The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-09-25

| to the community.
| He courted the truth. He could NEE
t facts, but he was powerless in his con
: troll of detractions and of misrepresenta
, tons which he could not reach.
He had been connected recently wit
the Traction Company. 1t was being sal
that he had silently aided in the gran
of the franchise on Southern avenue
and therefore had gone back on his re
cord. He was ever mindful of the yer
dict of the people in their decision b,
I an overwhelming majority against tn
granting Of the franchise to the Traction
Company. His attitude is unchanged
He stands now as in the past.
The grant to the Shreveport Traction
Company of franchise on Southern
avenue was voted by majority of the
Council who are not his politica
friends, viz: Bell, Bodenheimer, Hard
man, Hicks, Jordan, Lyon, Prescott and
Scofeld.
You may say that my views were
represented on this question by the
councilmen who voted against the grant
of this franchise-who as shown by the
official record are Dandy, Deal, Ford,
Ledbetter, Lowenthal and White
/ why l should be so, misrepresented
[ can not understand, and I mention
this misstatement because [ have discov-
cred that it is being worked against me
and to my detriment. =
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
All I want is a square DEAL" said
Mayor Dickson, land | will be satisfied
with the verdict of the majority, wheth-
er it be for or against me-"
He said he was in Baton Rouge on
business not connected with the Com
mission Form of Government when he
met and had a talk with Representative
Leon R. Smith on Government by Com
mission. He suggested only one change
in the bill which was that the required
numbers Of voters signing petition
for recall be increased from Is per
cent to 80 per cent, which was satisfac-
tory to Mr.. Smith and his friends. whom
he consulted.
1t is not true, he said, that he sent
kilograms to Representative Henriques
urging that the bill be killed He could
not control others who had sent te1e-
grams If he had been inclined against
the bill he could have appealed to Gov
ernor Sanders, who was his friend, and
possibly have had it killed. He could
have urged objection in other ways, but
he was hands off.
Again, when the petition of citizens
requesting the calling of an election at |
which to take the sense of the majority
as to whether the proposed Government
by Commission would be accepted, there
were evidence of technicalities which he
waived and he requested City Attorney
Butler to consult with Representative |
Smith with the view of correcting any
nformalitles, SO as to not delay unneces-
sarIly the day for the election.
At this juncture Mayor Dickson re-
minded the Caucasian man that the pc
1tions were returned by the city attor-
7ey owing to serious inforn1slities which,
practically invahdated the request for 4
IN election, but when later the petitions I
lad been made to conform to the law,
,equfring evidence that the signers were
July qualified citizens by. registration
md by the payment of two poll taxes,
IS required by law, he again met the
committee representing the citizens and
lad issued the proclamation fixing
Thursday, September IS, for the cleo
ion, which has resulted in majority
# SIS pronouncing in favor of Gov
,rnn1ent by Commission.
As he had purpose1y occupied a posi-
ion of neutrality, in keeping with this
intention to his friends, he
las refrained from discussing the issue
If Commission Government on the
treets, and had never suggested or adj
Used any of his friends how TREY should
-ote, but when asked he had invariably
old them to be governed entirely BY +
heir own view, inclination, opinion or
as he was hands off.
It was IN pursuance of this determine
ION that he had abstained from voting
m Thursday, September IS, for which
lie was being criticised, and which he
links is unfair and undeserved Had
lie voted he would have been charged
" his political enemies with having
.oted against" The more he had re-
fected over and considered his attitude
# neutrality, the more thoroughly con-
,inced he is that he was right in not
'oting at all on the issue either "for" or
against"
He desires his friends and the people
o know that he stands for the Commits
ion Form, and that if he should be hon
red with the position of Mayor he will