The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-29
THE RECALL.

Since government first existed the
recall has been in operation, but not
generally after the lines which some
modern advocates urge. The Bible
even gives many instances. One of
these is when Christ was accused by
the mob, who demanded his cruci-
fixion, though Pontius Plate could
find nothing against Him and told the
citizens over and over again that no
evil could he discover. He finally
aceeded to their demands. This is but
one of the many historical incidents
illustrating the effect of the doctrines
like the recall.
Recently The New York World pub
iished an interview with Mr., Under
wood, the we'll known democratic lead
er. upon some of the timely questions
now under discussion in the press and
in congress. Incidentally he defends
the position taken by the republican
president on the recall of judges. The
following extracts will interest Forum
readers:
Yes, 7 am utterly opposed to the in
itiative and ferendum--utterably and
unalterably opposed. believe that IT
Is subversive of the very form of our
government. 1t is the negation of
representative government. 1t is
wholly reactionary and not progressive
Our American form Of government
is--to use the words Of Jefferson-the
only device by which the rights of the
people can be secured-to- gov
eminent by the people acting not i'm
person but by representatives chosen
by themselves.
Now / believe in progress; / believe
in the progressive development of our
representative form of government: I
believe--for that reason--sn the direct
election Of United States senators by
the people; believe that would be
progress along the lines of representa-
tive government-giving the people
control over their own representa-
tives; I believe that the people of the
/ United States when they take the time
and trouble to do so can elect honest
and efficient men to represent them:
but do not believe that the l1eople OF
the United States have either the time
or that they will take the infinite
trouble necessary to carefully examine
and enact legislation or reject dan
gerous legislation if 1t is submitted TO
them to vote on directly.
believe that the history OF the past
has demonstrated beyond peradven-
ture that direct form of government
win surely fail and that IL the people
were eyer so misied as to make the
experiment the fruits of it would in
fallibly be the enforcement Of des-
potism.
believe that all the evils of today
that we complain OF can be remedied
by and through representative govern
ment-the government which Our fore
fathers constituted in their wisdom
and patriotism IL the people themselves
VIII make an earnest effort to do so
and further believe that all the evils
OF bossisn and corrupt government
could and probably would be prevalent
under system OF Initiative and refer
endum to as great an extent as under
our present system
The same interests which produce
corrupt politics and bad government
today would adjust themselves to new
Legislative conditions very easily. Aft
er all government by initiative would
be to a very large extent government
BIZ petition.
I am absolutely against the inftia-
tive. referendum and recall: but TAX
ing the recall in Its worst aanAef tho