The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-12-12
THE RECALL

&eCdAA o1 PUBIC Ou1clalS is IN
this country an experiment. We have
had little experience with it. and such
experience as we have had is not suf-
hcient to demonstrate either the good
or the bad features Of the plan. Its
most enthusiastic advocates have held
that the recall was the one thing
needed to insure ideal executive and
administrative and executive work on
the TART of public officials. The
scheme, they have told us, is So simple
that 1t cannot fail to work we'll. So
long as the official is faithful the peo.
pie will not modest him, desiring, as
they do. the best possible in admins
tration. When he gives evidence of
corruption or incompetence he is called
to account. n is given opportunity
to make his defense before the people
in the campaign Which follows the
filing of recall petitions. If he con-
vinces the people of his fitnesss he is
retained. otherwise another person is
chosen. Surely such a plan must
come near perfection.
Tho more pronounced Of tho Oh.
moments Of the plan. on the other
esAAAs "SSuAS oS LlldL lIlc recall is 81
device the adoption Of which means
ruin to the country. and the breaking
down Of all u most cherished insti-
tutions. They believe that It places
In the hands Of a minority such power
to annoy and harrass worthy officials
that increased difficulty will be found
In finding suitable men willing to
serve their communities officially,
when through the recall the official
has become the target for every med
dlesome Person who Is dissatisfied
with things as they are. They say
that tenure Of Office will be shortened.
because the men whose candidate is
defeated at an election will at once
begin work on recall petitions for the
sake OF revenge, and in order to give
their favorite another chance, the
result being inevitable chaos and dis
organization.
Probably neither view lie right. II
the recall proves to be a good thing,
and tends to remove some Of the evils
from U government. it will not prove
to be the exceedingly good thing that
It has been claimed to be. 1t may
cure some evils, but 1t will not cure
them all. II 1t brings about an i'm
provement, the chances are that i'm
provement will be relatively slight.
Our government A. too complex a
thing to be very materially changed
by the adoption Of any single device,
no matter how good 1t may be. On
the other hand. If the recall proves
to be one Of the things that we do
not want. productive, on the whole, of
more evil than good, It Is scarcely
likely to be found bringing about the
wreck and ruin which have been fear.
ed as It's results. Whether good or
otherwise, we r likely to find that
It Is far from being either as good
as has been held by its present adj
vocates or as bad as feared by its
most sturdy opponents
Particular incidents in connection
with the working Of recall laws where
they arc in operation are Interesting,
and may be found instructive. The
success or failure Of the recall in a
given case proves nothing. Success
or failure may be due to any one of
a multitude Of causes, or to a COM
hination Of many Of them. But from
observation of the workings of the
law here and there. in many cases
and under varying conditions. we NAV
gain some idea as to its merits or
dement's in general. and as to partic-
ular advantages Or defects in the
provisions operating in different
states.
There exists just now at Seattle a
Sff1la finn uyhNNh e e.,,{<n l<>--A--
and which suggests that II we are to
have recall laws. care should be exer-
cised in framing them. Recall peti.
tons we're filed some time ago against
the mayor of the city. various charges
being made against him. When the
lists were checked over It was found
that a large number Of names had
been fraudulently placed thereon, the
remaining signatures not being sufi-
cient in number to make the petition
effective. The petitions were return
cd, but they have since been placed
in the hands of the Prosecuting at.
torney. n both the legal petitioners
and the supporters Of the mayor are
demanding that the persons RESPONSE
BILE for the forgeries be prosecuted.
This does not prove that the recall
is good or bad. but It proves that
II such laws are to be passed, great
care should be used in making pro-
visions that will insure the recall Of
an official by a sufficient number Of
regularly qualified electors.
CONSTITUTIONAL BUNGnING.
The approaching session Of the
North Dakota legislature will he