The Detroit times., 1912-02-07

One hundred and thirty-ive years
ago, on the 18th OF November, 1777,
certain representatives of the people
of l3 war-worn states adopted a con-
stitution, which they called Articles
OF Confederation
Article v OF this document reads:
For the convenient management OF
The general interests OF the United
States delegates shall be annually APP
pointed in such manner as the legis-
lature OF each state shall direct, to
meet in congress on the first Monday
in November in every year, with pow
er reserved 10 each state
Now notice this. It's interesting.
with power reserved TO each state
10 recall its delegates, or any of them,
at any time within the year, and TO
send others in their stead for the re-
mainder OF the wear
Thus il was that the so-called new
tangled" principle on government, the
recall. broke into the field OF Amerl-
can politics.
That was the beginning. Let's see
how this new tangled and -tthtfied
principle stands in America today
The states OF Oregon and California
have workable provisions for recall
applying TO all elective offices, includ'
| ing Judges In Arizona the recall APP
plies TO all elective offices excepting
the judiciary. Illinois has a general
recall provision, but the petition per
centage is so high as To make II null
MANY OF the cities that have adopt
cd the commission plan OF govern
ment have the recall There are per
haps $50 of these cities Re~-tffeS AFT
| coming into the commission column
SO rapidly that exact figures are no
available Many of these cities nave
! mad the recall now for FIVE years.
| These states have general laws al
| lowing cities option on the commits
sion plan: Iowa. Kansas, North Da
ikota. South Dakota. Mississippi
Minnesota, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois
In the "home rule" states, California
| Colorado. Michigan, Missouri, Okla
homa. Oregon and Washington, mum
| cipalities have perfect freedom In thi;
regard.
Thus the municipal recall has beer
| operative in many places for at leas
1 FIVE years. In oregon where the re
CAL applicable to all Offices, was
adopted In 1908, it has. been operative
| for four years.
In this time there has been talk o.
recalling one Judge. Il was only talk
[ No effort has been made 10 recall any
state or county official. A number o.
mayors and lesser municipal officials
have been removed-mostly for goo
cause.
Here's a brief survey OF the recall
\ in action, touching the high spots:
Los Angeles. the first American
city TO adopt the recall, was also tho
first to use it. The recall was adopt
ed there In 1903. In 1907 Mayor A
C Harper was recalled. The peopi'
thought he was too closely allied Il
the public service corporations. th'
l:auor dealers and the gamblers
George Alexander, Tamiliarly know
as Honest Uncle George" was elect
cd In his place. Los Angeles has alst
,ecalled an alderman-who voted Z
give machine" Republican news
Iaper city printing at figure sl5,OO'
above other bids.
Tacoma, Wash, recalled a fairl!
GOOD mayor and elected one perhap
a little worse. II also recalled TIVE
commissioners substituting two wh'
were more independent.
Seattle recalled Mayor Hiram c
Gill He ran the town wide open AM
the people objected. George w. Dill
Nng was elected TO III out Gifts term
Later an effort to recall Dilling II
turn was a fat failure.
Dallas, Texas. dissatisfied with tw'
members Of the school board, who hat
been using star chamber methods. re
called them The politicians and al
the partisan papers opposed the recall
and so much interest was arouse.
that 10 per cent more votes were cas-
than had been cast at the foregoing
election when the officials in question
were elected.
Perhaps the most Interesting ~ al
efforts at recall was one that faile'
recently in Oregon. This was an al