The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-09-11

der the present operation OF the cars
in the corporate limits, therefore Mr..
Traction you can have no credit for
this concession as you would style it but
it may be written plainly in the ordl-
nance.
We will run an early morning car and
late car, a midnight car on all our
belts and lines if necessary.
Mr.. Traction, as a business man,
governed by well defined business Prln-
ciples, we would ask:
Are you serious when placing your
self in the attitude of expecting credit
for doing that which business foresight
and good, business policy would sug-
gest? No sir, you can not be given
credit for this but let it be written In
the bill.
What else?
We will operate extra cars whenever
needed for the accommodation of the
traffic and"
NY dear Mr. Traction really you
beat the band" You stand as the per
sonifcation of liberality-Indeed there
are no words to give expression in re-
cognition of your present overflow of
generosity. We were inclined to believe
that an increase in the number of cars
to meet the peoples demand was one of
your assets, at least based on business
principles The greater the traffic the
greater the number of nickels. But let
it 90 at that and let this be incorporated
in the writings.
What else Mr.. Traction?
Well, candidly, gentlemen of the
Council, I really do not know what else
we would want We had never anticl-
pated such treatment at your hands. In
the years past we had no trouble in
getting whatever we wanted from the
city. Things have changed and so has
the Council In the years past the Coun-
Gil considered it a compliment to be
asked to give any concession we de-
blockhead objected and
Mr.. Traction, as business PROPOSE
/ ton we will say in all candor that your
offers as embraced in the Scofeld ordi-
nance is indefinite. It is one sided. 1t
is on the order of tail you lose, heads
I win" 1t is only dry bone for the
people. Suppose we put in the bill all
the conditions specified in the Lowen-
thai ordinance, which is sufficiently clear
and broad to safeguard the peoples
welfare, besides we shall require that
FIVE years after the date of the ratih-
cation of this agreement, extending the
franchises as desired that you, Mr.
Traction, shall pay into the city treas
ury twenty per cent of the receipts Of
every day and night for all your line.
What? Do you propose to hold me
Iup? This is an outrage, gentlement Of
the Council Think of the capital In
vested, of what we have done for your
lefty and your people. We will not pay
this tribute. To shoel with the trans.
fers and to the extension of fran
chises. We will run as we are now run
ming to the limit of our franchises We
will withdraw all propositions. We ar,
done with you
To this individual the City Counci
would say All right, Mr.. Traction,
is your privilege to subscribe to thes
conditions or let them alone. We ar
representatives of the people and W
will protect the people We will fror
this date notify the public that we vii
receive bids for the requirement of til
franchises to the streets for railway op
: erations to begin when the present fran
chises have expired We believe tn
franchises are valuable. We believ
that if the franchises were at an end o
were about to expire that the city coul
{ obtain several hundred thousand dollar
for the franchises AS the town grow
e in population the street car traffic WI
! become one of the greatest of revenu
producers. 1t is only fair that the cit
should receive some compensation, as
the rule in other towns and cities. VIII
e not Shreveport? Why should Shrevt
e port give away its substance to corpor;
tons without some equivalent in r.
: turn?
When this question is again befol
l the Council it should receive the san
t attention and the same treatment
r would be given if applied to Mr.. Ira
: ton as an individual and not as Il
i Shreveport Traction Company.
e The Shreveport Traction Company
entitled to no special privileges nj
concessions which would not be giv'
d an individual. The Traction Compal
n should be placed in the attitude of
I individual before the Council and shou
'r be dealt with in the same spirit
/ fairness as an individual. Because it
rs a corporation gives it no better standil
Ii