Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-25
FINLEY WELCOMES
PRESS CRITICISM
President of Southern Rail-
way Urges That There
Be Cooperation.

ASHEVILI4E, N. c., July Cat the
meeting Of the North Carolina Press AS
ISOLATION in Asheville yesterday Presi-
dent Finley Of the Southern Railway
Company delivered an address on THE
Relations of the Press and the Railways
and the Value Of Their Cooperation in
Community Development"
Mr.. Finley pointed out the natural
basis for cooperation between the press
and the railways growing out of the
substantial identity Of their interests in
community development ana prosperity,
bringing to the ne. spapers additional
subscribers and advertising and TO the
railways increased traffic and making 1t
logical lat the press and the railways,
in their respective fields, should work
In close cooperation for community de-
velopment. He recognized that. while
the newspapers and the railways were
thus natural allies in community de-
velopment. 1t did not follow that there
should not be fair criticism Of the rail-
ways, and said:
Advocates Fair Criticism.
Fair and just criticism is a proper
function of q free press, but criticism
of the agencies which provide the trans
portation facilities of the community
should take account Of the economic
conditions under which those agencies
must work and should aim. in respect to
a factor so essential to community de-
velopment. to be helpful and educational
rather than being along lines tending to
create unreasoning prejudice.
Referring to the fact that a railway
cannot win the support OF public opinion
through the exercise of political infiu-
ence or in any other way except by the
intelligent and effective performance Of
responsiveness to fair criticism. Mr..
Finley pointed out that its position can
only be secure when the economic con-
the Importance Of its functions
to development and to the en-
largement Of opportunity are appreci-
munity. and that this appreciation was
dependent upon enlightened citizenship.
Creator Of Values.
AS, in an economic sense, production
is not complete until goods are put in
a position for consumption. Mr.. Finley
spoke of the railways as creators Of
value and as an Indispensable part of
the producing equipment Of every COM
munity and of every farmer and manu-
Criticism directed n against inst farmers and
manufacturers would be just as logical
as against the railways.
Suggesting methods in which the press
could be of aid in community develop
ment, Mr.. Finley spoke Of the publica-
ton of matter that would be helpful
to the people already living in the south
east, emphasizing the importance of
farm papers and of devoting space in
the daily and weekly papers to informa-
ton as to the best farm methods. He
suggested that each newspaper should
hr, frn kt4
whole. and for it's own particular COM
munity, not exaggerating or Overstating
advantages and opportunities, for the
truth about the southeast was good
enough. He suggested that newspaper
men acting as correspondents Of papers
published In other localities should en-
brace every proper opportunity to in
corporate in their news letter and dis
patches matter that would serve to at
tract favorable attention to their COM
munities.