Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1913-08-13
INTEREST Of PRESS
SAME AS RAILWAYS
PRESIDENT
N TO N. G.
EDITORS.
RAILWAYS AND PRESS ALLIED
Mr.. Finley, at Asheville, Dis
cusses Mutual Interests of
Press and Railways and
Their Aid in Community
Development.
AND PRESS ALLIED


Ashevills, N. c.. IS A-At tn.
meeting Of the North Carolina Press
Association in Asheville to-day Pres.
ident Finley, OF the Southern Railway
Company, delivered an address IN
1.-THE Relations of the Press and tho
Railways and the Value of their Co
operation in Community Develop.
ment."
Mr.. Finley pointed out the natural
basis tor cooperation between the
press and the railways growing out
of the substantial identity Of their IN
terests in community development and
prosperity, bringing to the newspapers
additional subscribers and advertising
and to the railways increased tra@o
and making 1t logical that the press
fields should work In close co-opera-
ton for community development. He
recognized that, while the newspapers
and the railways were thus natural
allies in community development, It
did no follow that there should not
be fair criticism of the railways, and
said:
Fair and just criticism Is a proper
function OF a free press, but criti-
cfsm of the agencies which provide
the transportation facilities Of the
community should take account Of
the economic conditions under
which those agencies must work
and should aim, in respect to .
factor so essential to community
development, to be helpful and edu-
cational rather than being along
lines tending to create unreason-
ing prejudice.
PERSONALLY, I am a great reader
Of the newspapers. appreciate at
dts full value the work they are do
ing and recognize in their editors,
in many cases, the spokesman Of
their communities. l do not ignore
what Is said In the newspapers rel
alive to our policies. / always take
note of newspaper criticism on mat
ters that it may be within our power
to remedy and all such matters are
given attention SO far as 1t may be
practicable to do So"
Referring to the fact that . railway
can not win the support Of public
opinion through the exercise Of pol1ti-
cept by the intelligent and effective
performance of its functions as . car.
rier and by its responsiveness to fair
criticism, Mr.. Finley pointed out that
its position can only be secure when
the economic conditions surrounding
its operation and the importance of its
functions to development and to the
enlargement Of opportunity are appre-
ciated by the people Of the COM
munity, and that this appreciation was
dependent upon enlightened citizen.
ship. He spoke Of the moral respons-
ibility Of the press in this connection
and of its power, by presenting fully
and fairly, the economic situation of
the railways and the interest Of all Of
the people in their prosperity and Cd
cheney, to bring about that mutual
good understanding which il iad1s-
pensable to effective cooperation.
AS, in an economic sense, produo-
ton is not complete until goods are
put in q position for consumption, Mr..
Finley spoke OF the railways a. crea-
tors Of value and as an indispensable
part Of the producing equipment Of
every community and Of every farmer
and manufacturer in 1t and said that
unjust criticism directed against
farmers and manufacturers would be
just as logical as against the railways.
Speaking of the right Of the rail-
ways, Just as of any other business
enterprise to present their cause, fully
and freely, before courts. administra-
tive tribunals, legislatures, and the
bar of public opinion, Mr.. Finley said:
"Enlightened public opinion in
the United States will not justify the
RELOCATION Of the railways to the
status Of the Jew in England in the
Middle Ages, when, as we read In
Madoxe's History of the Exchequer:
OO6So %uo1 IODuSA SoEo 4o1Iy LILO 1 -
that his son Hekelin might be dealt
with according to Justice; and :Jur-
net OF Norwich gave 1900 marks
that he might reside In England with
the Kings good WILL
1.-THE railways are asking for no
special favors. They ask only that
their Importance in the development
Of the country and that the inter-
est which each individual has In
their. efficiency shall be frankly
recognized. They ask that differ.
ences which may arise between them
and individuals or communities
shall be subjects of full and free
conference to be adjusted in accord.
ance with sound business principles,
or that, failing such adjustment,
they shall be adjudicated by the
tribunals constituted by law"
Having outlined the condition which
Ne believed to be necessary to the
The North CaroIina