The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-01-19
SHREVEPORT NOT
GOING TO snoEL


tons of conditions which are given pub
licity for effect. are not only exagger-
ated but are not true.
If it be the purpose of the ants to
misrepresent for the view of disCred
iting prohibition. they must soon feel
the effect of the boomerang
As the greatest majority of the citi-
zens of Shreveport are intelligent and
discriminating. and are possessed of suf-
hc,ent common sense to discern the
wheat from the cl,af. they will not be
misled nor deceived by misrepresenta-
tior,s and cxaggerations which are die
tated in the interest of the saloon.
To intelligent citizens it is not sur-
prising that here is a visible deficit II
the revenue obtainable by the city as
compared with last year, and this condi-
ton did not and could not escape the
Mayor and the majority of the Council.
who are ants As this fact was known
to them, it devolves on them to do the
be obtained, without casting reproacl on
prohibition, when it becomes necessary
to curtail the expenditures of the sew
eral departments of the city govern
ment
1t may be declared emphatically that
| if the prohibitionists had their Mayor,
and majority of the Council. that their
every effort would be directed to the
best management of the affairs of the
municipality, without implied protests
or complaints.
Much stress has been and is being
laid on the reduction of the police force.
Such reduction is not surprising. 1t
was expected 1t is the logical sequence
of prohibition. which, when effective
leads to decrease of crime. In sup
port of this statement is cited the re-
cord of the City Court since January l.
At the sitting of this court Monday.
January 1S, there were three cases. one
being for vagrancy. one for violation OF
sanitary ordinance and one for soliciting
passengers at the Union Depot.
There was not a drunk and down.
There have been only four drunks
since January l, against lo2 iii Decem-
ber 1908
In their attempt to ridicule prohibi
ton and to heap upon it their contempt
there has been cited the streets which
are muddy. as if streets could be dry
and free of mud during such a spell of
weather as has been experienced recent
.ly. However, the condition of the
streets today is no worse and not as bad
as when there was an appropriation OF
seventy thousand dollars for street
cleaning.
And there has been heard wall fore
casted on the street cleaning and sprink-
ling and on citizens being compelled to
go into their pockets and provide the
money which will be necessary to meet
the cost of cleaning and sprinkling the
streets, although there is budgeted
thirty thousan dollars for that pur-
pose. This wall is for effect, but if the
present city administration can not keep
the streets as clean as they have usually
been and no cleaner, on the appropria-
ton budgetcd. then they should step
down and out and let the pros take
charge and demonstrate what can be
done in the management of the affairs
of the city.
The citizen possessed of the brain of
a peafowl will not be misled by such
sophistry as is given the public.
And there has been heard wall as
to the Fire Department. In this wall it
lis attempted to intimidate the citizens
Iby an indulgence in the covert threat
that their insurance rate will be IN
|creased and Bloodworth's visit is re-
called. If it be impossible to reduce the
number of men, could not the wages be
scaled SO as to meet, in part, the de-
Efficiency which suggests these woefu
Misrepresentation and exaggerations
But the necessity of curtailing the force
or the wages of the fremen is ques-
ltioned. Shreveport has good Fire De
Ipartment and should maintain it. I'm
like the Police Department, it is mo-
vested with authority to arrest men who
Iare drunk and down. or are charged
with misdemeanors, the freman's dut,
lis to put out the fire and in this they art
successful.
It has been demonstrated that the po
lice force may be decreased to the MN
imum wherever prohibition is enforced
fairly and honestly.
Another wall is over the loss of tn
Iliuuor license. This is another scare
crow which appeals to the cupidity o
men and is intended to intimidate an
lis held in scornful reproach agains
the prohibitionists.
: 1t has been demonstrated that III ev
cry community where prohibition ha
, prevailed for years and is being er1