The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-08-10

course. / can't buy as much of what you
that as long as you get things cheaper.
WORKMAN-It looks to me as though
are shutting down already on account o
the farmers buy less and the foreigners
OF a tariff for revenueT' l know what
They'll have to. No: I think I'd rather
and not have to stand any GU. in wages
~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~ S~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~S~
seIr-cOnstiSGCed COMMITTEE. the zen pc
cent. of the voters of the state can be
readily obtained TO sign petitions pro
posing any kind of law that anybody
will want. Those who sign the peti
tiOn-at least ten per cent of the
voters of the state-wili be committed
to it in advance; its sponsors will be
active in advocating il; what is ev
erybody's business is nobody's bust
ness" and in all likelihood. after the
novelty " the system has worn OF
interest viii largely disappear ana
very few people will be found who
will tske the trouble to combat even
a foolish or bad provision A very
large proportion of the voters will re-
frain from voting at all uron the ques-
tiCn. and under these conditions. with
active and intedested work done II
behalf of the law ard a half-hearted
opposition. CT none at all, the chance
are altogether in favor Of the adop
ton of more unwi-e laws than ever
set through our legislatures.
| should not like to suggest that any
of these visionary schemes are being
advocated by anybody from motives o
self-interest. and yet that sort of thing
sometimes happens in this cold and
selfish world. | remember hearing Of
an individual who appeared before the
common council of a certain city and
in a fiery speech denounced proposed
ordinance restricting the sreed of au.
,omobiles within the city limits as be-
ing a tyrannical and unwarranted in.
vasion of the personal rights of the cit
liens. councilman asked the object
or how many automobiles he owned.
to which he replied: 4 don't own any.
I'm an undertaken
THE MISCHIEVOUS RECALL
1t is the recall provision of the Ari-
IONA constitution, however, which. to
my mind is fraught with the greatest
mischief. That provision, briefly stated,
is that every elective officer in the
state of Arizona is subject to recall by
the qualified electors of the electoral
district from which he was elected
whenever such recall is demanded by
a petition signed by electors equal to
% per cent. of the votes cast at the
last preceding general election
The grounds upon which the recall
is based must be stated in not more
than 200 words The officer is given
the alternative of resigning his office
within FIVE DAYS after the filing of the
petition. If he does not resign. a spe-
c,al election must be held not less
than 20 nor more than 80 days after
the making of an order to that effect.
The reasons given in the petition for
demanding the recall are to be set
forth in the ballet, together with the
officers justification in not more than
200 words Other candidates for the
office may be nominated. to be voted
for at said election, and the candidate
receiving the highest number of votes
shall be declared elected for the re-
mainder of the term No recall petit
ton shall be circulated until the Off
Ger has held his Office for a period of
six months, except as to members OF
the legislature, in which case a petit
ton may be circulated at any time
after five days from the beginning of
the first session following his election
The power of the recall. it is seen,
includes all officials--legislative, execu-
tive and judicial. Attempts have been
made to show that the recall Is not a
new thing in this country, and we are
referred to Article V. of Confedera-
tion. which reserves to each state the
power to recall its delegates at any
time within the year for which they
were appointed and to send others in
their place for the enainder Of the
year. Passing by the distinction be-
tween an officer elected by the people
and a mere delegate appointed by a
state TO represent its interests In what
was little more than a general conven-
ton, it is sufficient to say that the
whole scheme of the Confederation
was found to be 80 utterly ineffective
that it was abandoned at the end Of
a few years. and the enduring national
government which We now have put
into it's place The trainers of the
Federal Constitution evidently regard
ed the recall feature of the confedera-
lion as an unwise precedent to follow,
and II found no place In that great in
strument, as for more than 100 years
tie 10 4 box recall found no place. In
the plan OF government of any state.
The inevitable tendency of the re-
call will be to give US a set &C weak
and spineless executive and legislative
officials, no longer having the courage
or TIE inclination to act unon their
own initiative and responsibility, but
with their ears always to the ground
to catch the first indication of the pop
:llar drift in order to anticipate. it,
They win soon cease to distinguish be-
tween the settled, deliberate judgment
of the people 10 which they should
yield willing obedience. and the pass
ing whim of the moment, against which
the ultimate best good of society may
demand the assertion of a sturdy oppo
sition. Such provision, firmly be-
lieve. is more likely to result in the
recall OF good officials than of bad
ones, because the tlme-serying, unscru-
pulous politician will be swift TO con-
fnr<a his .rfinn ia avArv si,sftinr orin