The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-08-19
THE REFERENDUM REFUSED,

The inability of the City Council-not
only the present Council but others
which have gone before-to solve the
problem of street car transfers is in
deed regrettabIe, and The Journal would
not be bit surprised to find growing
out of this indecision and postponing, a
strong sentiment looking toward the
adoption of the commission form of
government for the City of Shreve-
port-Shreveport Journal August r8.
In what spirit is this suggested?
AS menace to the City Council, at
least to those members who will not
yield to the demands of the Traction
Company?
If Shreveport had a commission form
of government, the people not directly
interested and having no connection
with the Traction Company, would not
be apprehensive of the future. In a
commission form of government there
would be some assurance of safeguards
against the grasping greed Of a corpora
ton which is not satisfied with its pos
session of the earth, but would insist on
having the fullness thereof
1t is unfortunate for the city that the
councils which have gone before were
lacking in foresight of common sense
as applied to the Traction Company but
gave away valuable concessions to this
corporation with the free hand of an
extraordinary generosity, which being
without conditions, has left the city and
the people almost at its mercy. A COM
mission form of government would have
protected the city and the people, which
would have rendered unnecessary today
the resistance to the demand of the
Traction Company, whose offer OF
transfers, which do not transfer, for the
extension Of valuable franchises is not
only ridiculous but is reflective on the
intelligence of the community.
Unwittingly perhaps, the champion;
of the Traction Company have not re
6H6CI6Q LIldL llS IOlilllllSSIOH 4olhi -
government" is being strengthened BY
the attitude of this corporation toward:
the people, and if such a commission
prevailed today in Shreveport there
would be no necessity for the wasting
/ Of pleas which if not smaclting of the
twaddle of the demagogue have a ten
dency to mislead, through an implied
/ appeal to prejudice, if not cupidity, in
stread of practical common sense.
| What benefits will the city and tn
people derive by granting valuable con
cessions for transfers which do no
transfer in the sense, as generally TIN
derstood by the masses of the people?
/ We fully agree with the Journal Il
its declaration in favor of the commits
sion form of government emphasized i
capitals: "And everywhere tried it ha
proven a splendid success. "
The Caucasian has heretofore aligne
, itself on this. form OF government an
, has already pledged its active and III
qualified support to such system
which at no very distant day may b
come the paramount political issue
Shreveport.
All hail the commission form of go'
ernment It is check to graft, to e.
travagance and to mismanagement. Ga
= vestons Texas. for instance, under tn
form of government has astounded II
: world in the management of its affai
on business principles. 1t is this for
of government which is not desired
the venal politicians and party hacl
2 and is unpopular with the bosses al
Q their followers
al