The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-02-26
PoLIo1Es OF SOUTHERN RY..
! Outlined by President Finley of Great
System in Address to Repre-
sentatives.

"a Your duties bring you into personal
kand daily contact with the people
along the lines Of the Southern rail
way, and / as one who has filed po-
sitions which some of you are now
filing, propose to speak to you brief
&ly. Of the relations Of freight and pas
senger agents to the public. Your
I've duties to the railway company
which you are employed and you
|e duties to the public. These dou-
n Re: duties do not in any way result
ktin conflict or divided allegiance, for
HE, serves the railway best who serves
the public best
Il The general officers of railway
have, unfortunately, too few oppor-
tunities 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 contact with the local repre-
sentatives of the traffic and operat-
@ing departments. The policies of
railway are formulated and mapped
out by the general officers, but the ap-
plication Of these policies to specific
->transactions must be entrusted in the
Iaamain to men in the field. 1t follows,
! then, that you have in substantial
sense the reputation of the Southern
Railway company. for fair and just
- ealing in your hands. Whether the
Pmpany shall be popular or unpopu-
ar depends in very large measure up
pm your treatment of those doing bust
ess with the road. 1t is of sumpreme
: Importance, therefore, that you, who
Tally come into intimate personal
contact with the public, should bear
= in mind constantly that it is the un-
varying policy Of the company to be
just and fair to all alike-to the small
l shipper and the occasional traveller
as we'll as to the large shipper and the
!. regular traveller; that you should be
! perfectly frank in all business deal
ings; that You should always be con-
siderate and patient, and that you
!, should do all III your power to make
the services of the road satisfactory
to those for whom they arc perform
] ed
All classes Of the public should be
treated with consideration and be Civ
en- every possible reasonable accom-
modation. Even the man who makes
impossible or unreasonable demands
should not be- dismissed with a curt
refusal. He may not know that what
he asks is either impossible or mrea-
! sonable, and few words of frank en-
planation pointing out to him why his
wishes cannot be complied with may
send him away a friend Of the road
instead of faultfinder. While every
's thing possible should be done for the
accommodation of those doing busi-
= ness with the road, care should be ex-
] tercised not to promise the impossible
= in the way Of facilities or services.
When failure to fulfill such q prom
4 ise follows, the man who made it may
4 Sbe able to shift responsibility to tho
Fnperatins or some other department
@sQr officer, but the damage done to the
iTeputation Of the road cannot be cas-
'Ilyremedied. Questions that seem to
-. estFivial may be considered of much
/ siInpoitance by the persons asking
sEhem and they should be answered
With patience and courtesy.
sa The. efficiency of the service as a
~'Nasalepends upon the efficiency of
findivilual official and employee.
ssYeiy agent and employee should
his duties in detail and should
p ID thoroughly just what he
Is ,.i3dny contingency that may
-. should then neglect no de-
ffail of ll,> duties, however unimpor-
Sstant it may seem to him, for no mat
tel '..h how carefully and minutely du-
ies$may be prescribed by the general
the neglect of some appar-
ssentl minor detail may lead to serious
possibly to disastrous results. OF
ssyen more Importance than a careful
Mobservance Of duties prescribed by
1.-THE company is obedience to law.
lany Of the relations between the
ways and the public arc now reg
led Ey federal and state statutes,
avery official and employee Of the
fern Railway company must un-
md that its business affairs arc
conducted at all times in strict