Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-20
LINES MUST HAVE RETURNS
Confidence of the Public Asked, That
the Necessary Capital May
Be Had.
NEED BETTER TRANSPORTATION
Ripley of the Santa Fe Says That
President Roosevelt is to Blame
for Present Conditions.
MIR. MORGAN WILL NOT TALK
Wireless Says That He is Informed Of
Conditions and Declines to Dis
cuss Them-Harriman De-
clares There Will Be a
Change.
MIR, MORGAN WILL NOT TALK

CQauRe.
President Finley of the Southern
railroad made an earnest appeal to
the public last evening in behalf of
the railroads. A plea for fair play
and justice toward the corporations
was among the expressions in his
address, and he pointed out the inn
portance of not creating a senti-
ment which would prevent the rail-
road companies from obtaining the
necessary capital to @.levelop the
lines. President Ripley of the San
ia te says that President Roosevelt
Is to blame for the public hostility
to railway corporations and that
feeling has caused the trouble in
the financial world. J. P. Morgan
is at sea on the Oceanic. A wire
less from him states that he de-
cllned to talk when advised of the
conditions in Wall street and the
declination of the four railroad
presidents to call on President
Roosevelt.
ATLANTA, March 2O.-At the annual din
ner of the Atlanta Chamber Of Commerce
last night President W. w. Finley of tho
Southern railway devoted his remarks to
the relations between the railroads on the
one hand and the people and the state and
national government on the other hand
without referring to any specific action nv
Congress or the state legislatures Mr. Fin
lev indicated his belief that the rresent
trend of legislation endangers the prosper
ity of the railroads and of the country
alike.
Mr.. Finley said it had always been the
desire of the railways to maintain cordial
relations with the people along their lines.
and that the railways must cultivate the
good Will and cooperation of the public by
the adoption and PRONUNCIATION of econom-
lcally ana commercially sound principles In
the conduct of their business. Mr. Finley
reviewed the progress of the south and said
that its pressing need today is for better
and more extensive transportation facilities.
Rates Must Yield Returns.
IF the railways are to secure the largo
amounts of new capital required to enable
them to meet the rapidly increasing de-
mands for their services" he said their
credit must be such as to assure investors
of reasonable return upon their money.
The south now has rates that enable south
ern producers to market their products in
widely separated home and foreign markets
on such terms that they can compete sue
cessfully with similar products from other
localities, but 1t has not the means of NOV
ing these products to market as promptly
as is desirable. Every shipper wants low
rates, but when rates are so low as to
enable him to reach competitors prompt
and efficient service becomes of more I'M
portance than rate reduction. The impera-
tive need of the south today is improved
transportation service. l am sure that the
intelligent business men of this section will
agree with me that improved facilities are
more urgently needed than any reduction in
charges
After referring to the public aid given to
railway construction in the early days Mr..
Finley said the great need in the economic
situation in the south today is that the
entire people of that section should realize
that the period of railroad construction has
not passed and that there is now much
need of encouragement-not financial-but
of the moral favor and support Of the pub
lie as ever.
Different From Waterways.
While approving the policy of improving
rivers and harbors at public expense Mr..
Finley contrasted the attitude of the public
toward carriers by water and by rail,
pointing out that the former pays nothing
for his highways; that it is maintained and
improved at public expense, while the car
rier by rail must construct his own high
way; must pay heavy taxes and is subject
ed to increasing governmental supervision
and regulation. He urged popular under
standing of the fact that rail transporta-
ton is more important than water transpor-
tation. expressing the belief that when the
interdependence Of the railways and the
people is understood the people will be as
reluctant to place obstacles In the way Of
every Improvement as they would be to
oppose the improvement of waterways.
A Plea for Fairness.
There seems to be an idea in the minds
of some that the business of transporta-
ton by rail is so different from all other
forms of human activity, anu that the rail-
way corporation is so different from all
other business concerns that they should
be hedged about with restrictions which
would be recognized as being fatal to the
success of an individual or corporation en-
gagged in any other business. A~railway
corporation differs from other corporations
generally in that Ii requires a larger
amount of capital for the creation and ope-
ration of its plant than is needed In most
other lines of business
Its capital can only be secured IL those