Arizona republican., 1912-08-27
The Recall and the Recall

The Recall and the Recall
 Some democratic papers are indulg- i ing in criticism of Charles w Smith, the socialist candidate for representa- tive in the congress because he neg Iected to reply to a formal inquiry | by the secretary of state as to his position on the proposal to ap- l ply the recall to federal judges and 1! federal officials. The other candi- l dates for congress. we understand 1 made reply that they were in favor of the recall whether they were or not $
 It seems to us that it was unneCes- | sary to address such a question to the socialist candidate or. for that matter. to any socialist. The recall is a part of the socialist creed. The socialists believe in it. we think to a man. The doctrine was preached by them at a time when those of us who are clamoring most loudly for it. de- nounced it as incipient anarchy.
 MT Smith neglected to reply to the secretary's inquiry. perhaps because he believed a reply would be super fIuous. Perhaps indignation at the preposterousness of addressing such an inquiry to a socialist, rendered him speeches.. much the same as if the secretary had asked him to state whether he was a man of good habits and had successfully avoided the pen itentiary
 We do not know MT. Smith and we have never heard that he has eX- pressed himself on this subject but We know, if he ever has a chance to vote on the recall of federal judges or any other officer. elective or ap- pointive, just how he will vote.
 As we have said the inquiry was entirely superfluous and we are here by reminded that our democratic friends are neglecting much more immediate matter than the recall of federal officials and one much easier Dl ItdllIdtlDlI lllc ItNclii OI pbi CiCNt- ed judiciary
 When President Taft compelled us to eliminate the judicial recall from our constitution every democratic newspaper in Arizona with the exCep- ton of two or three and every demo- cratic politician violently denounced him for thwarting the will of eighty per cent of the voters of AriOna." Every candidate for office from dog catcher to governor pledged his sacred honor to the restoration of that prOvi- sion in it's exact terms. Even the fly specks which had accumulated during the period that elapsed between the adoption of the constitution and the act of elimination were to be restored. That was the first thing the legislature was going to do.
 The legislature entered upon the work with spectacular enthusiasm To show "Old Taft that we were no longer under his thumb, the very photograph of the stricken provision was to be reinserted.
 But, the ardor of the enthusiasts soon began to cool. The photograph was discarded and we heard less and less of the judicial recall until at last We almost forgot that there had ever been such a provision. We knew that President Taft had committed a great and tyrannous wrong against us but we could not readily remember just what it was
 But. near the tail end of the extra session of the legislature, instead of at the very beginning of the first session, the legislature reluctantly and with great difficulty agreed upon a con- stitutional amendment to restore the detected what we believe to be con- spiracy of silence on the part of dem Ocratic newspapers and politicians with respect to the recall, though the advisability of such an amendment seems a little clearer now than it did when the original provision was adopt ed Yet, not a word have we read or heard uttered in support of that amendment upon which the people will vote in a little more than two months
 It appears to be the wish of our democratic friends that the amend ment die of inattention It is mat ter in which the republican party has little concern. It is not that party's funeral" But republicans will nc doubt take sufficient interest in the