The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-09-24
sruNIxo rr THE EVIDENCE.


Many OF those who rave opposed
the adopting of the proposed charter.
for tho city 81 Albuquerque during
the campaign now drawlng 10 a clo,eI
have laid consldersble stress upon the
recall provision. claiming that u the.
charter Is adopted tomorrow and oe-
comes effective Albuquerque will be
compelled 10 vote 10 recall one or
more ~ the commissioners about every
tlme the moon changes.
NohNody can peer into the future and
give an accurate disgnoeis ~ whe'
the situation viii be in Albuquerque
six months or a year or more hence.
in ea~e the charter Is adopted. II IS
generally conceded. t~hough~and prop
erly so. that our citizens are AS pro-
gresslve. intelligent and wide awake
a. those 81 other cities IN various
parts 81 the land. There i no reason
10 think that Duke city residents
would act differently IN the matter ~
Inc TftAb IMAM WV N't'iH ~ 'fN
citias. where the recall Is in effect.
have done. Therefore. lei AS review
briefly h records elsewhere.
In 1914 there were nearly 400 cities
that hae the commission form OF eo'-
eminent. and nearly All OF them have
The Initiative. referendum or recall.
According 10 eovernment reports. only
81 Of tReSe cities nas useT the snissH.
tive. q tho referendum and 80 the
recall. FurthermorN - attempts TO
invoke the recall failed on aeconn, of
the promoters being unable 10 get the
sufficient hummer ~ tisnatores. oi
the ss recall elections actually held.
90 resulted in recall
The federal report also indicates
Ina, cities requiring a low percentase
Of voters signatures 20 a petition de-
mending tbs recall have exercised
their privilege less than cities requi--
lnr a high percentage. Dallas. for
instance. IN an example Of this. The
Dallas charter provides for recall pa-
titons signed rs Is per cent ~ tho
voters and the recall has been invoked
there six times-a eco not equaled
by any other city. regardless % the
number ~ signatures that are required
on recall petitions.
The effectiveness and the need %
the Initiative and the referendum a. a
protection against irresponsible legia-
latlve betrayal OF the peoples inter
ests have been affirmed by President
Wilson. In an address delivered IN
Kansas City ON Ma 8 1917. Mr. Wilson
said.
THE methods 81 bur legisla-
lures make the operations Of ma
chimes casg for very little ~ our
legislation IL formed and effected
by open debate upon thS noor
Almost al Of Il Is framed Ia law
yers' offices. discussed IN com
mlttee rooma ana passed without
det-ie. Bills that the machines
ana its hackers do not desire are
smothered IN committee meas
ures which they do desirc are
brought out and hurried through
their passage. u happens again
and gain that great groups AZ
such hills are rushed through 10
The hurried hours that mark the
close o. the legislative sessions
when eyoryone's vigilance is
weakened by fatigue and when Il
is possible 20 40 no secret things.
when we stand In presence
Of these things u see how tom-
plete ANA sinister their operation
has been. We cry out with ro it-
tie truth that We No longer have
representative government.
m We ieli that We had gem
uine representative government in
our state LEGISLATURES no ONE
would propose the initiative and
referendum in America. They
are heing proposed nav as a
can 81 bringing our representa-
tires baf. 20 the consciousness
that what they ARE bound ln duty
IN mere policy 20 DO h 20 repre-
sent the sovereign people whom
they profess 4 o serve. and not
the private Interests which creep
into their councils by way Of ma
chine orders and committee on
ferencss.
8It nus he remembered by
every candid mar who discusses