The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-18
BOURNE DECLARES THAT
 JUDGES ARE EVEN AS OTHER
 MEN AND MAY BE RECALLED

strange that this fear of improper in- huence has been so long suppressed. In every State where the convention system is in vogue political machines exist, with political bosses in control. The political bosses maintain their machine organizations by means of funds contributed by individuals hay ing special interests to promote or protect. Where the convention sys- tenn exists the successful candidate for nomination for judicial position must have the active or passive sup port of the political boss. Special priv ilege is as much interested in the ju- dietary as in any other branch of gov ernment. Though it may be- true that in most cases there is no express and the candidate for Judicial nom ination, any man with the least knOwl- edge of human nature knows that the political boss will aid in securing the nomination of the candidate who seems most likely to be satisfactory to his packers.
 Under that same convention system the man once elected judge must look to the political boss for his renom- 1natlon for second term. Will any one say that judge who will listen to popular clamor will not also yield to the wishes and interests of the po- iitical boss. And, if the judge must be subject to influences controlling his election or retention in office, which presents the greater danger, the in fuence of popular will or the influence of the political boss?
 It is useless for men to hold up their hands in horror and assert that the judiciary is above the influence e the political bosss. If the :lldi- ciary is above that influence it is cer- tainly also above the influence of popular clamor, and the argument against the recall falls to the ground Business Methods Applied to Govern
 ment.
 Adoption of the recall is nothing more than the application of good business principles to Government af- fairs. Every wise employer reserves the right to discharge an employee whenever the service rendered is un- satisfactory. The right of the en- ployer to discharge his employee rests upon exactly the same basis as the right of the employee to quit. The business world, and it is put in prac- tice by every large and successful cor pcration.
 Consider the absurdity of the recog- milton of the right of a public officer to quit his position at any time and the denial of the right of his employ CTS to discharge him. To assert the right in one instance and deny it in the other is to maintain a one-sided ed contract, the discrimination being agaianst the whole people and in fa- vor of the individual. If we can trust an individual to deal justly with the people when he considers rendering his resignation, we ca nalso trust the people to deal justly with a public servant when they consider discharg- ing him.
 Mem bers of this body have the right to resign at will. If a Senator can be trusted to promote the public welfare py rendering his resignation or not rendering it, can not the peo- pie of his State be trusted to pro mote the public welfare by recalling him or not recalling when the ques- ton Is placed before them in lawful manner? l have the right and power to quit my office at pleasure; the peo- ple of my State should have equal right and power to discharge me from office whenever they believe they can be more faithfully and more effec- lively represented by another in my stead.
 1t is generally conceded that the American people have intelligence and honesty enough to be trusted with the power to select their public servants even to chose a President of the United States. If it be granted that the people have intelligence enough to choose President of the United States. no man can consistently con- tend that they have not the intelli- gence to act wisely upon the ques- t1on of discharging a State, county, or municipal officer. I think no one pro- poses, at present, to extend the recall to any Federal official except those elected by the people of the several States,