SOCIAL LEGISLATION ON THE PACIFIC COAST 279 



the fear on the part of the recallers of the wrath of the electorate at the 

 expense of another election. An interesting and much-discnssed fea- 

 ture is the recall of judges. Oregon and California permit the recall 

 of judges; but they do not seem disposed to recall them. 



In the field of local government the cities have home rule. For- 

 merly the treatment of many strictly city problems was ordered by a 

 state legislature many miles away and composed largely of representa- 

 tives from rural districts. This led inevitably to the infusion of state 

 and national party issues into city affairs, where they obviously had no 

 place, and to the development of "the systems," manipulations and 

 patronage. The commission form of government is found in large 

 cities in the three states and there is the local initiative, referendum 

 and recall. One may also see here an example in one of the smaller 

 towns of the city manager plan. 



Several changes in governmental procedure have been suggested. 

 Prominent is budget procedure. California, through its state board of 

 control, has taken the lead in budget-making. In 1913 two weeks be- 

 fore the state legislature convened a scientific budget was presented 

 which resulted in a saving, it is claimed, of over $2,000,000. Other 

 states have followed and proposals of budget reform are being made in 

 Washington and Oregon. A consolidation of the various state boards 

 and commissions and a reorganization of the administrative depart- 

 ments on the model of the United States cabinet has been widely 

 favored in Oregon and is expected soon. The program also calls for 

 the short ballot. Oregon has voted, though unsuccessfully, for propor- 

 tional representation, the abolition of the senate and a union of the 

 legislature and the executive. The future of these latter proposals is 

 uncertain. The record of Oregon, California and Washington in gov- 

 ernmental changes has been one of brilliant experiment. 



The greatest extension of the functions of government for social 

 freedom is in legislation affecting the wage-earner. Policies of liberty 

 and of individualism have not meant liberty and individuality for the 

 wage-earner. He has been unprotected. He has borne the toll of 

 hazard in industry and often accommodated himself to a standard of 

 living that is far from meeting the requirements of a democracy. The 

 field of labor is the scene of the struggle for social justice. The labor 

 problem and the status of industry are intimately related. Industry 

 in the west has not reached the large development of the eastern states. 

 Hence large and acute labor situations have not given rise in the west 

 to so urgent a need of labor legislation. Furthermore, the Pacific coast 

 is very eager for capital to seek industrial investment within its do- 

 mains. But labor legislation may raise the cost of production as com- 

 pared with the competitive industry of other states. Hence care would 

 seem necessary lest industrial development be discouraged. But should 



