The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-20
Executive Head of Southern
Believes Cooperation
Is Necessary.
THE IMPERATIVE
NEED OF SOUTH
Is Improved Service in Or
der to Allow Shippers
to Compete.
APPROVES POLICY OF IMPRov-
ING ROADS AND HARHoRs, AND
CONTRASTS ATTITUDE OF PUB
Lie TOWARD WATER AND RAIL
cARRIERs-pANeER FROM I'M
PROPER LEGISLATION.
ax AssocIated Pree..


nual dinner of the Atlanta Chamber
OF Commerce tonight, President w.
w. Finley, of the Southern Railway,
who was one of the principal speak
ers. devoted his remarks entirely 10
the relations between the railroads.
on the one hand and the people ana
the state and national government on
the other hand Without referring
TO any specific action by congress or
the state legislatures, Mr.. Finley In
dicated his belief that the present
trend Of legislation endangers the
prosperity of the railroads and OF the
country alike.
Mr.. Finley said it has always been
the desire of the railways to main
tain cordial relations with the people
along their lines and that the rail-
ways must cultivate the good will and
cooperation of the public by the
adoption and PRONUNCIATION OF eco
nomically and commercially sound
principles in the conduct of their
business Mr.. Finley reviewed the
progress of the south and said that
its pressing need today is for better
and more extensive transportation
facilities.
Credit Must Be Good.
.1f the railways are TO secure the
large amounts of new capital required
TO enable them to meet the rapidly in
creasing demands for their services,
he said, their credit must be sucn
as to assure investors of reasonable
return upon their money. The south
has now rates that enable southern
PRODUCERS TO market their products In
widely separated home and foreign
markets on such terms that they can
compete successfully with similar
products from other localities but 1t
has not the means of moving these
products to market as promptly as Is
desirable. Every shipper wants lower
rates. but when rates are so low as
to enable him to reach competitors,
prompt and efficient service becomes
of more importance than rate reduc-
ton. The imperative need of the
south today Is improved transporta-
ton service. / am sure that the
business man of this section will
agree with us that improved facilities
are more urgently needed than any
reduction in charges"
After referring to the public AID
given TO railway construction IN the
early days, Mr.. Finley said the great
need in the economic situation in the
south today is that the entire people
of that section should realize that the
period of railroad construction has
not passed and that there is now as
much need of encouragement not Il
nancial, but of the moral favor and
support of the public as ever.
Pail Ezrrier<
While approving the policy Of i'm
proving rivers and harbors, at public
expense, Mr.. Finley contrasted the
attitude of the public towards carriers
by water and by rail, pointing out
that the former pays nothing for his
highway; that 1t is maintained and
improved at public expense while the
carrier by rail must construct his own
highway, must pay heavy taxes and
is subjected TO increasing govern
mental supervision and regulation.
He urged a popular understanding of
the fact that rail transportation is
more important than water transpor-
tation, expressing the belief that
when the interdependence OF railways
and the people is understood, the
people will be as reluctant to place
obstacles II lut way VI ldiANaS III
provement as they would De to OPP
pose the improvement of waterways
Expressing the belief that there is
danger that legislation intended 20
regulate railways may prove to be an
obstacle to their extension and cevel
opment and may tend to make worse
instead of better the condition sought
TO be remedied," Mr.. Finley cited as
an illustration legislation proposing
to impose penalties for failure 10 ap
uly cars or TO perform other services
without regard to whether such fill
ure Is the result of wilful negligence
He pointed out that the present de
mand for cars is beyond the capacit,
of the railways and the car builders
10 supply and the imposition of cal
service penalties would compel dis
elimination in favor Of shipments
wholly within the borders of the state
imposing the penalty.
Inevitable Result.
sTt must be apparent" said he
athat the Inevitable result of this
win be to bring about competition
Of greed and rivalry between ths