The Recall in, California
635
evidence, the court shall be convinced that the error has resulted in a mis
judges subject to dismissal, will soon
carriage of justice.”
and referendum, and the judicial recall,
In this connection the New Orleans Times-Democrat observes: “Whether the Californians have acted wisely remains to be seen. In the past they have had, perhaps. greater cause for discontent with the conduct of certain members of their judiciary than the people of any
is no doubt due chiefly to aradical senti
other state.
ment which differentiates the democracy
that they will actually use the weapon
of the newer from that of the older
just adopted against their judges. Other
states, but it may also have been due, to a considerable extent, to the promi
western states have refrained, and to
nence of local political issues of the
been ‘recalled’ in this country." Woman suffrage was adopted by a
-
All the amendments had been ap proved by the legislature before being
submitted to the people at the polls. The adoption of the amendments re
lating to woman suffrage, the initiative
movement
overshadowing
all
others.
Many doubtless voted for these meas ures from a desire to purify political conditions in California, and the drastic action taken by no means necessarily
foreshadows recourse to the initiative and recall except in extraordinary emer gencies. United States Senator John G. Works declared: “These are extraor dinary remedies to be used only in cases of extraordinary necessity. I
believe the people of California are wise enough to use them fairly and justly."
These measures of direct popular government having been incorporated in the constitution of California, granted that the constitutionality of legislation
later adopted be sustained, may not, in their practical operation, bring about anything like the political revolution which might too readily be looked for. The judicial recall, applying to all judges save those elected in chartered cities, was adopted directly in the face of President Taft’s earnest utterances,
do so.
It is by no means assured
this day, we believe, no judge has ever
much smaller majority, San Francisco's adverse majority being 13,705, which was more than offset in the rest of the state. Even in San Francisco progress is measured by the fact that fifteen years
ago this city recorded 24,000 majority against the amendment. California is the sixth state to grant
full suffrage to women.
The first state
in the Union to take this step was Wyo
ming, in 1869. There was no other addi tion to the states where women might vote until 1893, when Colorado granted them the franchise. In 1896 two states,
Utah and Idaho, passed suffrage amend ments to their constitutions. The state of Washington had a vote on the ques tion at the election of 1910, and gave the vote to women. although the measure had been twice defeated in that state, in 1889 and again in 1898, once by 19,000 and later by 9,000. The election undoubtedly afforded many illustrations of the danger of re ferring too many questions to the voters
and the overwhelming majority by which it was carried is surprising.
at once.
California is not the first state to apply the recall to the courts, Oregon
possibly be treated with the deliberation necessary. The San Francisco Call says:
having the same provision. Other western states are of the same temper, and if they have not already made their
if the great body of the voters gave to
So many questions could not
“The vote was large, but it is doubtful the propositions the time and study
