Page:Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure Upload 2.pdf/198

194 to be a common practice among members of of deliberative as well as legislative assemblies to hinder the transaction of business by making use of even proper parliamentary motions for the sole purpose of delaying action of the assembly, and when such action is leading to confusion the chair would be justified in interfering.

By unanimous consent many things may be done that will save time—for example, in matters of trifling import or in the ordinary routine of business the chair often assumes a motion to be seconded and puts it without waiting for a formal second, and since, by unanimous consent, an assembly may do anything which is competent for the assembly to do, he may announce that “if there is no objection such will be considered the action of the assembly,” but this is understood to be only by unanimous consent, since such proceeding may be stopped by some member objecting. Therefore, where there are members who are continually objecting, or raising points of order, the safest course is to proceed strictly according to the forms of parliamentary law.