The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-07-28
COMMISSION FORM
THE PETITIONS OF CITIZENS
SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR
A PLEASANT CONFERENCE
No Impediment or Obstruction to the
Course of the Law-An Election to
Submit the Question May Be Ordered
for or About September Fourteenth.

for or About September Fourteenth
At noon yesterday, in keeping witt
an appointment, the committee repres
enting the citizens who have petitionet
the mayor to order an election at which
to take the sense of the ma jority of tht
qualified electors on the proposed com
mission form of government, met with
Mayor Dickson in his office in the City
| Hail.
This committee was composed of V
Grosjean, DR. G. c. Chandler, Ton
Hughes, Leon R. Smith, with A. Quer-
bes, who was unavoidably absent Be-
sides this committee, there were pres
ent the committee who had circulated
the petitions, DR.. G, c. Chandler, w. c.
Agurs, J. J. Lyon, whose affidavit sworn
to before the clerk of the court, was
attached to the petitions with L. C.
Butler, city attorney, and Dolph Frantz
of the Journal
In presenting the petition to Mayor
Dickson in suitable words, V. Grosjean
explained that there were o55 signers to
the petitions, whereas as required by law
only 425 signers would be sufficient, as
this number represents 80 per cent of
1878 votes cast for mayor at the last
city election. He INDUCED the antici-
patton that the Mayor would not be a
stickler on technicalities, and being a
fairminded man, a man of broad views
he would give the qualified voters the
opportunity of recording their approval
or disapproval by a majority vote OF
the proposed government by commits
sion. The speaker said that the time
had come when all good citizens should
subordinate the local issues of the past
to the welfare of Shreveport Ii was
now in order to let the majority deter
mine which form of government was
best suited to the present needs of this
community, and this could be reached
only by giving the people entitled to
vote the opportunity of such decision.
He then handed the petition to Mayor
Dickson, who handed them to City At
torney Butler. In closing his remarks
Mr.. Grosjean said: Mayor Dickson,
the legal adviser of this committee,
Hon. Leon R. Smith, desires to speak a
few words"
Rising to his feet Mr. Smith said that
it was pleasing to him to be one of this
and as the author of the
bill he took personal pride in what he
had done. The purpose of the bill was
o let the majority of the qualified vot-
ers determine on the form of govern
nent that they believed would be the
best for the city of Shreveport The law
vas plain and it was his opinion that
he Mayor would find no obstacles in
he way and that an election as required
oy the law could be held on or about
ID or I6. At this election
he majority would determine if they
,avor the proposed form of government
" commission or are opposed to it.
In his reply Mayor Dickson gave as
;urance that he would interpose no OBJ
'tructions in carrying out the law. He
would refer the petition to the city at
orney, who will in time give his written
opinion under the law, and should Mr.
3ut1er find any technicalities he would |
advise Mr.. Smith and they
,oufd get together in conference and |
,orrect such technicalities in ample time
o hold the election. Mayor Dickson
aid he would avail himself of this op-
,ortunity to correct nisstatements and
-umers applying to him. He had never
aid that he was opposed to the com
mission form of government nor had
le ever said that he would test the law
n the courts. While in Baton Rouge he !
lad been informed that the Smith bill |
lad been promulgated on Monday, July
s, and that twenty days thereafter it |
would be effective and that he had
INIT of from thirty TO sixty days in
which to promulgate the call for the
lection. but he would not delay but
would fix the day at the earliest date
possible, say September IA or there
bouts.
Then followed shake of hands all
-ound with expressions of good wishes,
md the conference was at an end