The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-16
FINLEY TELLS IF
 LEGAL TROUBLES
Southern's President Says Road
 0beyS the Law
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
President Finley Declares That Rail- roads Have Nothing to Fear From Publicity and They Must
 Be Closer to People.

Chicago. September 15.-(Speeial) )-In cn address before the American Associa- tion of Freight Traffic Officers yesterday, w. ". Finley, president of the Southern railway, offered an explanation of the part played by the Southern in the diff culty between the road and the courts in the south. He said that rather than disorganize their service and endanger the peace and quiet of the community, they deemed it wise to submit for the time being, to what they believe to be injustice, after insisting on rights which would insure the proper presentation of the fundamental questions involved to the supreme court of the United States He added
 l earnestly desire to correct the er- roneous impression which l find is en- tertained in some quarters, that the ad- justment made in North Carolina was affected or hastened by my arrest. This adjustment had been determined on by us and the paper accepting the gover- nor's terms had been drawn Up and agreed upon between our executive officers and counsel the day before the arrest was made and before we had any knowledge that my arrest was in contemplation.
 Our counsel had left for the capital of the state to see the governor, bearing this acceptance of the governors terms, nearly twelve hours before the arrest was made and several hours before any warrant was applied for"
 Difficulties In the Way.
 MT. Finley spoke of the great difficult ties confronting railway officials at the present time, due to the demands of ship pers for improved service, and to the hesitancy of investors to put their money into railway property at a time when they see the enactment of laws for tho reduction of charges without due regard for reasonableness, and laws subjecting railways to excessive and negotiable tax ation. He spoke of the necessity of CO., operation between railway men and ship pers to obtain the most efficient ser vice possible from the present plants Re- ferring to the attitude of the public to- ward railway legislation, he said he was convinced that few business men favor legislation unfair and hurtful to the railways, but that what they want above all else is fair treatment and efficient service. After rointing out that business men owe 1t to themselves and to the country to become active advocates of public policies that will not place unnec- essary obstacles in the way of railway development, MT Finley said:
 Nothing to Fear.
 The railways of the United States have nothing to fear from the light of publicity. They have no reason to shun the widest possible discussion of their policies, provided such discussion Is based on facts and on recognition of the economic principles underlying the bus mess of transportation As railway off cials, we must see to it that conditions are fundamentally right as a basis for economic discussion We must be cer- tain that every practice and policy adopted can be defended on sound busl- ness and economic principles and we can then welcome the most thorough discus sion. Heretofore, the railways have suf- fered from the lack of such discussion. There has been no lack of unreasoning denunciation, but there has been no such general and intelligent discussion of the transportation problem of the country as has been given to other economic ques- tions. Contrast the popular treatment of this subject, which concerns every indi- vidual, with the constant discussion, by able champions on both sides of the tariff question, and recall how thoroughly the economic principles affecting the monetary standard were, a few years ago, debated in every corner of the land. There has been no such discussion of tho railway question. Anti-rallway agitation has been looked upon as the path leading to pub lie office, and, with some notable excep- tons, public men have adopted the anti railway side. It has thus been left to the railway men of the United States, al- most unaided, to attempt to stem the tide of unreasoning opposition by the promul gatlon of arguments based on sound, economic principles. The American peo- pie are neither unjust nor unreasonable, and evidences of the good effects of the arguments thus made are multiplying. Many men, in all lines of business now realize the danger, not only to the rail ways, but to the entire business com munity, involved In restricting railway de- velopment. They acquiesce fully In every sound argument for the fair and just treatment of those engaged in the busi- ness of providing highways for American commerce and of carrying American products to market but more than mere passive acquiescence Is needed, and these men, in their own interests, should be urged to become active militant advocates of sound politics.
 Influence of Newspapers.
 Tn our country, public opinion and legislative action are influenced very largely by the newspapers. In a recent address before the National and Virginia Editorial associations, at the Jamestown exposition, l pointed out that for this reason, 1t is of special importance that the newspapers should have correct in- formation as to railway policies. Among newspaper men, as among men in all other professions, there are a few whose actions are controlled by prejudice. but the great majority are fair minded patri- otic men, who want to discuss all public questions with justice and fairness. They hear a great deal from the anti railway side, but little from the railways. We ought to be frank in all our dealings with the press, so as to leave no oc- casion for adverse criticism or comment based upon lack of information as to any railway matters in which the public can have proper interest"
 Referring to the duties of the railways to provide efficient service at reason able rate, and to avoid discrimination, Mir. Finley said that these were policies that the railways of the United States were endeavoring to carry out. Railway men knew this, and students of transpor tation problems knew it, but the great majority of the American people did not know 1t and could not, unless railway men should make 1t clear that the rail- public and were striving to perform them, He referred to the difficult of knowing in all cases exactly what the laws re- quire, difficulty that had been illus trated by differences of opinion in the interstate commerce commission and the court on many features of the law. He advocated the settlement of all contro-