The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-10-08
WATER CONES FIRST.


In its issue of March u, 1911, thu
Caucasian said editorially: Next tt
wholesome water, light is one of thu
necessities which contribute to the
welfare of the community. 1T may
be of gas and of electricity or both
but in obtaining light, the cost IS the
problem" Shreveport Journal, DC
tober 6.
1t is evident that the Journals
headline to the quotation from the
Caucasian of March q, 1911, is de-
signed to mislead.
Since the March u, 1911 the eau
casian has acquired, almost minute
ly the cost of operating electric
lighting and the profits resulting
therefrom. If the profits OF the
lighting company reach III rouno
numbers. a hundred thousand dol
lars and more annually, why should
the citizens of Shreveport not ENJOY
the advantages in lower prices,
which will be made possible by the
saving of expenditure which the CT
IL will not have to incur?
stWater Comes First is not APP
Dlicable to the contention over a
municipal electric light plant.
Wafer is not now the issue, but an
election fixed to be held on Tuesday,
October II.
At this election the property tax
payers will determine whether or
not the city of Shreveport shall in
cur debt by an issue of bonds to the
amout of $4,000 to run for Pc
riod of from one to forty years,
bearing interest at the rate OF 4 t-2
per cent per annum, for the purpose
of building and constructing and
operating an electric light plant.
for lighting the streets and public
buildings of the city, and for the
sale of electricity to private con-
sumers.
The Journal as newspaper
should confine itself to the text. The
Journals pretense for water is most
glaring. It is fully understood by
all the people. It can not disguise.
its attitude by stimulation.
The electric light proposition was
not of our seeking, but since it has
been forced on the people, we shall
endeavor to assist in having the ma
jority recorded for the issue of
bonds.
If the majority should favor the
bond issue the lighting question will
be settled; if not, it shall remain a
disturbing element until it is settled
right. 1t can be settled right only
when the people shall have become
possessed of their lighting plant. |
With the electric light problem
solved, the water problem will be of /
easy settlement. There will then be
no conflict or irritation over, by or
from the interests of the lighting
rGmnaTV. ~ 49,
1t would seem a travesty of pro-
gressive development when the
Journal prates of water when the
lighting is the contention,
a contention arising over the COM
bined moneyed interest of few in
dividuals directly or indirectly con-,
nected with the Lighting company.
The agitation of water at the pres
ent time is ridiculous. When the
water question is alive, the Caucas-
ian will be aligned and in the fore
frCnt of the most Jealous advocates
If the municipal ownership and OPP
Grafton of the water plant.
The electric light is now the con-
tention and not water. If the Jour
nal is in earnest in its plea for wa
Ter, it should have and should now
favor the voting of the electric bond
issue for the reason that if the
lighting question became settled
hat water would follow logically to
| most satisfactory conclusion.
Should the bond issue carry forl
he municipal ownership of an cleo
.ric light plant, the bonds will be
leld in reserve Cor use when need
I'd perhaps nitwo or three years.
We repeat that with the electric
light question settled and settled
light, the disturbing element will
ave been removed and to accom-
dish such a result every progress
i've citizen not allied to or having
'ersonal interest in the Lighting ,
company should vote for the bond
ssue. :