The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-03-18
HOME ! RULE AND RECALL
+: IDEA Gets An IMPETUS
Duluth Sociological Clubs TAX
ing Up the Subject of
Local Recall.
Charter Commission Asked to
Submit Amendment For
Adoption Of System

City Council passed resolution asking
the Charter commiesion to submit an
amendment to the city charter provid-
ing for biennial elections and the adop-
ton of the recall system. Since then
cussion on the subject in several Of the
sociological clubs Of the city, The idea
Is meeting with favor wherever it is
discussed. Several American cities
have adopted the idea. the principal one
being Los Angeles, Cal, where, after
several abortive attempts, charter
has been adopted which has three i'm
portant features that bring home rule
closer the people than does the charter
Of any other American city, or, it is
said. than any city anywhere except in
New Zealand
The majority of the voters of Los
Angeles have voted into their new
charter the initiative, the referendum,
and the recall. Under the first, they
can initiate municipal legislation re-
fuaed by the council; under the second.
they can compel reference to a general
vote Of measures passed by the council;
and under the third, they can compel
any official whose course is obnoxious
to submit his tenure Of office to anoth-
er vote.
In the initiative. a petition for the en-
actment Of a measure must have the
signature Of Is per cent. Of the voters
who voted for mayor at the preceding
election. Within five days after such
a petition is filed, the council must
pass the measure or submit it to the
people. II majority vote for it, it at
once becomes a valid and binding ordi-
nance.
To invoke the action of the referen-
dunn, only seven per cent. of the voters
is necessary. If, within the thirty days
before which an ordinance passed by
the council becomes effective, this per-
centage Of voters petition therefor, it
must be submitted to popular vote.
The more radical provision of this
charter is the recall" The charter
says: The holder Of any elective Of
flce may be removed at any time by the
electors qualified to vote for the sue
cessor OF such incumbent To take
sthissaction requifea ! petition of twen-
~fy-hve per cent Of the svoters. This
power has already been exercised in
one instance. that Of q, city councilman
who was suspected of crookedhess. He
was a candidate for reelection, or to
retain his office, but was defeated. His
offense was common one-voting to
let contracts to others than the lowest
and best bidders.
Are these provisions as applied to
os< 0SNt xvy3c
good men to this question will be an
tagonistic to one another. On one
hand, it will be contended that city Of
ficials are elected for the very purpose
Of bearing responsibility and relieving
the people therefrom; that a repre-
sentative government in a city is az
necessary as in state or nation, and
that these provisions are likely to lead
to constant turmoil, unrest, expense,
and injury.
On the other hand. it is urged that
these are proper advancing steps in re-
al government by the people; that
they are not likely to exercise these
powers to their detriment; that only
thus can the corruption that pervades
almost all city governments be elimin-
ated, and that the possession of these
powers will stimulate the voters gener-
ally to take keener and more intelli-
gent interest in municipal government.
We are inclined. to agree with the
latter opinion. When officials know
that the people have these powers and
are likely to exercise them at any
time, care Will be taken by the council
to pass ordinances demanded by the
people, to defeat those opposed by the
majority. and they and other munich
pal servants will be more careful to
walk In a straight official path.
Greedy, grafting, unconscionable, or
incompetent city officials are them
selves to blame for this movement, or
to be credited Herewith. Municipal
government in this country has be-
come stencil, a shame> a scandal.
and the people must do something to
reform it. 1t will be cheaper to hold
frequent local elections than to submit
to the boodling going on in almost ev-
cry large municipality.
Cunbusta Tin barber shop)-Tm 60 years
cd today. Fix me up In style.