The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-09-10

people in legislating by initiative and
referendum is so much more burtien-
some than that imposed by the repre-
sentative system in selecting agents
to do this work that tie majority OF
the voters too frequently refuse to
perform their electoral duties.
"rhc Institution Of recall deals with
the executive and judicial branches Of
the government with both its opera
ton .s injurious to the public service,
though IN the case Of judges # is much
more dangerous.
III an executive officer is dishonest
be can in effect be recalled BY i'm
peachmcnt or BY criminal trial and
conviction. and sentenced to the peni-
tcntiary. UndGr the new system Of
recall an honest official, before he has
time 70 work out and vindicate his
policies. may be ousted by an am
bilious rival through misrepresenta-
ton in the press and the hasty iudg
ment o. the minority Of the electorate
who go to the polls Under such a
system Lincoln would have been re.
called
"The evil Of the recall OF judges and
judicial decisions is, however much
greater. The tenure OF a judge or the
right OF The individual litigants is to
depend ON the chance and uncertainty
Of one popular election. In the nature
of the case. the people can not be ad-
yised of the legal arguments pro and
con even II they could understand
them. Again the power Of a reckless
press would be enhanced and Justice
and equity would play little part in the
result
THE evil tendency of such so-called
reform is in the destruction of the
sanctiiy OF our constitution Under
the initiative and referendum, no
greater consideration by the people is
required in the passage OF a constitu-
tional amendment than in that of any
temporary and uniihportant measure.
'"The system of representative gov
ernment is an institution hammered
out in the struggle for liberty by our
Anglo-Saxon ancestors for eight hun.
drdd years The system Of written
constitutions and an independent
judiciary has vindicated itself in the
strenuous life of the republic for 1875
years and there is nothing in the
actual results Of the initiative, refer.
endum and recall that commenda
them as substitute,
What is true with respect to the
state Is iruc with respect to the party
Parties are essential to popular gov
ornment In no other way practically
can the will of all the electorate be
interpreted and embodied in aflirma-
tive action, legislative and executive
"The convention system gave rise
to abuses. Bosses and machines were
able to control the convention, but
even under the worst boss and the
worst machine the convention was a
body with sense OF some response
bility growing out of its desire to
nominate a ticket which would win in
the election; and therefore while 1t
may have nominated many machine
candidates whose selection, did not
make for the public interest it fire.
ouently nominated men of strength and
popularity and high character in order
that the ticket might be vote-getting
one.
Under the system of the general
primary there is no such responsibility
Especially is this true in the selection
of subordinate officers. Circumstances
of no real or proper significance in the
selection of qualified candidates al
feet the choice in such cases.
Nor is it true that the general pri-
mary is any less subject to the con