The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-20
TO RAILWAY MEN
FIRST DUTY OF EMPLoYEs IS TO
 PUBLIC SAYS FINLEY.
President of the southern Lays Down Some Maxfms Which, if Followed Would Increase the Number
 of systems Friends.

Washington Special.
 tHe serves the railway best who serves the public best"
 This is the maxim laid down by Fres- ident Finley of the Southern Railway, in his address to the representatives of the freight and passenger departments of the road for their guidance in deai- ing. with the public. It is maxim the general. observance of which by rail- road men would go far toward bringing about better relations between the rail- roads and the people served by them.
 President Finley's address, intended primarily as a plain talk to the em- ployes of the road. Is of interest to the people of the South as showing the broad view taken by the head of this of the relations of a railway to the pub lie MT Finley said in part:
 Your duties bring you Into personal and daily contact with the people along the lines of the Southern Railway, and I, as one who has filled positions which some of you are now filling, propose to speak to you briefly of the relations Of freight and passenger agents to the public. Your duties are of twofold nature. You owe duties to the railway company by which you are employed and you owe duties to the public. These double duties do not In any way result in conflict or divided allegiance, for he serves the railway best Who serves the public best.
 HThe general officers of railway have unfortunately, too few opportuni- ties for meeting and talking with the people who are dependent upon the road for transportation services The man having business relations with the road, as a rule, comes into personal con tact with the local representatives Of the traffic and operating departments. The policies of the railway are formu- lated and mapped out by the general officers, but the application of these poll icies to specific transactions must be entrusted in the main to men in the field. It follows. then, that you have in a substantial sense the reputation or the Southern Railway Company for fair and just dealing in your hands Wheth- CT the company shall be popular or un- popular depends in very large measure upon your attitude toward the public and upon your treatment of those doing business with the road It is of su- preme importance, therefore, that you, who daily come into intimate personal | contact with the public, should bear In | mind constantly that it Is the unvary- | Ing policy of the company to be just and 1 fair to all alike---to the small shipper | and the occasional traveller. as well as l to the large shipper and the regular ] traveller; that you should be perfectly l frank in all business dealings; that you 1 should always be considerate and pa | tient, and that you should do all in l your power to make the services of the | road satisfactory to those for whom l they are performed. All classes of the | public should be treated with consider | atfon and be given every possible and 1 reasonable accommodation.
 l 'Of even more importance than a careful observance of duties prescribed by the company is obedience to law. l zP hAfWARn H. 1 ways and the public are now regulated by Federal and State statutes, and every official and employe of the South 1 ern Railway Company must understand that its business affairs are to be con- ducted at all time in strict accordance with the laws of the land. No trans action or practice that Is forbidden by 1 the laws can be permitted, and as I am | sure you all understand, there must be l no resort to evasion of any kind.
 As representatives of the Southern Railway Company you should bear in l mind at all times the basic fact that the interests of the railway and of those served by it are Identical, and that they are inseparably interwoven. The rail- way can prosper only as result or the prosperity of communities by which the demand for transportation is increased, and the prosperity of the South can con- ttnue and can be brought to the highest
 possible level only through adequate and ehicient transportation facilities, At the present time, when every effort Is being made to supply additional fa- cilities and more efficient services, noth-
 ing is more important than that the
 truth of this proposition should be re-
 alized by men in all lines of business.
 When once this identity of interests is
 thoroughly understood the railroads of
 the South and the people will be
 brought together in more harmonious co-operation for the development of the
 natural resources of the South and for
 the expansion of all lines of industry.
 The men in the freight and passenger
 departments are in a position to do
 much to bring about this mutual good understanding and this harmonious CO.,
 oneration for the upbuilding of the ter
 ritorv traversed by the lines of the com
 many. Your careful attention to the
 wants of the people and your consider ate treatment of every one having busi- ness with the road will serve as a con- stant object lesson of it's inteerst in the : individuals and communities along it's
 lines.
 ..My personal experience convinces me
 that the people as rule are fair-mind.
 ed and when fully informed can be re-
 lied upon to deal justly with the trans- portation interests.
 1T feel sure that it is only necessary
 to direct your attention to the import ance of your relations 10 the public, and , that we shall have your loyal support fin carrying out what ts the policy oi the company--the building up of thor { oughly efficient transportation system