The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-09-29
The RECALL, INITIATIVE
AND REFERENDUM.

Ehe recall, initiative and ref
.erendum have very vague
meaning to many, simply because
large number Of people have
neither the time nor the .inclina-
ton to investigate municipal
government, but the recent cleo
ton in this city based upon the
petition for recall has caused
many to more carefully study the
provisions Of these safeguards of
popular government;
With the idea Of giving to the
people a weapon with which .. to
fight an undesirable official,
should such succeed in gaining Of
flee, and with the idea of bolster
ing up a spineless official should
he waver in his public duties, the
recall was invented.
The recall, in plain English, is
a mild method Of impeachment it
is club to drive man out of Of
flee if a majority of voters de-
termine to do so.
The method of using the recall
is very simple, requiring a petit
ton of a specified percentage of
the voters who voted for all the
candidates for a given office, ask
ing for mans removal from Of
flee and the election Of Sue
cessor. This petition must re-
cite the alleged transgressions of
the one desired to be recalled,
and upon verification as to the re-
quisite number of signers being
attached thereto the council
must order a new election. The
name Of the official sought to be
removed and the names of any
other candidates who may aspire
to the office are placed on the bal
lots. The people. vote-and as
this is a country where majority
rules, if new man receives the
majority of votes cast he is elect
ed and the other is out, but if the
official sought to be recalled is
successful in the contest he re-
mains in office. Simple, isn't it;
yet it is a very effective provision
Of safeguarding the public veal,
and Of causing some to regard
their oath Of office in a different
light than might be done were it
not in existence.
The initiative is another valu-
able right which the people of
Virginia in common with voters
OF other progressive municipal
tiles, enjoy under our new chart
er. At times city councils are
slow to pass upon legislation de-
manded by the people. Public
policy, politics, business and
other things more or less pleasant
to name, may defeat the passage
of ordinances considered by many
for the good Of the community.
By means Of the initiative per-
centage of the voters may pre-
sent to the council proposed
ordinance and the: council must
pass it without alteration within
twenty days or submit it to vote
Of the people at special or gen.
eral election in case one Of the
latter is scheduled within ninety
days. If the majority of the
voters favor the ordinance at
such an election it is passed and
binding and becomes effective
without further fussing on the
part Of officials.
The referendum, in much the
same way, gives the people a
right to reject an ordinance pass
ed by the council, if they do not
like it. If, after the protest is
filed, the council does not recon-
slider the ordinance in question
and it is not entirely repealed,
the council is forced to submit
the ordinance TO vote or the
people. Uuless the majority Of
the voters favor the measure it is
killed.
All Of these three provisions
the recall, initiative and referen-
dunn, are safe and trustworthy
weapons in the hands Of the vot-
ers. By placing the percentage
high enough so that handful Of
disgruntled ones, or chronic
cranks as they are more often
called, cannot forever be stirring
things up, the danger from any Of
them is entirely and effectually
obviated and the rights of the
people are made more secure