The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-03-07
THE TRACTION COMPANY
A Business Phase of the Issue Which
Concerns the Taxpayers as Well as
All of the People

chises held today by the Shreveport
Traction Company were obtained simply
for the asking. Until recently there was
little value placed on these grants, but
as the years have advanced and Shreve-
port has developed from small town
to city, these franchises have a fixed
value which is being enhanced steadily
in the development of progress.
| In the years past whenever the Trac-
ton Company wanted anything of value
from the city, it was obtained readily
through the City Council
1t was in 1892 that the Council delib-
erately voted the extension of a fran
chise which, as originally adopted, would
have expired in 1921, but the term of
this charter being extended twenty years
will not expire before the year Io4I.
The proceedings of the Council at
which this extension was secured wa3
not strictly legal and called in strong
terms of disapproval the protest of the
city attorney However, there was no
contest, and presumably time may have
legalized grant which it is not now
possible to reckon its value accurately
in dollars and cents.
Assuming that we have reached the
year 1921, without this additional ex-
tension of twenty years, what would be
the relation of the city of Shreveport
towards this company? The extension
of the tenure of the line affected having
come to an end, the city would be III the
attitude of requiring from the company
such compensation for a renewal of the
charter as would be dictated by plain
business sense. 1t would not be pos
sible to secure an addition Of twenty
years simply for a song.
Why not apply the condition Of 1911
to what it would be in Io6I, il the ex
tension desired by the Traction Com
pany is granted for those who are now
in the activities of life?
In all candor we ask, why shouiI ".
of today hobble those who will be in
the flesh in 184I by an extension at this
day of twenty years from 1o4I. which
extension would not expire before the
year 1907?
II for such extension the Traction
Company were to Offer. some conpensa-.
ton equivalent in value, we Of today
would be warranted in granting such
extension for the reason that those Of
Io4T and the years thereafter would be
receiving some consideration for a thing
of vaiue, but would not such gift or
free grant be equivalent to a crime
The pleaders for the Traction Com
pany can not mislead or deceive the
people.
If the extension of the Union Depot
line is granted it will be from Io4I,
which is twenty years from that year
The charters of the other lines will ex-
Ipire in 1853 and 1854, and with clever
ness the company's representatives fig
IRE all these extensions into an aggre
gate and average the time limit that
may be most impressive on the minds
of the susceptible and careless reader.
However, this issue, as tits presented,
and as it should be viewed dispassion
ately, is what are the benefits which the
city and the taxpayers are to derive
frx1,,, et.cf, av4a,1eiy,4a
The blaring in triuinphal tones the
advantages of transfers may be alluring
and may induce number of the people
to vote for the proposed extension, but
moments reflection should be stiff
cient to check all such misleading al
lurements.
The only ones who profit from trans
fers are those who ride on cars and are
transferred, and these are at this time
as estimated in the minority.
The only benefciaries from transfers
besides these who would use transfers
| is the Traction Company, and yet the
company is prepared to evidence with
an amazing array of figures that trans
| fers entail great loss to thenl
This point is nonsensical and will not
| be considered at this time.
How does and in what sense can the
lcity derive these great benefits multi-
piled in dollars and cents from trans
fers?
The city should receive some substan-
ltial compensation as the actual repre-
sentative of the taxpayers.
From what source does the city OBJ
Itain its revenues? From the taxpayers
land the license payers.
| Who maintains the streets of the city,
land who are the users of the streets Of
1.-THE city,
| The Traction Company and others IN
vehicles Of various fashions and makes
i How much does the Traction Com
Ipany pay for the use of the streets
4 How much does the Traction Com
| pany pay for a license? Their license
-. 49, ii e4a4s,