Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-03-21
PRESENT TREND
IS DANGEROUS
PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN RAIL.
WAY DISCUSSES LEGISLATION
OBSTACLE TO EXTENSION
Penalties for Failure to Supply Cars
Would Compel Discrimination In
Favor Of Shipments Wholly With.
in States Imposing Same--PreIu.
dice Should Be Put Aside.

Atlanta, Ga, March 2O.--At the din
ner given by the chamber of com
merce last evening, President Finley
of the Southern railway was me Finley
pal speaker. He spoke upon the re-
lations between the railroads on one
side and the people and the state on
the other. without referring to any
specific action by congress or the
state legislatures, Mr.. Finley inu.
Gated his belief that the present trend
of legislation endangers the pros
perity Of the railroads and Of the
country alike.
Mr. Finley said 1t had always been
the desire Of the railways to maintain
cordial relations with the people along
their lines and that the railways must.
cultivate the good viii and coopera,
ton OF the public by the adoption and
PRONUNCIATION Of economically and
commercially sound principles In the
conduct Of their business. Mr. Finley
reviewed the progress Of the south
and said that It's pressing need today
is for better and more extensive
transportation facilities
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
financial but Of the moral favor and
support OF the public MS ever
while approving the policy Of i'm.
proving rivers and harbors at public
expense Mr.. Finley contraBted the
attitude of the public towards car.
rler8 by water and by rail, pointing
out that the former pays nothing for
his highways; 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,
ne urged u popular understanding Of
the fact that rail transportation Is
more important than water trans.
portntion, expressing the belief that
when the intordopendence Of the
railways and the people Is under.
stood the people will lie ms reluctant
10 place obstacles In the way of rail,
way Improvement as they would be TO
oppose the Improvement of water.
ways. M
Expressing the belief that there
is danger that legislation intended to
regulate railways may prove to be
obstacle to their extension and dc.
velopment and may tend to make
worse, instead of better the condl
tons sought TO be romeded," Mr.
Finley cited as an illustration legis
laton proposing to impose penalties
for failure to supply cars or to per.
form other services without regard
10 whether such failure Is the result
of wilrul negligence He pointed out
that the present demand for cars Is
beyond the capacity of the railways
and the car builders to supply and
that the imposition of ear service
penalties would compel discrimina.
tion In favor of shipments wholly
within the borders Of the state impos.
ing the penalty, at must be appar.
emit said he, that the inevitable re.
suit Of this will be to bring about a !
competition of greed and rivalry be.
tween the states to see which can
impose the heaviest penalties and
secure the largest supply of cars
and the most prompt service, aud
that every penalty imposed for fail
IRE to do the impossible must reduce
the ability Of the road to secure moro
cars and other needed hettermcnts."
In conclusion Mr. Finley said
The transportation problem canno,
be solved in prejudice or passion or
In any misunderstanding of the con.
ditons that surround It, Its Just
solution calls for moderation aud
justice on the part of the people and a
. full understanding and cooperation
between our state and national gov
ernments and the railroads In such
an effort TO work out successfully the
problem, witch is the great business
aud governmental problem of the
times and which can only he solved
on principles of construction. and
not destruction, and in full recogni
ton of the high and just purposes of
both sides, may God speed the rat-
roads and the people of the great
state Of Georgia. II has become
popular to dscredit the purposes Of.
the railroad manager Whenever he
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