address the questions were taken from the table and the previous question was ordered on all pending questions. The society then at 11.45 A. M. took a recess until 2 P. M.
At 2 P. M., the society reconvened, and the interrupted business was resumed. The motion "that a reading room for juniors should be a part of our public library" was referred to a committee of five appointed by the chair. Messrs. . . . were appointed the committee.
The resolution relating to furnishing luncheon to ill-nourished children in our public schools was then taken from the table, and the motion to postpone it to the next regular meeting was adopted.
On motion of Mr. P the vote on the motion "that this society organize a community singing school" was reconsidered, and the motion was then adopted. When Mr. P began to speak on the question a point of order was made that each member was limited to one speech on the question and that Mr. P had exhausted his right to speak on this question. The chair ruled that the point of order was not well taken, because all the votes had been taken on all the questions upon which debate was limited, and therefore the order limiting debate was exhausted, and was not revived by the reconsideration.
After voting to adjourn and to fix the time for an adjourned meeting, the society was declared adjourned to 10 A. M. one week from to-day.Pres. Are there any corrections to the minutes?
Mr. A. I think the date of the last meeting should be changed to Jan. 10.
Pres. The gentleman is right and the secretary will make the correction. Are there any further corrections? [A pause.] There being none the minutes stand approved. Is the committee to which was referred the motion relating to a reading room for juniors in the public library prepared to report?[2]
Chairman of Committee. The committee has so far been unable to get a majority to agree on a report. Further discussion will be necessary.
Mr. A. I move "that the committee be discharged and that the question be now considered." [Seconded, stated, put, and adopted by a two-thirds vote.]
Pres. There being two-thirds in the affirmative, the motion is adopted and the committee is discharged. The question is on the motion "that a reading room for juniors should be a part of our public library." [After debate, question is put and motion is adopted.]
Mr. B. I move to suspend the rules and take up the resolution relating to furnishing luncheon to ill-nourished children. [Seconded.]
Pres. The resolution referred to was postponed to the next regular meeting. It is moved and seconded to suspend the rules and take up the question now. As many as are in favor of the motion, rise. Those opposed, rise. There being two-thirds in the affirmative the motion is adopted, and the question is on the resolution, "Resolved, That ill-nourished children in our public schools should be furnished with a hot luncheon."
Mr. C. I move to amend the resolution by adding the words, "and that poorly clad children in our schools should be furnished with proper clothing." [Seconded.]
Pres. The chair is of opinion that the amendment is not germane to the resolution, and therefore the motion is ruled out of order.
Mr. C. Mr. President, it seems to me that when we are expressing our opinions on reforms———
Pres. [interrupting]. The ruling of the chair cannot be debated unless the gentleman appeals from the decision. Does the gentleman appeal?
Mr. C. I should like to explain why I think the amendment in order, but I do not like to appeal.
Pres. The chair will consider it a favor if the gentleman will appeal and thus throw upon the assembly the responsibility of deciding whether the amendment is germane or not.
Mr. C. Then I appeal from the decision of the chair. [Seconded.]
Pres. The decision of the chair is appealed from. The pending resolution is, "Resolved, That," etc. [repeating the resolution]. Mr. C moved to amend by adding the words, "and that poorly clad children," etc. [repeating the amendment]. The chair ruled the amendment not germane and therefore out of order. From this decision Mr. C appeals. The question is, "Shall the decision of the chair stand as the judgment of the assembly?"
[The chairman states the reasons for his decision and then assigns the floor to Mr. C. When the debate is finished, no member speaking more than once, the chairman may further explain his position, replying to any adverse argument before putting the question.]
Pres. The question is, "Shall the decision of the chair stand as the judgment of the assembly?" As many as are of the affirmative opinion [or, Those in the affirmative] say Aye. Those of a contrary opinion [or, Those in the negative] say No. The ayes have it and the decision of the chair stands as the judgment of the assembly [or is sustained]. The question is on the resolution, "Resolved, That ill-nourished children in our public schools should be furnished with a hot luncheon."
Mr. D. I move the previous question. [Seconded, stated, put, and adopted by a two-thirds vote: question put on resolution and adopted.]
Mr. E. I move the adoption of the following resolution, "Resolved, That we make application to our Mayor to have our streets oiled." [Seconded and stated.]
Mr. F [rising without obtaining the floor]. Mr. Chairman, I object to the consideration of the question.[3]
Pres. The consideration of the question is objected to. Will the assembly consider it? As many as are in favor of the consideration will rise. Those opposed will rise. There being two-thirds opposed to the consideration the objection is sustained and the question will not be considered.
Mr. G. I move to adjourn. [Seconded and stated.]
Mr. H [rising and interrupting the president as he is about to put the question]: Mr. President [As soon as he attracts the president's attention, he continues:] I rise to give notice of the following amendment to the by-laws to be acted upon at the next meeting:
Proposed Amendment to the By-laws.
Substitute for Section 3, Art. VI, the following sections:
"Sec. 3. Regular meetings of the society shall be held on the first and third Thursdays of the month except from June 1 to Oct. 1.
"Sec. 4. Special meetings may be called by the President or by ten members."
Charles Hancock.
[Hands the written amendment to the president.][4]
Pres. Notice is given of the following amendment to the by-laws to be acted upon at the next meeting. [Reads proposed amendment and hands it to the secretary.] At the next meeting it will also be necessary to elect four delegates, and their alternates, to the State Convention. It has been moved and seconded to adjourn. [Question put, motion adopted, and meeting declared adjourned.]
- ↑ All rulings of the chair that may be of value as a precedent should be entered in the minutes. Similar answers to parliamentary inquiries should also be entered.
- ↑ If there are any committees to report, the chair should have a list of them and should call for the reports before entertaining any other business except reports of officers.
- ↑ This objection may be made while another has the floor, the objector rising and interrupting, if necessary, in order to make his objection. The objector is not necessarily recognized. After there has been debate it is too late to object.
- ↑ A proposed amendment to the by-laws should be in writing, and it is well to have it signed by two persons. This is equivalent to a motion and a second.