The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-10-08
GOOD WILL OF THE PEOPLE
VALUABLE ASSET.

Col. A.. s. Buford, at one time pres
tdent of the Richmond and Danvilie
Railroad, is quoted as having SAID
that no mar could successfully run q
railroad through q country where the
people were hostile to 1t. Acting upon
that theory the best railroad men
have sought to develop the country
through which the road runs, give
the people fair treatment, and snow
them that the railroad was being run
to serve it's patrons and not to exploit
them. NO railroad can gain or keep
the good will of the people If, when
its short comings are exposed, 1t at
tempts to subsidize their newspapers.
corrupt nominating conventions, con-
troll legislators, and dictate politics as
1t has been shown the Southern Rail-
way has been guilty Of doing. 1t Is
equally true that no railroad can gain
the good will of any people when
it d~iscrilminates against them IN ia
vor of competing cities in other
States, as the merchants and manu-
facturers of North Carolina show is
being done every year. The southern
charges two prices for freight to
North Carolina people and then buys
newspapers and hires lobbyists to
convince the people that all state
ments of the truth are the pro-
duct of demagogues and office-seek-
ers. Does it expect to have the good
will of the people by any such treat
ment?
The Boston Globe quotes President
Menen, of the New York, New Haven
and Hartford Railroad as saying only
this week.. referring to the suggestion
thai it take over the Boston and
acquired with the good will of the
people il now serves. and he adds
that if it cannot be secured with such
Maine Railroad, ''proyided' it can be
good will lit may be we'll to proceed
no farther Mr.. Mellen shows wis
dom. HI understands hat the best
asset of any railroad is the good will
of the people along its line. n that
in contemplating buying a new line a
material consideration is whether lit
can be acquired with the good will of
the people it now serves What
marked contrast is that with the
statement of Vanderbilt, who, when
told that h people would not APP
prove a certain policy the roa con-
templated, swept way the objection
by saying, 1.-The people be d--d."
We ave had-We now have-some
railroad magnates-in North Carolina
who act pon the theory the people
be d. and when the people
grow FESTIVE under any policy think
they can crush them by substituting
newspapers, hiring lobbyists, and
spending money to influence public
opinion. control legislation, and de-
fy the law When they cannot write it.
The time has passed in North Caro-
lima when such methods can succeed.
If the Southern Railway and the
other railroads that are fighting the
rate law were managed by men who
held the view of Col. Ruford and Mr..
Mellen, the present friction and liti-
cation would be ended in a week.
They would order~their roads to obey
the law, issue orders ending the gross
determinations against North Caro-
lima cities, and go to work to devote
all their energies to running their
rallro2d and developing the ountr
and cease substituting and
hiring politicians to lobby, n seek
ing to control political action. But
that Will not be done as long as the
railroad leadership seeks to destroy
a Governor, a Judge, an attorney, an
editor-anybody who fights for the
the just rights of the people. It will
be done the first day the railroad
leaders in the State understand hat
the good will of the people is a valu-
able asset. And nothing is easier to
obtain than the good Will of the peo-
pie for a railroad. 1t needs only
that 1T shall serve them efficiently.
give them fair treatment, and let pol
itiCS alone.
Isn't IT worth While for the law-de-
flying railroads to change their course
and show that they desire the good
viii of the people of the state by
quitting all determinations, obeying
the State laws, and appealing only to
the justice and fairness of the peo-
pie who viii be glad 20 have an enc
of litigation and friction upon the
basis or fair treatment and observ-
ance of laws?
1t rests with the railroads alone.