III--VOTING

Persons unfamiliar with club methods sometimes are puzzled as to ways of voting. There are several. The simplest is for the President to put a motion by saying "Will those in favor of the motion say aye," and later, "Will those opposed say no." Then she judges which of the two cla.s.ses is most numerous. If she cannot decide, she may ask to have the vote repeated by raising the hand or by rising, in which case she puts the motion as before, asking those who favor the motion to raise the right hand or to rise. After having the Secretary or tellers count them, she asks those opposed to do the same and has them counted. In case the vote is taken by voice and a member differs from the President's decision as to which side prevailed, she may request a rising vote. In case of every vote the President should declare the result by saying either "the motion is carried," or "the motion is lost." The President herself does not vote, except when the number of the ayes and that of the noes are even, when she casts the deciding vote. If the vote is by ballot, tellers are appointed who distribute slips of paper upon which the members write yes or no, and the ballots are counted by the Secretary or the tellers, and the result is handed in writing to the President who reads it aloud and declares the result. In voting for new members some clubs use a box with white b.a.l.l.s for the affirmative and black b.a.l.l.s for the negative. After being placed in the box, these are counted by the Secretary and the result is declared by the President as before.

IV--THE PRESIDENT

At every meeting the President shall have before her a written outline of the business to be considered.

It should be understood that the function of the presiding officer is simply to keep the meeting going in an orderly way. She cannot make motions, and ought not to make remarks on any motion. If she desires to do so, she should call upon some one else to preside temporarily.

V--MOTIONS

The only proper way to carry on business is to "have a motion before the house." No subject can be discussed unless two persons agree to bring it up, one making the motion and the other seconding it. After that the President calls for remarks and "gives the floor" to one person, calling her name. While she "has the floor" she is the only person ent.i.tled to speak. Interruptions, remarks or questions are out of order, unless with the speaker's permission, which should be asked for only through the President. Much disorder is caused by two or more persons trying to speak at the same time, and it is the duty of the President to prevent this by rapping with her gavel (if this should be necessary) and saying "Will the club please come to order."

VI--SPEAKING

It is considered bad form for any one person to speak twice on the same motion. It is supposed that when the speaker has the floor she will say what she has to say and then give way to others. But if a member wishes to speak a second time on a subject, because some new phase of it may have come up in remarks made after her first speaking, she should ask the President if she may be allowed to speak again, and, if no one objects, it is proper for her to do so. The value of such rules is that they prevent the discussion from becoming a mere general conversation.

Also they train speakers to get their ideas well in hand before speaking and to be brief.

VII--CLOSING DEBATE

Sometimes a discussion threatens to run on interminably, and in that case there are ways by which the club can limit it. This may be done by setting an hour at which the debate shall close and the motion be put.

When that time arrives the person speaking must be interrupted by the President and the vote taken. In such cases it is sometimes voted that each speaker shall be limited say to five minutes, and when the five minutes are up the President must interrupt the speaker and give the floor to the next one.

Or debate may be ended by somebody moving "the previous question," and if this is seconded, the President, without permitting any discussion whatever, must put it to vote, and if two-thirds favor "the previous question" that means that the original motion must now be put without any further remarks.

Still another way of ending a debate is to move to lay the motion under discussion "on the table." If this is seconded, it must be put by the President without allowing any discussion. If the majority vote to lay the matter on the table, that means that consideration of it is postponed to some future meeting. If no one at a later meeting moves to have it taken from the table, it remains there indefinitely, which means that it is practically dead.

Still another way to end a debate is to move to adjourn. This is always in order and takes precedence of every other motion, and, if carried, ends the session. The business left unfinished must be taken up at the next meeting.

The President should familiarize herself thoroughly with the rules of order and be able to decide on the moment which motions take precedence of others.

VIII--APPEALS

A President may take a position sometimes, in controlling the meeting, which seems unwise or unfair to some. In that case it is always in order for one of those differing with her to say "I move an appeal to the club," and if another says "I second the appeal," the President is bound to put the motion saying "Those in favor of the appeal will say aye"; and then "Those opposed will say no," and if "the ayes have it" the President's decision is reversed and she must abide by the action of the club without remark.

IX--COMMITTEES

In organizations that have much business to transact, it is customary to turn over many of its details to committees, regular or special. It is their duty to confer on these matters, to ask the opinions of other members privately if they are so inclined and having digested the business in point thoroughly to present a definite report upon it at a meeting of the club. If the committee has the full confidence of the club, its report is likely to be accepted without any, or at least much, debate and so time is saved in the club meetings.

In meetings of committees the Chairman occupies the same position as the President in the larger club meetings and the committee business may be carried on in the same orderly manner. However, most committee meetings are likely to be more like a conference or informal conversation and strict rules of order are often a hindrance rather than a help under such circ.u.mstances. But, in any case, when the members of the committee have discussed the subject as fully as they wish, the result should be carried out by a formal motion, seconded and carried by vote. To save controversy it is best to have this final motion put into writing. It then becomes the report of the committee to the club.

X--ELECTIONS

In an election of officers and committees it is usual to have a Nominating Committee bring in a complete "slate" or list of nominations. To save time, frequently some one moves that "the Secretary cast a ballot for the persons named." If this is seconded and unanimously carried, the Secretary takes the "slate" just read, and laying it on the table says "I hereby cast a ballot for the persons nominated." But if one person dissents from this motion, ballots must be pa.s.sed and the vote taken with them.

The nominations made by a Nominating Committee, it should be understood always, do not exclude any member of the club (when seconded, of course) from making other nominations if she wishes, and opportunity should be given to do so. In case two or more nominations are made for any office, voting must be by ballot.

XI--EXECUTIVE SESSION

Sometimes a matter may come up to which it is not wise to give publicity. In that case by motion the club may "go into executive session," which means that all persons not members of the club should retire from the room (unless exceptions are made by special vote) and then the club business is carried on in secret. It is supposed to be a point of honor that no member of the club should give out information concerning anything said or done in executive session.

To persons unused to orderly business in a.s.semblies, such rules as have been described may seem at first to be unnecessary and an annoying limitation on freedom of speech. But really they are not so. They tend to prevent excited controversy, secure justice to everybody in the end, and a.s.sist in getting the business of a club done.

THE END