Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-26

lively if not positively. For, as May
or Woodward expressed it:
Way Now Open for Attack.
You can't fire man for enforcing
the law"
That coupled with alleged lack of
discretion, has been the most serious
charge that has been made against
Chief Beavers-enforcing the law.
It was left for political accident
to open a way through the barricade
around Chief Beavers for the shots of
his enemies. If a majority of the peo-
pie don't want him for Chief of Police
that would end it. According to the
recall amendment the Police Commits
sion would have to elect another man
and Chief Beavers wouldn't be an ELI
gible candidate.
However, the initiative, referendum
and recall amendment does not end
with the possibility of the recall Of
Police Chief Beavers. Mayor Wood
ward, William NJ. Slaton, Superin-
tendent of Schools; Nash r. Broyles,
the whole Council, all board members
and all heads of departments are SUD
JCOl " TIE SAINT PROCEDURE.
Friends of Chief Beavers declare
that if a movement is started to Dust
him they will start petition to recall
Mayor Woodward.
The opponents of Chief Beavers are
the same as the opponents of Re-
corder Broyles. They declare that the
reduction of the Recorders power In
the election, cutting his fine limit
from $500 to $500. might be a sign
that he could be recalled.
Alderman James E. Warren, Mayor
Pro TEN, is displeased at the result.
Foresees Complications.
81 advised members of Council be-
fore this measure passed the Legis-
lature that il would cause trouble"
he said. There is no telling where
the recall will end. Its applica ton to
officials elected by the people, officials
elected by Council and officials elect
ed by boards is certain to cause COM
plications."
1t requires % per cent of the regis
tered voters who were qualified as
eligible electors at the last general
election to call a recall election.
There were something over 10000
registered at the last general munich
pal election. 1t would require some
thing more than 5000 signatures 10
call an election on Chief Beavers.
Legislation, however, can be mi
tiated by 10 per cent of the regis
tered voters. That insures a vote by
the people next year on a radical
form of charter. More than 5000
voters sent signed cards to Council
last spring demanding a vote on a
radical charter. Council turned deaf
ears to them. Now a few more than
fifth of that number can call m
election on any sort of a charter with
the same automatic precision that
they can call out the fire department
when home is burning.
1t takes Is per cent Of the regis
tered voters to call an election on an
ordinance that Council already has
passed. But the referendum is least
important of the three.
Some radical changes have taken
place in Atlanta's form of govern
ment as the result of that election
Wednesday when less than 1000 votes
were cast. The charge of apathy was
made against the people, but it seems
that they builded better than they
knew.
Voter Has Greater Voice.
That the average everyday voter
has much bigger voice in the af-
fairs Of his city as a result Of the
adoption Of the initiative, referendum
and recall clause already is quite APP
parent.
Yet it was all an accident That
that is true is proved by a number of
facts. The birth Of three reforms
submitted in the election was purely
accidental Each one OF them was
put into a form to be voted upon by
the people as a sort of last resort
affair to stop something else.
The ways of politics always are
strange, but this is about the strang
est political affair Atlanta has ever
experienced, unless it be the election
of Chief Beavers to- his present post
This charter came into being dur
ing the agitation by Mayor Wood
ward and a citizens committee for
radical reforms last spring. It seemed
that the people were determined upon
some sort of change. But Council has
no intention of ever permitting the
sort of change that was proposed. So
the new charter that was voted down
Wednesday-but then including the
initiative, referendum and recall
clause-was waved on high as saw
ing grace while the charter Of the cit
liens was pitched lightly into the
waste basket.
Doubtless the initiative referendum
and recall clause would have gone
down with it under an Avalanche of
votes, but ii had other channels to
pass through. One nf them was the
hands of Robert NJ. Blackburn, Rep
resentative IN the Legislature.
There the initiative referendum and
recall clause was enacted into the or
ganic laws Of Atlanta. Mr.. Black
burn did not know he was doing It,
hut no one can gainsay that he alone
is responsible for this radical reform
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