The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-01-18
THE RECALL.

Within another week Tacoma NAV
be plunged into movement to re-
call Mayor Fawcett, following closely
on the heels of the recall of Mayor
Gill In Seattle. Neither of these men
have been in office two years, yet
along comes public clamor for their
scalps
The recall movement In Seattle pre-
sents some almost incomprehensble
phases. Mayor Gill has long served
his city In the council, having been
presiding officer Of that body for
many years. The people knew him,
or should know him, because his pub
Tic acts were exposed to their scrutiny.
moreover, he told the people of Sc
attic just what sort of an adminis-
tration he would give them If he
was elected They elected him on
his own platform.
He did as he said he would 10
when he assumed the reins Of gov
ernment Seattle has had that sort
Of an administration before There
was nothing new about it. In fact
nothing has been put forward since
the recall movement started, that |
would show Hiram Gill to be diff
ferent sort Of man now than eighteen
months ago. So why all of this ito
do" about him?
In GilPs case some justification for
the recall may be found in the fact
that an "open town" policy is al
ways wrong. The day for that sort of
thing is past If the people Of Sc
attic wanted Gill for mayor, they
should have insisted on a different
sort of platform. But they swallow
ed him, platform and all, and now
are sick of it.
suppose that the issue were other
than moral one, the recall would
De worked just the same, right or
wrong, because the people have been
fired to that point where they will do
anything. Such contradictions in hui
man nature make one think at times |
that the people have no right to rule
themselves, because they do not know
tneir own minds. IL Gill had beenl
e!eeted on a platform Of municipal
ownership, 1t is not beyond the realm
OF supposition that the people might
have recalled him for carrying out 9
that policy. t
The principle of the recall Is wrong Il
as 1t is now used, because 1t makes $
every public official the Victim OF 7
public clamor, and such public up
risings manifest every characteristic
exhibited by the mob which burns !.
negro at the stake. No public official
can please all the people all the time. I
If he is an intelligent and conscien- r
tious man seeking to work out al
great principle, 1t may be years be- {
Gre the proof Of his wisdom is dem
onstrated. With the recall in OPP !
Grafton he would be maligned, caluw.I
mated and publicity dlsgraced, AIN of
what? Public fancy, nothinnefit crea-l /,
Take the Administrations only T., ,
dent Cleveland as anon. but, more. Ii
y not particle -Ae last Of of ppes,-
he he. would ID have his agrsxan,pie. rnere
t Esacea Ill, !, tneithingof doubt but that ,
me ~ tifngs apeen recalled and dis
natioy 1ry man people could have had
ate not @ Now we recognize in him
of Jeho-lhe best presidents that the
hine~n ever knew.
What Is needed Is a provision by
Which public official may be liii-
peached If ne is unfaithful to the
public trust in him imposed. But
no public official should be subject
ed to every within and fancy that
may be exploited. If this Is allowed
to continue, we will have all of our
offices filled by men whose one desire
Is to give the people everything that
they want when they want it, and
that kind of a public official is of
little account What the. people should
demand is men of integrity and abil-
ity. Leaders Of a mob or men who
are prompted solely by policy" are
unreliable and unsatisfactory