Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-04
EDITOR

.ffcia cocrcr him into action contrary I" his
'nnyirr"nS. In framin" the provision in Homo
tmln> proposed charter. thu committee with the
matter in hand will certainty take warning from
he experiences Of other cities. and draft recall
measure which is fairly difficult T." pat int" use"
TIL" Star-BulIrrin has these suggestions to
make as TO the detail Of IT," recall measure:
\" official should liz subjected t" the recall
Unless he has srrNEu at least six months in Of
ice.
Ne official VIII" is sou Sh f. be recalled and
Nh" is vimdicatcoI i'm the recall election should he
nbj"rt"h /" another recall for al least a year
II after this year. another recall should be
started. those backing the recall petitions must
'ay the expenses of the official in the first recall
election.
RECALL petitions should he carefully looked
after Ivy city officials. All petitions. before be-
NJ presented to the voters for signature. should
~ Fl Clustered at the office Of the city and county
'lrrk, and only signatures on petitions thus reg
stored and known to he bOna-fidc. should be-
'"Hntrd i'll determining how many petitions have
oprn secured.
NJ persons should be allowed to circulate pc
iti"ns for hire, and in particular, under no cir
.unlstances should persons he allowed to circu-
ate petitions for hire on the basis of Il certain
sum per signature.
After recall petitions are issued for signature,
IN adequate period of time should be allowed
or the advocates of the recall to secure the nee
'ssary number Of signatures. At the end of such
mo i,,I nj, IL tbo
liens must be filed with the city and county
Jerk, who is thereupon allowed adequate time
o check over the petitions to test their genuine
ness. Under no circumstances should recall pc
itions be kept open for signatures indefinitely.
If recallelectiOn is obtained, the name of the
person against whom the recall is directed
should be placed at the head of the ballot, to-
gether with a short statement of the charges
| against him, and such official should, if he so
lesires, he allowed to have printed on the same
ballot his answer to the charges.
AS to the number Of signatures necessary to
bring the recall election into operation the Star
Bulletin favors a considerably larger percentage
han most mainland municipalities have regard
! d as sufficient Much of their troubles have
| Ome from making the percentage so low that
my cnqHe or angry '1actlOn cOnl0 start recall
With fair prospect of getting an election. a
| communication to this paper the other day sug-
| yeSte,l what seems to be fairly adequate num-
1er, one-fourth of the registered voters, or APP
| DrOXimatply onethir of the votes cast at the
| asst preceding election. Thirty-threc per cent is
| I higher number than most municipalities, we
believe, have adopted but it is none too high.
Thrty-fivc, even forty per cent, would not he out
| of reason.
| With the safeguards suggested above, and
possibly others or notifications of those cnOlmcl.
| lted here. the recall provision would he useful
| instrument in the hands of the people. Homo
| lulu must remember that abuse of the recall
principle will inevitably keep from public life
the very type of men now need thcrc,-ablc
and self-rrspccting citizens. The recall must be
Ironfinc,l to the emergency cases of known indie
|ccncv. betrayal Of public interest. obvious incom
petcncc. flat opposition to the will of the people
or weak yielding t0 corrupt Influences
| The Democrats came into power at the last