PARLIAMENTARY L A W. The rules which govern deliberative assem blies. Their object is to place restric tions upon individual members so as to insure that the sense of the meeting be ascertained without needless waste of time. The officers necessary for an as sembly to transact business under par liamentary law are a presiding officer called a president or speaker, and a sec retary. It is the duty of such a pre siding officer to call the meeting to order, to state clearly the motions made and see that due order of precedence is given to the various members. The secretary or clerk keeps the minutes of the meet ing, lists of committees appointed, and copies of resolutions passed.
A resolution or motion is made by a member, and according to most authori ties must be seconded before the matter is considered to be opened for discussion. The member proposing the motion has the right to speak first upon it. In case the debate is being needlessly prolonged by the opposition a motion can be made from the floor to lay the question upon the table, which postpones action upon the original motion, or the previous ques tion can be moved which demands that the chairman put the original motion to a vote at once. In case a decision by the
chair is questioned an appeal can be taken to the entire body and the ruling revised, but a two-third's vote is neces sary for this.
In considering what motions to bring before the assembly the speaker can use his judgment except in matters known as privileged questions. Privileged ques tions include motions relating to rights and privileges of members, or to adjourn, or to fix a time for adjournment; the last-named motion taking precedence of all.
An amendment can be offered to all motions except privileged questions and if they do not strike out anything in the original motion must be declared in order even if they change the entire sense of the resolution.