Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-08
ADVISES PRESERVATION IN CHARTER OF
RECALL, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
AND ADOPTION OF DIRECT PRIMARIES
Points to Growth of
Advanced Ideas
in the East
States Adopting Plan to incorporate
in Their Constitutions Some of
the Provisions of Pro.
posed Charter

Next to the coming of the battleship fleet
the charter revision commission holds the
public eye and heart, and the SURPRISING in
terest developed in the people, as a whole.
on this pressing and weii.hty problem gives
promise of constancy till the work is done
and approved
That readers might have some indica-
ton of the trend of opinion ON what should
be included in the new charter, and why, The
Herald invited DR.. John r. Haynes, a promi-
nent and well and favorably known member
of the commission, to write sketch of his
personal views on the subject, and the fol-
lowing excellent article is the result:
BY DIR. JOHN n. HAYNES
IN HERE is no doubt that a govern
ment under the control of a
- wise, honest, conscientious, ex-
perienced and benevolent despot would
be the most efficient one, were the re-
suits of detailed governmental action
only to be considered. but more inn
portant than the building of an eff
cient and economic method of govern
ment is the upbuilding of the civic
wisdom, conscience and responsibility
of the governed.
Better, temporarily, a faulty govern
ment by the people who gain increased
civic wisdom, conscience and RESPONSE
oility through reason of this civic re-
sponsibility than a perfect government
under a despot. Such being the case,
the nearer we get to a true democracy
the better and more enlightened the
people and the better will be the gov
eminent.
Vicious and Reactionary
Therefore a chartar that Jooe,
give the people power to initiate legis-
latlon that their representatives may
refuse to enact; to veto legislation thew
do not want; to recall from office their
representatives found unworthy of their
trust, and method, through reason of
which the people directly can nominate
their representatives, would be vicious
and reaetionary.
Phenomenal Growth
The growth of democratic sentiment.
not only in our municipalities, but GER
| orally throughout the United States, is
delightfully."- astounding to all who be-
lieve in the rule of the people.N In
tWenty-one states (Which is double the
number of two years ago. the direct
legislation movement has succeeded or
Is we'll under way.
and Oklahoma these provisions are
part of the state government, and are
being used.
This years legislatures in Maine, Mis-
souri, and North Dakota have submitted
to vote of the people constitutional
amendments for state initiative and
referendum.
Utah, Illinois, Texas and Ohio legisla-
lures are positively pledged to submit
these amendments. In Massachusetts,,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Iowa and Washington the
ie, ,sx,s., i
The Michigan state constitutional con-
vention has voted to incorporate a
state initiative constitutional provision.
Recall Widely Popular
The recall is even more popular than
the initiative and referendum. You sell
dom near of a recent city charter that
does not include the recall among it's
provisions
The people of Oregon next June will
vote upon and undoubtedly overwhelm-
ngly carry, a state recall amendment.
Oklahoma, believe, already has it.
The thirty-eighth general assembly
of Iowa submitted to all it's cities of
$4,000 inhabitants and over a model
city charter which Des Moines has
been the first to adopt. This charter
contains the initiative, referendum, re-
call and direct primaries provisions
the direct legislation provisions, by the
way, being almost exact copies of ours.
Legislation Is Constitutional
The supreme court of Iowa has unan-
imously decided that the Des Moines
charter is constitutional in every par
ticular including the initiative, referen-
dunn and recall; and the decision hints
it's belief in the constitutionality of
direct legislation applied to states, as
well as to municipalities.
Undoubtedly the election of council
men at large tends to more efficient
government than a council elected
wholly or partly by wards.
The city should have the power to
bond itself for any and all public util-
tiles that it desires to take over.
Twenty-one Year Franchises
Franchises should be limited to
twenty-one years.
The initiative and referendum per-
centages should remain as they now
are, but if the councilmen at large plan
succeeds the percentage for the recall
petition should be lowered.
The merit system should be retained
and certain city officials, such as police
surgeon should be placed upon the civil
service list.
Minimize the Officials
The number of city officials should DE
minimized and the council have solely
legislative power.
The board of public works, also,
should be retained
The foregoing are, in my opinion,
some of the essential, basic features Of
good city charter, but there are very
many details to be decided upon only
after careful study and elaboration.
-
The Green Sailor
90 al a nils