The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-03-19
THE RECALL


dependent of Wishes ct constituents
The Cummoncr. Senator Batleys re
signafion Cand the withdrawal Of the
rcsienaiion) has given 10 the initiative,
referendum and recall more advertise
mcnt than the direct legislature league
could have purchased with 4 million
dollars. and advertisement is all these
reforms need As soon as the people
understand them they will adopt them
shocking as this may seem 10 those who
think that these reforms will destroy
the institutions bequeathed by our faith
ers. As the recall is the reform least
understood, and therefore most violent
" attacked. let Us examine this method
of dealing with officials.
There may be differences of opinion
as to how many signers should be re
auired in order TO invoke the recall bit
that is merely matter of detail When
the right of recall is admitted the per
centage required to call att election can
be fixed BY agreement among those fav-
orng the fecall-and it will probably
be a compromise between extreme views
as to notice of election. time required
for consideration and means used to in
form the public. These also are mat
tiers of detail. and do not affect the
right itself Such safeguards will be
thrown around the use of the recall as
experience may prove necessary. But
as to the right Of recall two questions
are raised:
First-Have the voters a right to ter
inmate the contract entered into, when
the candidate accepted the office? This
question can not arise if the candidate
is elected after the adoption of the re-
cali. because he will take the office sub
eet to the right of the people to recall
The second questionable only real
question in facts whether the recall
SO fobs the official of independence as
to ihjure the public service. This ques-
ton admits of but one answer. Why
should public official be independent
Of the wishes of his constituents? It
is an aristoeratie-not a democratic
conception of representative govern
ment that contemplates that the repre-
sentative will be indifferent of the
wishes of his constituents The demo-
cratic theory Is that the people will
think for themselves and select repre-
set1tatves to give expression to their
thoughts The moral and intellectual
standard Of the representative will moi
be lowered by an increased watchful=
ness on the part of The public Banks
have not lost anything in standing and
character by the fact that they are now
examined and closed without a mo
inetts notice. On the contrary, the
banking level has been raised and it will
be raised still more when the law re-
quifes the bank to give absolute security
to depositors, 50 officials will be better
when the betrayal Of trust-the embez=
element of powers dealt with as a
crime
But il independence Is the thing de
sired, is that not already nienaeed by
frequent elections? If independence Is
necessary, how can we secure 1t except
by life tenure? How can a congressman
act independently If eleven months after
the first regular session eonvenes his
constituents may defeat him at The polls
because Of some vote he has cast OF
some speech he has made In state and
city the situation is the same The re-
call asked for would only be invoked on
rare occasions. while the form of recall
which we now have iii frequent cleo
tons acts as a restraint on all officials
and acts constantly How can we con-
denim the proposed recall as dangerous
or destructive, and at the same time APP
prove of short official terms And does
not impeachment act as a restraint on
independence The regular election Is
a form of impeachment. il gives the
people a chance to remove at stated
times. by refusing reelection. The re-
call simply goes step farther and per-
nits the voters TO shorten the term
when. in their judgment, the official has
betrayed his trust The fact is, that OPP
position to the recall is a reversion to
aristoeraey, plntoeraey and monarchy.
The objection rests upon distfnst of
the capacity of the people or upon a
contempt for their rights. Because the
people have a right to self government
and the capacity for self government,
and because the people are conscious of
their right and confident of their capae-
ity, they favor the feeall-and will, in
time, secure 1t.
COTTON CLAIMS.