The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-07-18

Charging that an attempt is being
made at intimidation by some of the
city commissioners and that these eff
forts are only for the purpose of pre-
venting citizens signing the recall pc
titions, Chairman Cant last night is
sued a statement, IN which he quotes
the new city charter and declares
there is no provision for any publicity
of the names of signers to these peti-
tions. The statement issued by Chair
man Cant at recall headquarters last
night is as follows:
In view of reported statements on
the part Of certain OF the commission
ers that they intend to canvass and
make public the list Of stgners of the
recall petitions, 1t Is well at this time
to get clearly in our minds the safe
guards which the new charter contains
to block Such a procedure
Section II OF the charter of the
city OF Pensacola Is very definite as
to the method by which a commits
sioner may be recalled. No doubt its
trainers were strongly Influenced by
the work of charter conventions of
other cities. and, moreover. had ever
in mind the sacredrseSs and fnvioI-
xm meFfcan voter tae allb a been fishting for
many years
Section IL which outlines the
method Of recall, has no provision for
making public the list of signers of
recall petition. 1t constitutes the
clerk of the circuit court a Judge
from whose decision there is no ap-
peal No one thinks of asking a judge
for leave to go over the documents
which have been submitted to him
by whose contents he has been able
to arrive at a decision. No more does
the law as expressed in the charter
contemplate the going behind the re-
turns of the clerk Of the circuit court
in order to determine for themselves
the evidence by which he arrived at
his decision. There is no provision
for making public the names signed to
a recall petition any moro than there
is provision in the election laws to
make public the names of men who
vote at the polls and the candidates
for whom they voted. The inviolabil-
ity and secrecy of the Australian bal
lot Is no doubt contemplated. in the
belief which IS general today that
every man is entitled to vote as he
pleases on public questions and not
be compelled to answer to any one for
the nature of his vote
Section II says: 1t |
shall be the duty of the clerk of the |
circuit court to examine into the quail |
ificationS of the SignerS Of said petit |
ton, and if HE shall find said petit |
ton to contain the re- |
luisite number of qualified electors to |
calI such election, HE shall within ten !
days after the receipt of said petit |
ton certify to the board |
Of commissioners that the requisite |
number of qualified electors have pc |
-itioned for such election, calling for |
The resignation of the commissioner |
named in the petition.
There is nowhere in the law any
provision for the publicity Of the list |
IF names of those who sign the re-
call petition. In the dark ages in all |
countries (and even in Mexico today |
he party in power knew aXactly how
very man voted whenever there was
carried out the farce of an election.
VI dodern thought and modern ideas
lave changed all that.
To-day there is no chance for re-
,risals on the man who registers his
,hoice at the polls or on a recall pc
ition. The law wisely places the mat
er in the hands of an officer outside
he city organization. supposedly un-
biased one way or another, who shall
Lct as a judge. and pass upon the
qualifications of those who have regis
cred their will. Any movement
owards an attack on the inherent
light of man to ballot secretly can |
rot but be construed as a political
which the public will not
OPEN UNTIL 9 p. M.
Chairman Cant said last night that
ecal1 headquarters in the Thiesen |
,uilding will be kept open until 9
clock tonight in order to accommo-
ate the workingmen who have been
nable to come down town since the
ecall movement was inaugurated. The
are on the second floor
nd Mr. Cant extends a cordial well
ONE to citizens to call there and re-
eive the petitions.
The force at headquarters was kept |
usy during yesterday mailing out let
ers to those parties who haS failed t.
eceive the cards. Addresses of a nun
red or more of citizens wera secured
nd the letters containing the petit
ions sent out.
We had a good mail during yes
arday," said Mr. Cant last night, "and
esides reports from the committee ]
len and volunteers at work with Pc I