The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-08-29


There is pending for trial suit by the
Shreveport Traction Company, the pur.
pose Of which is to restrain the city from
enforcing an ordinance recently enacted
to force the issue of transfers on al
lines of the Traction Company in this
city.
For years this question of transfer
has been in agitation, and at this date
it should be viewed with calm delibera-
ton. 1t may be conceded that if the
Traction Company had exercised its
foresight with diligent discretion the
privilege of transfer would long since
have been granted ,and much of the an
tagonism against this company would
have been avoided.
When viewed dispassionately and i'll
the face of cold facts, the privilege OF
transfers would not have made the COM
pany poorer than it is. As fact, few
of the people would use transfers, but
the people never fail to'resent opposition
to what they believe to be fair and just,
and when they are denied privilege
which they believe they sould enjoy, it
is then that they are ready to combat
and to do the opposition.
1t will be conce led that the Traction
Company is not required by its charter
to give transfers, except when it shall
so determine, but policy other than
that which they have pursued would
have had most wonderful effect in har
monizing feeling of resentment, which,
if silent, is manifest.
In reality, the advantages of the trans
fer privilege is scarcely worth the con-
tention and would apply in the minority
of cases For instance, one residing on
the Union Depot line would not seek a
Parkview car to go home, and get a
transfer at Jordan street, nor would one
residing in Parkview take a Union De-
pot car to be transferred to Parkview
car, but if the Parkview man desired to
go to Texarkana Annex he should be
privileged to transfer from the Park
view car to the Union Depot line and so
on through whenever transfer was
necessary
Again, assuming that some of the
community would now and then indulge
in taking in of the town by first going
on a Parkview car and then transferring
on West End car, or Highland Park
or other line, would these transfers de-
plete the revenue of the company, and
would the company feel the effect OF
such transfers in financial sense?
II will also be conceded that in some
instances the company would suffer from
the unscrupulous, but the sameguard
limit can be provided intelligently.
When the value of the franchises of
the Traction Company is considered,
and when it is realized that these fran
chises were obtained for a song, it is
surprising that the company should and
is no wresisting fair and reasonable
demand by the people.
SITUATION VIEWED WITHOUT
PREJUDICE
To The Caucasian the situation is so
plain that it wonders why the Traction
Company has not seized on the oppor-
tunitv within its reach to win and secure
the favors and best wishes of the people.
Possibly in the contention pending in
law, the city may not maintain its plea,
and it may be enjoined from interfering
with and restrained from enforcing the
ordinance requiring the Traction Com
pany to furnish transfers when desired
However, all such efforts to block the
expectation of the people will only in
tensify the situation. 1t has been al
legged in public print that the present op-
position to the grant of transfers is III
opposition of the purpose of Mayor
Bernstein to force the issue. This Is
nonsense and is noted simply to expose
its glaring absurdity 1t is also al
legged that the company proposes in the
course of few months and of its OWL
sweet will to give transfers in contem-
plation of certain improvements being
MANNED II Is sufficient to saw that il