“The president decides who shall speak, when several want to speak at the same time; and so he prevents all confusion. Nobody must speak without his leave.”
“Do they have to ask him?” said Rollo.
“Yes, in fact, they ask him, though not formally in words. They ask him by rising. In large meetings among men, whoever wants to speak, stands up, and then the president calls their name, and that is giving him permission to speak. If more than one stand up at a time, then he calls the name of one of them, and he has leave to speak, and the other must sit down.”
“Which one does he call?” asked Rollo.
“The one whom he happens to notice first. He must be careful not to call his friends more than he does other persons. He must be impartial. Then, besides, the president puts the question.”
“Puts the question?” asked Rollo; “what is putting the question?”
“Why, after all has been said about the plan that they want to say, the president asks all that are in favor of it, to hold up their hands; and he counts them. Then he asks all that are against it to hold up their hands. He counts these too. And it is decided according to the number of votes.”
“Is that the way they do?” said Rollo.
“Yes,” replied his father, “that is the way that men do; but boys all talk together, and dispute. If some want to play ball, and some want to play horses, they all talk together, and dispute; it is all,—‘I say we will,’ and ‘I say we won’t,’—and those that make the most noise get the victory.”
“The men’s way is the best,” said Rollo.