The copper era., 1911-09-29
DANGEROUS THING TO HAVE AROUND


 TO HAVE AROUND
 It may be regarded as a safe pre- diction that the provision for the re- call of the judiciary will never be re- stored to the Arizona constitution af ter it's elimination by the voters at the direction of the Smith-Flood res olution; that is, it will never appear again in it's present form, if at all.
 The sentiment in favor of reinser- tion,so rampant after the veto of the Flood resolution. is steadily subSidng and many of those who had most strongly advocated the judicial recall now admit that in the form in which it was put into the constitution, it was peculiarly dangerous and vicious. It is agreed that the entire recall pro vision is wrong and that an officer against whom charges have been lodged should be permitted to go be- fore the voters on these charges alone unhandicapped by an opposing, pop ular candidate.
 The Coke case in Oregon has had sobering effect upon the judicial re- callers. A petition was circulated against Judge Coke, the charges against him being that he had inn properly instructed a jury in a mur- der case; that was the only alleged evidence ot the unftness of Judge Coke. Thus there was to be brought before the people of his judicial dis trict a question of law to be decided. The judge, supposedly learned in the law had erred in single instance. The voters, not one in ten of whom had perhaps ever opened a la " book were to say whether the judge was right or wrong.
 Thus, foolish fad was to be put into practical operation and thereat the more sensible of the faddists be- came alarmed. They had asserted when the amendment providing for the recall of the judiciary was pro- posed to be put into the, Oregon con- stitution, as the Arizona advocates had asserted, that in all likelihood, it would never be invoked. But, here, it was about to be invoked in a most startling instance; not in the case of an alleged corrupt judge or an in- competent judge but in the case of an experienced and able jurist alleg- ed to be guilty of an error.
 It was evident, too, that if the re- call election were allowed to proceed Judge Coke would be defea ted; the republicans were preparing to nomi- nate a popular candidate against him; the Bryan democrats were un- friendly toward him because he was an old line democrat. The liquor in- terests were whetting their knives, for Judge Coke leaned toward prohi bition. His recall was absolutely certain.
 The petition, it was announced some weeks ago, was almost com pleted. Then the hideousness of the things became apparent, not to the people at large, not to the republi- 1 cans, but to the leaders of the "pro- gressiYes." If this outrage were per mitted to procedd there would almost certainly be an awakening, an insis- | tent demand for the removal of such d dangerous lnSITum6nl. IuG GnClI new structure of "popular govern ment" would be shaken,
 The most strenous efforts were made to stop the recall proceedings which the progressive" newspapers and leaders had been urging on and | it is announced now that there will l be no recall election.
 But this incident has brought realization that the judicial recall is a dangerous weapon to have around | "a loaded gun that may be taken in hand at any time by the fool or the demagogue.
 We believe that by the time it is | proposed to reinsert the recall pro- | vision in the Arizona constitution a | large ma ajority of us will have been [ brought to a full understanding of | its dangerous character.-Bis bee | Daily Review.