The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-01
Discusses the Transport
tation Problem at Banquet
PEOPLE hEEO RAILROADS
Students and Others should Study All
Matters Relating to Railroads With
Ala Open Mind and Free From
Prejudice.

Especial to News and Observer
Chapel Hin. \. &, May 29.-PreSi-
dent Finley. O. the Southern Railway
Company, spoke on Transportation in
its Relation to Southern Development
at the Inter-SOciety banquet. He
pointed cut that. as a consequence OF
the economic law OF supply and de-
mand, il in one locality there was a
demand for any commodity in excess
of the supply that could be produced
locally, while in another locality more
of that commodity was produced than
could be consumed locally, the de-
nand OF the one locality could be salts
fed and the surplus of the other could
be marketed only by transportation
from the producing locality to that in
which the demand existed. AS "A re-
suit OF differences in climate and nat
Ural and in the Industrial
adapta bility Of their inhabitants the
production of different localities varied
and each must market its surplus and
draw on the products of other lOcali-
ties
Speaking particularly OF the South
he reviewed briefly the advantages of
climate and natural that
made the Southern section of the
United States one of the most fay Ored
regions Of the earth for human habi-
tation aud enabled its people to pro-
duce a large variety of commodities
ii demand in other parts of the United
States and in foreign countries. These
commodities could be produced profit
ably only when they could be carried
TO the places where they were IN de-
rnand, AID thus there was a very init
mate relation between Southern de-
Eelcpnlent II transportation. The
degree to which this development
could he carried was dependent, in
very large measure. upon the adequacy
and efficiency Of transportation
agencies, for, as the profitableness of
ability to place its products in the
hands of those who wanted them,
transportation was a factor in the Gre
alton of value and. in a very real sense,
a part of production.
After pointing out that the capacity
of any locality or section for profit
able production was limited by the
carrying CAPACITY of its transportation
agencies, Mr.. Finley said:
"Applying this to our section Of the
country. with its rapid development
along the lines of producing agricul-
tural and manufactured commodities
in demand in other sections, it will
be realized that transportation facili-
ties which We're adequate when the
energies OF the southern people were
confined principally to the production
OF raw materials to be shipped TO
ether localities for manufacturing,
would be utterly inadequate at this
time when our people are add:ng to
the profits Of producing raw materials
the profits Of manufacturing and
when they are shipping perishable
AGRICULTURAL products to Northern
markets in even increasing Volume.
Il development Of the South along
these directions could not have pro-
ceeded SO rapidly within the past
twenty-five years if it had not been
coincident with the development Of
its railways. The relatively short local
lines which had survived the Civil
Wan were rebuilt, extended. and con-
solidated into systems capable OF rem
dering the increasing volume OF
traffic.
Looking forward into the future,
We who know the extent and variety
of Southern and the capac-
ity of the Southern people, are conn
Gent that the record of past southern
accomplishment is but the
Of our future progress. We beleNe
with the return OF general pros
per:tv to our land. no section of the
United states viii advance more rap
idly than the South. If this expecta-
ton is to be realized there will be an
enormous growth in the volume OF
Southern traffic which Will call tor a
corresponding increase and improve
ment in transportation facilities. For
some time before the beginning of
the usiness depression in the fall of
1907 Southern transportation faclli-
ties were taed to the utmost. While
improvements that We're then under
way and that lac to be suspended
on account of the business depression
are now being brought to completion, +
we are not relieved of the preSent-day
economic necessity for further in
Sieases and improvements of facil:-
YES as the volume Of Southern traffic