Evening journal., 1913-06-12
DANGER OF THE RECALL.
From the SUNDAY Star

tue larger looms the man and the
clearer becomes our perception of his
wisdom. 1t is curious. but perhaps
not unnatural, that what he said as
a public official did not seem to have
the weight that attaches to his words
as a private citizen Mr.. Taft has al
ways been opposed to the recall of
public officials, and he never hesitated
to express his opposition when presi-
dent, but what he then said was more
or less compromised by the fact that
he himself was in Office: and
though it was not possible for the re-
call to apply to him. the popular mind
is not discriminating, and he was not
given that full credit for personal dis
iEterestedness to which he was entit-
led People could not ger rid of the
idea that what he said, as president.
was prompted by party politics. and
they insisted upon measuring his
words by that standard. Now. however,
he Is merely college professor, and
attention may be given to what he
says more than to what he is. The eth
er day he delivered his fourth lecture
at Yale on Some Questions of Modern
Government in which occurred this
paragraph:
"The objection to the recall is not
that it takes away the office from the
Official but that it is an obstacle to
the efficiency of government Men do
not administer government fearlessly
under government of which the recall
is a part, but administer it so that
their enemies may have no opportun-
ity to make malicious attacks upon
them"
Men do not administer government
fearlessly under government of which
the recall is a part" The New York
Sun calls this sentence a piece of gold
quartz which volumes of verbiage,
series of campaigns. nor countless
sessions of legislative rhetoric can
ever crush OF even nick; and then it
adds:
Simple language like this. un-
adaptable to twisting or cheap chican-
cry, should be displayed in letters of
light that the majority may know
precisely what they are about. Here
We have plain words. easy of interpre-
tation for all the plain and unplain
wheresoever they be. IL is almost a
sin to eypound ii, to restate that gov
ernment under the recall kills the
nerve in an officials hand; that gov
ernment under the recall makes him
shifty, yielding at a time of crises
pandering TO the forces against whaf
he believes to be right 1t is not nee
essary to 90 to our history or an,
other history to bring instantly t
mind the great moments and crisel
when had decision wavered under thu
recall the results would have beef
chaos for mankind. People of toda,
have only to look back on their owl
times and figure the consequences
Imagine a lesser man than Lincoln il
the cruX of civil war subject to tn.
recall; and where would we be-
Think of a weaker man than Grover
Cleveland at the time of the Chicago
strikes; and what might have hap
pened? Conceive of even the floods
this spring with mayors. governors
and a president having to shilly- shall,
under fear of the recall for enforcing
war measures and impressing mel
into immediate service. Had Profes
sor Taft lived and died and let NJ
other offering TO his countrymen thar
this sentence he would not have borI
in vain: Men do not administer gov
ernment feariessly under government
OF which the recall is a part" Thi
nugget will stand unlimited wear ant
tear from the waves Of constitutions
reform"
There are times when it seems tina
the recall. of a corrupt or incompeten
Official is desirahle-as the only i'm
mediate remedy-but We must look d
: rrh
tinuous. and consider what harm
such a weapon would do in the hand
. of the thoughtless, especially in time
Of crises, when passion is dominan
and reason is dethroned. A few leave
from our own local experience illus
trates the point Two instances vii
suffice When the horrible Whit
tragedy occurred. in which a worth
less negro sacrificed the life of
young woman to his brutal and unli
cersed passion, the judges of thi
county refused to further violate tn
law, in response 10 popular clamor, b
hasty and unwarranted action
They counseled orderly procedur
, according 70 due forms of law. but
spasm of frenzy seized the people. an
= under the spell of emotions that di
= them credit. but we're nevertheless
: dangerous without restraint. the
I swept aside all law and added to th
S horror of the situation by temporaril
. bringing themselves down to th
moral level of their despicable victim
J And if the recall had been in fore
S then, the entire county judiciary woul
e have been promptly deposed Yet h
e Judges represented the only sane sci
e Itiment in the community at that tim
Again: When the question of a fl
= tration plant for this city was bein
j discussed the opposition to spendin
g nearly a million dollars for pun
f water was so strong that the watt
commissioners, who went ahead
{ spite of popular protest and gave |
n a water system that is now recognize
h as a necessity, would soon have four
ID themselves out of office If the pow,
Y OF recall had been in force. Or, whiC
/. | would have been worse, they wou
Il not have dared to go counter to VIII
+ appeared to be overwhelming publ
l. sentiment. And there are other il
s stances which strengthen the convi
h ton that the recall is two-edge
n weapon that may hurt as often as
+ helps the common interests. Its OF
II sure effect would be to make cowarI
/ OF public officials; they would becon
IS puppets of every passing whim
popular feeling. and would eXerci
Il their own honest judgments at q
o risk of their official existence.
Il Il might perhaps be well to suble
l. all minor public servants to the recs
= o. some responsible official or oficia
In arnf 4
j. power.of recall by popular vote Woul
frtfr,,afor naralNyp II