The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-04-18
The GOLD LEAF.
THURSDAY, APRIL IS, 1907.
President Finley Leading.
Charlotte Observer.


mond NewS-Lpa1er has this striking
irn"lal:
tPresid Mt Finley OF the SO | hern
Runway Company, continues to talk
to the public. to take it III his conn
Ipce and to discuss frankly and fairly
the relations bptween the people and
railroads. showing where each side
has its wrongs resulting IN mutual
dangers.
president Finley is refreshing
contrast to til. kind OF raiload men
to which the public Throughout the
country has become accustomed
These could look on but one side,
could not realize that the public has
any rights to be respected, any inter
est in the matter OF railroad NAH
noement or conduct or anything to
do with it. They resented any sugges-
ton of legislation OrexecntIVe super
vision or inquiry rs impndent lntru-
sion and insOlent interference VIII
private and sacred prerOgatlves. All
of us can remember the time WHeil
simple question regarding a serious
accident on IL railroad brought stern
and aulIen rebuff and rebuke from
subOrdinate5 and the frozen face ana
hau0hty denuuriatiOn from those
higher up. Most OF ua have seen leglsla-
tive and other inquiries and lnVestl
CATIONS confronted by smooth and
smiling individuals whose business
and purpose was to mlsleau ana
battle inquiry, to deceive and befog::
Their attitude usually was one OF
GOOD nntured contempt. Their as
sumption was that everybody outside
the sacred circles of railroad employ
ment who touched the business was
looking for n bride or was an ignorant
and malicious demagOgue ora blum
dering fool, hardly worthy OF serious
consideration. We have seen tllat
kind of thing time after time ana
the people have run against 1t with
their determination to break over
all the barriers and through all the
iungles and tangles steadily
hardening.
"Now the railroad people taking a
new turn and we hope they are dong
it in time. They are inviting good
will and confidence and trying very
hard to deserve both and we hope
most sincerely they will succeed.
President Finley is taking the lead
in this good work and thereby prov
iny his shgarity, his foresight, his
grasp OF the situation i'll troubled
and dangerous time and his fitness
to lead the great system through
the present perils. Ii his policy and
method is followed sincerely and
faithfully much ofthe evil OF the past
will be undOne and much good VIII
come The people are so long
accustomed to deceit and to being
fooled with and hoodwinked that IT
is hard to make them believe that
they really will be dealt with fairly.
When once convinced OF that, how
ever, they will respond with alacrlty.
There are a good many reasons
that lead to the belief that President
Finley is quite the biggest railroad
man who has appeared in the South
recently. He sees and readily con
cedes the fact that in the railroad
discussion there are two sides. The
railroads own valuable franchises and
while exercising, i'll sense, the right
of eminent domain, are accountable
to the public for their conduct in con
sideration of the privileges which
they enjoy at its hands and are sub
ject to the public regulation. On
the other hand, while the public :
servants, yet owned by individuals,
they are entitled to n living chance
entitled to legislation which, while
properly regulative, should not be
destructive.
President Finley is preaching this
sort of doctrine and presenting THU
argument fairly as between bOtl
sides. Ii he continues his frankness
OF statement, taking the public into
his confidence, as the NeWS-Leadel
puts it, the result will be beneficial tC
both OF the present conflicting in
terests-redoundiug to the better
feeling on the part OF the people to
ward the railroads and thus to The
inestimable advantage of the roads
Let us all hope that Mr.. Finley vii
continue the good work in which III
is engaged, which is that OF bringing
about a better understanding.
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