The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-20

Atlanta Ga. March 1s.-The proper atti-
tude toward each other Of the railroads
and of the people, acting through the
State and Federal governments. was the
subject of notable address at the annual
dinner Of the Atlanta Chamber Of Com
meree tonight by President ". ". Fin
ley. of the Southern Railway Company.
Mr.. Finley advocated the development of
harmonious relations and cordial cooper
alton between the railroads and the peo-
pie. and the application of business prin-
ciples TO the solution of transportation
problems In accordance with economic
laws rather than attempting to solve
them by statute laws which, he said,
might work TO the injury Of the general
public as well as Of the railroads
what Railroads Must Do.
Cordial relations with the people along
their lines have always been desired by
the railways Leaving aside the question
of whether railway managers in the past
have always adopted the best course to
secure such relations, it may be accepted
now as admitted that the railways Of the
present and Of the future must cultivate
the good will and cooperation of the
public They must do this by the adop-
ton and PRONUNCIATION Of economically
and commercially sound principles as to
the conduct of their business.
Their policy must be one of frank
publicity, in which the people dependent on
d railway system for transportation must
be taken into confidence. They must be
made ACQUAINTED with what the road is
doing and with what It proposes to do
They must know the limitations upon its
, ability to meet the demands made upon it,
and the difficulties that stand in the way
of expansion of its facilities, and they
must be frankly informed Of the reasons
which compel the adoption of policies,
that unexplained, might seem to be die
tated by caprice or indifference.
south Needs Greater Facilities.
Mr.. Finley reviewed the progress of the
South since the civil war and said:
If the railways are TO secure the large
amounts of new capital required 20 en-
able them 10 meet the rapidly increasing
demands for their services. their credit
must be such as to assure investors Of q
reasonable return upon their money
Credit, in turn, depends upon incomes
and income depends upon the charges
made for transportation-the only COM
modify a railway has for sale. The South
now has rates that enable Southern pro-
ducers to market their products in widely
separated home and foreign markets or
such terms that they can compete sue
cessfully with similar products from other
localities, but it has not the means OF
moving those 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 competitive
markets on terms at least as favorable
as those of his competitors, prompt and
efficient service becomes of more import
ance than rate reduction
Mr.. Finley spoke at some length on the
Importance of railways and their EN-
pioyes studying the interests of the pub
lie depending on them for transportation
and treating all members Of the public
with courtesy and consideration, saying
that he was determined to have thi:
policy observed on the lines of the South
ern Railway. He reviewed the grea
work that has been done by the land ant
industrial department Of the Southern
Railway in assisting in the development
VI AtlE AUuA4l-Mu4A A4luA Aco 1N-lA UN4AE
fetal primarily to the South and onl!
seeondarly to the road by the develop
ment of localities along lis lines.
Case of King Canute and the Tide
In conclusion. he said:
Present tendencies in some localities
are toward undertaking to regulate al
the details OF the business of transporta
ton by statute law, regardless of whethe
or not the statutes come into conhic
with the immutable laws of economic
and Of trade. This is not a new propo
sition, ana lessons as to the futility o
attempting it may be learned from ia
history of the past. Ever since the da,
when King Canute stood upon the eoas
Of Britain and forbade the tide to ris
there have been men who have believe,
that the laws of nature and of economic
could be repealed or modified by legisla
tive acts Attempts have been made [
hX by law the prices OF commodities an
the wages of labor and 10 prescribe i'm
possible conditions for the conduct O
business, but every such attempt ha
ended in failure. and the failure has gen
orally been attended with consequence
more disastrous than the wetting of tn
royal robes that followed King Canute'
mandate To the tide "