The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-11-19

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the existence Of the market. The
farmer, therefore, had a vital inter
est in the highways from his farm
yard to the markets Of the world
After referring to the Importance OF
good country highways, Mr.. Finley
pointed out that the interest Of the
farmer in good roads extended be-
yond the wagon road from his farm
to an industrial or shipping center
and embraced all the railways and
waterways over which his products
moved to reach the final consumer.
Pointing out that adequate trans
poutation facilities were essential te
increased production and that the
present railway facilities Of the
South were now little more than suf'
fcient for meeting present demands
and were relatively less than those OF
some other parts Of the country, MIR
Finley said:
cit is manifestly to the interest
of this section that the railways, as
instrumentaltes Of Transportation
should be built up and strengthened
Even a superficial glance at those sec.
tions which are most prosperous viii
demonstrate that their prosperity IS
largely based upon the perfection OF
their transportation facilities. Those
producing communities which have
the easiest, quickest and most rell-
able ways to market can sell quicker
and more certainly, and thus possess
commercial advantages over commu-
mites less favored with means OF
transportation.
"It is, therefore, short-sighted IN
any community to permit any other
section, by larger, more stable, OF
more conservative policy, to stlmu-
late and encourage, to a greater ex-
tent than it itself does, the develop
ment of transportation facilities. To
the extent that any community per
mits this, it surrenders to its rival the
commercial advantage which differ
entiates the growing and prosperous
from the laggard and stagnant com
munity.
In view of these general considera-
tions, which are universally accept
ed as sound by thoughtful men, it be-
comes important to inquire what The
public in any locality can do to pro-
mote this important interest.
"The fundamental thing to accom-
plish is to make the investment in
transportation facilities in that local
/ ity attractive to the honest investor.
"It is in no way difficult to deter
mine what will do this. All any sens
ible man has to do is to inquire OF
himself what would make an invest
ment for his savings attractive to
him, and he may rest assured that
the considerations which would IN
duce him TO invest his savings are OF
the same general nature, and are
based upon the same principles OF
human action, as those which inhu-
ence and control other people.
'In the first place, he would ask
himself whether the proposed invest
ment is safe, and
"Second, whether it would bring
in as large a return as any other IN
vestment that might be open to him
as an alternative.
"If he could answer both Of these
questions in the affirmative, he would
not hesitate to make the investment.
If, however, he should conclude ell
ther that the investment is unsafe, or
that he could not rely upon as good q
return from it as from some other
investment, the prudent man would
not venture to make it.
"It is apparent, therefore, that
those communities which want their
transportation to be gradually i'm
proved and perfected, must find some
means of convincing the investor that
his investment in that community
will be safe and that it will bring him
in as good returns as an investment
in any other line Of business.
"This is also the thing in regard tc
which the railway manager, who needs
funds to develop his system, is al
the time trying to convince investors
To aid in this is equally the interest
and the duty of the public which
wants and needs increased and I'M
proved transportation facilities.
"In order to make the investor be-
lieve that his investment is safe II
any community, it is necessary te