The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-04-18
REPLY OF W. W. FINLEY,
President OfSOhthern Railway Co., to Toast
at the Annual Dinner Of the Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta,
Georgia, March 10, 1907.
Continued from last week. }


Continued from last week.
Advocate of this legislation contend
that it is unjust to compel q shipper to
pay demurrage charges when he holds
car beyond the time for loading or
unloading while the railway can not be
compelled to pay for failure to supply
car when and where demanded. This
involves two entirely distinct obliga-
tions. The obligation upon the shipper
is to surrender property that does not
belong to him or to pay q reasonable
charge for its use. The obligation up
on the carrier and its self-interests are
to furnish facilities for transportation
without discrimination up to it's utmost
capacity to do so. Demnrrage charges,
while they fall upon the individual
shipper who holds cars over time, are
in the interest of the great body OF
shippers, as it is their purpose to pre-
vent the conversion of cars from their
true use as vehicles into warehouses
audit enlarge the supply of cars avail
able for all shippers. The charges are
not remunerative to the railways, for,
taking into consideration deprecia-
tion, interest charges and the earning
capacity of a car, il can be shown that
road loses money every day that q
ear is being held by shipper at pres
ent demurrage rates.
In this matter and others which 1t ie
proposed to oregulate by legislation it if
for the bestinterest OF all concerned that
the relations between the railway and
those buying transportation from II
should conform to the well. ll.establlshed
business rules that govern commercial
transactions of all kinds. There seems
to be an idea in the minds of some thai
the business of transportation by raj
is so different from all other forms o
human activity and that the railway
corporation is so different from all 9th
er concerns that they should be hedgeC
about with restrictions which would b'
recognized as being fatal to the success
of an individual or corporation engaged
in any other business.
A railway corporation is an organiza
tion engaged in the production AM
selling of transportation and differ
from other corporations generally il
that it requires larger amount of cap
ital for the creation and operation of it
plant than is needed IN most othe
lines of business. Exactly like an
other business enterprise, its capita
can only be secured If those seekin
= investments can be reasonably sure c
fair return, and its business can onl
be conducted successfully and its faci
tiles expanded if its income can be keI
up to the point necessary to sustain Il
credit and enable it to secure new car
ital when required for these purposes,
While the people should realize tht
: efficient railway service is necessar
for their own advancement and thu
the railways should not be put IN pt
sition where they may simply be tt
prey of those seeking selfish ends, it
equally important that railway Owner
and managers should understand thl
: the prosperity of railway can be pc
manent only when it is built on Il
solid foundation OF prosperous commv
mites and when it enjoys the good wi
of all OF the people whom it serve
j This involves, on the part OF every raj
way man, from the president to Il
flagman at the street crossing, a zea
= GUS devotion to his duties and co
slant effort to give the road, al
: through it, to the public, the most ef
cient service of which he is capable.
involves recognition of the commur
ty of interests between the railway al
the public and an earnest endeavor
T serve all those doing business with q
road with fairness and courtesy. III
is the policy that I am determined
J have observed on the lines of I
Southern Railway, and, at rece
gathering of representatives of +
freight and passenger departments
5 the road in this city, I outlined clear
what is expected of all its officials q
employees in their dealings with
v public The remarks l then made ha
been very favorably commented upC
and | have received many letters co
= NEEDING my view as to the relatiC
:. that should exist between the roads a
the public. Among these letters
one from Secretary of the Interior g
field and one from Interstate Commel
Commissioner Lane. Another, VIII
| propose to read to you on account
- its clear conception of what railv
is in its dealings with the public
= from Judge Geo. W. Gage, OF the I
}. cult court of South Carolina. 1t il
follows;
n Chester, s. c., Feb. 10, 1907
l NV Dear Sir: was so much plea
with your recent utterances bef
your employes-at Atlanta, l believ
that / have determined to so say to y
A community judges q railroad {
poration by the treatment it is accor,
Inv the roads agents there. If railr
an ant AGENTS in subordinate places ,wo
g treat the public like storekeeper d
when the public enters & store,
pnblic would rapidly grow to reg
'a' kindly the railroad company. ]
sure the average railroad agent q