Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-01-14
SOME KICKS.
BY the Graphic's Kicker.
f. i. i. j. !. ST 81

| would like to know what has be.
| cause of that ordinance by which the
| council proposed to make the railroads
put watchmcn at several of the cross
APPROACH of trains First it was pro
posed to require the railroads to put
in electrical arrangements when
would give the proper warning to the
people approaching a crossing when
| there is danger. But the railroad at
city dads and they could out-talli
the city lawmakers on every deal, Civ
ing the aldermen cards and spades.
That is one Of the principal jobs OF
railroad attorney-to talk city
councils out of doing good thing
which the people want, but which the
railroads don't want. The ordinance
had been passed and it was up to the
authorities to enforce it, but the at
torneys gave the council nice game
of talk. and it was decided not to
enforce it until the railroad people and
the city fathers had conference. The
conference was had and several
meetings passed by with no further
action. Some more conferences were
had. The ordinance was still unre-
pealed, but its provisions remained
unenforced. 1t is the first time
ever saw legislative body pass a
law which they didn't want enforced.
Later the ordinance was repealed by
the adoption of another ordinance. bun
its provisions don't seem to suit the
railroads. Now | would suggest that
lie council ger the railroad attorneys
together and have them to prepare
an ordinance which the railroads
would comply with The railroads
need to be regulated in this city and
II we cant regulate them our way
lets do it their way. Let it be said
that VIC arc regulating. them. II would
at least put the railroads in the at
titude of obeyins the law, and then
it could no longer be said that the
city ordinances regulating the opera
not enforced. The railroads continue
to do business in the same old way,
and perhaps an ordinance directing
them to continue in future
as they are doing it now would
be tho proper thing.
Now am speaking out rather plain
ly on this matter. and it may be DOS
sible that will not get by the manag
ing editors blue pencil. Newspaper
men. like city fathers, talk about the
railroads rather gently. I understand
why the newspaper men usually have
only something nice to say about the
railroads. Newspaper men always
have their pockets we'll filled with
mileage books and "annuals." They
constitute a considerable portion OF the
average edior's assets. and If it were
not for free transportation some
newspapers would have to suspend
publication. It makes it easy for
the proprietors to get out OF town on
the first OF every month when the
pesky bill collectors get most numer
Gus. AS I have already asserted, l
understand why the newspapers usu-
ally stand in with the railroads, but
why the city council gets so suddenly
''mealy- -mouthed" when it goes after
the railroads is thing / haven't yet
been able to fully comprehend. If
it were not so near the primary
from my ward, get myself elected
to the council and then may be
would inA cut the "whyness and the
tpusnnss>' Of several things which are
not at all clear to me now. would
make TIE race anyhow, but the COM
n,ittee say thev are going to see to it
this time that the ballots are counted
as cast, and that there will be no
"doctoring" of the returns by the fl
nal counting board. That lets me out
for this time, as | haven't time to