The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-08
TRANSFER QUESTION
WHAT THE TRACTION COMPANY
IS WILLING TO GIVE
COMPROMISE SUGGESTED

The Mayor and the Council Must Pro-
| tect the People-A Franchise of Great
! Nalue-The Ma jority Is Opposed to
the Scheme
The Shreveport Traction Company
| is prepared to give transfers and to I'M
prove its service i'll certain particulars
in consideration Of certain franchise eN-
tensions. This information comes from
reliable sourcse shreveport Times.
September 7.
| This statement would be encouraging,
indeed exhilarating, if it we're not Sc
rlouS
A few days since The Caucasian pre-
sented the question at le1 9Th and de-
monstrated intelligently and to the salts
faction of every reasonable citizen not
interested in the Traction G Dmpany, why
rejected if they were to submit this
proposition. which in substance was or
| is to equalize their franchises by an ad
dltion Of thirteen years to the franchise
Of the Texarkana Annex and Jordan
Street Belt, and thirteen years to the
| Parkview Belt, both of which will expire
in thirty-fou years. The franchise OF
the Highland Park line will expire in
forty-six years. and the West End in
| forty-seven years If the proposition to
equalize all the franchises be considered
favorably. the franchises Of the two main
belts would have to be extended thirteen
years from the year 1o4I,
Why should the present city admins
tration, the mayor and the council. grant
such an extraordinary privilege and sad
die monopoly on generations to come
In large cities large sums Of money
are realized from such franchises, which
are being limited to twenty years.
| What is the consideration? What is
the city, the people. to receive for fran
chise which while valuable now, rated
at more than half million, would when
all the franchises are equalized be worth
million and more dollarso
And what is the city, or rather the
people, to receive as compensation for
this grant, the equalizing of all the fran
chises with their ending in forty-sever
years, when few Of the adults now liv-
ing would then be alive:
A midnight car.
A ) 80 morning car
An increased number OF cars.
Transfer privilege.
! How liberal!
/ Why is there no money valuation Oh
its ea1ivalena for such franchise ir
Shreveport?
If the franchises of this company be
valued at million dollars, will the
transfer privilege be an equivalent O
this million?
The people have the right to demant
and TO insist on transfers, not so much
for the value of such privilege, but a:
a right obtained by virtue of the liberia
tgrants from the people, grants obtained
for the asking
1t is true the street car service is {
}public necessity, but are the cars being
Operated by the Traction Company sole
ly for the good of the dear people, or fo1
the profits from such investment?
In the past the company has acquired
all it has desired and demanded as con
cessions OH and through streets ant
valuable privileges without compensat
ing the people to the amount of one cent
and the proposition, which is now being
contemplated. while bold, is not surpris
ing
Why should the company hesitate t
ask for the equalization Of all thes
franchises to end in forty-seven years
when they have never failed to acquir
: whatever they have demanded from TIL
!. city?
It is time to call a halt
If midnight car is necessary: if
S 80 o'clock morning car is in deman
by working people who must hurry o.
to their job to be on time; if the popu
lation has increased until the presen
service is inadequate, the Traction Com
. pany and not the people must provid
such numbers of cars as may be essentla
to the requirements Of the people.
i The transfer privilege when We've
calmly and deliberately, is not of muc
= value, especially when contrasted wit
, the million-dollar privilege of this com
pany, and it is only question Of tim
| when the people will become possesse
! of privilege. if not right, the priv
, lege of transfers, which should lon
: since have been and which should no.
be granted voluntarily and gracefully b