The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1897-10-09
WEST BANK RAILROAD.

Central railroad arrived IN TINS city.
This is the road that wanted to come |
to Shreveport and would traverse the |
Red river valley the same as the Eden
born outfit, only it would go down the |
Caddo side and would thus yield Cad |!
do Parish a revenue by taxation, Butt,
it would protect no Bossier leVees;
would pay no Bo.sier levee tax.
This was the road that Shreveport |
needed that is to say, would cover the |
bushes territory desired, and would pay |
something in return for the bonus given. |
OF course this is too patent for de-
NAL, and we hope no one viii be founo
who is SO much slave to his own self
ish interest, or the slave of another to
stultify himself by doing SO.
But the promoters OF this West
Bank railway made a fatal mistake at
the very outset. They seemed TO think
all that was necessary was to convince
the public that it was TO Shreveport
interest to have have this road. Or
dinariIy business principles govern
business enterprises. Bnt not so in Shire
veport A particular man must be
first consulted or the whole think goes
to the wall. Shreveport has congrat-
ulated herself that this deplorable con-
dition of affairs no longer dominated
her business interests. In fact untA
the Edenborn imposition, this evil ge-
MUS of our prosperity was supposed to
have migrated elsewhere. But alas. II
was then discovered that politics
still had it's Shiny tentacles on Gus busi-
ness craft, and that cheek, impudence
and personal selfishness would WELD
anad personal selfishness would WELD
some influence. If some political boss
fathered the movement.
Had Mr.. Welsh released his manhood
and truckled to a certain coterie in this
town he would have been listened to
with marked attention. And doubtless,
had he put them forward as the main
factors in the movement, pandered to
their egotism, tickled their vanity,
Wanted their pride, DOTTED his hat to
their seif-esteem anad scraped his foot
to their Great I am'ism, they would
have Rugged him as a great promoter
of great enterprises; and the Edenborn
farce would never have been foisted up
on the city to make as the laughing stock
on the city to make us laughing stock
OF thinking people.
OF course there is nothing left until
the courts declare that election Illegal
to give a bsnus to this west Bank road
which would yield our parish revenue
from the beginning, and no doubt the
fellows W. no Joined forces andwith 24S votes
fastened a debt of $4,000 on $4,000 OF
$4,000 others, think they have made {
coupe which will go down in history a:
the most talked about of any in tins
movements of cities. Well maybe so
That 1t will be talked" about there
no doubt. Rut then, manay man ano
set of men have been and are talked
about and their relatives and friend:
didn't feel like Boosting about
either
But this West Bank road. What d.
the Edenborn promoters think now, o
in the narrow lexicon of business de
mands, is there room for such an Ell
Terminate sentiment as conscience
The surveying corps for the Yves
read arrive, stated Cur morning con
Temporary the Times. The Edenborl
ideslist ? knew this road wanted to com
and they must interdict themselves 70
imb.celity il they didn' know that it wa
by far a hundred times over, the hes
road for Shreveport; and what WI
10 ~, axrrNlc ma "a