The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-31
President Finley Makes Speech.


". Finley, President cf the Southern
Railway Company. was one OF the
speakers, at the annual dinner of the
New Havei Chamber Of Commerce in
the Yale University Dining Hall this
eV ming Mr. Finley spoke on State
of Mind" He quoted from recent
magazine article by President-elect
Wilson as follows:
Wilson as follows:
Dent you know that some man with
Eloquent tongue, without conscience,
who did not care for the Natiol, could
put this whole country into flame?
Don't you know that this country,
trcn one end to another, believes
that something is wrong? What an op-
portunity it would be for some man
without conscience to spring up and
say; This is the way. Follow me-
and lead in paths Of destruction,
Mr.. Fal%y followed this by quota
ton from NJ. Gustave lie Bon's book
entitled The Crowd, Study of the
Popular Mind showing the small part
often played by reasoning in infueAc-
ing public opinion and the case with
which it may be swayed by afirma-
ton acd repetition. He argued that
these quotations demonstrated the wis
dom of so grounding public opinion in
economic truth respecting the pro-
biems OF ths. day that mere afflrma-
tion and repetition could not lead to
the belief that wrongs existed where
they did not
F. ferring to the problems relating
to transportation as among those as
to which public opinion should De we'll
grounded, Mr. Finley went on to deal
with transportation from various
pciats of vitw as basis for an intelli-
g mt public opinion, the fair attitude OF
public mind as to the railway system
that the transportation system of the
country was made up Of the country
highways. the waterways, and the rail
way, each important in its particular
field, he showed the relative magni-
tude of the railway system and its i'm
portance as factor in civilization, ma
tional progress. and development, and
gave a passing glance at some Of the
problem of railway management.
Continuing, he said:
The railways of the United States
give to society a transportation SER
vice that is mora comprehensive from
year to year They perform this ser
vice at rates Of compensation that,
en- the whole, are lower than those
paid for similar service in any ether
country. They give employment, dir
ectly or indirectly, to millions Of our
4 How citizens aad eXpend such vast
sums in the purchase Of supplies and
materials that, not only the industrial
life. but the general property of tht
country, are largely dependent upon
the maintenance of their wage paving
and purchasing power.
In return for their service to So
ciety the railways ask from society
not as q favor but as right, that,
after they have been subjected to such
regulation as will protect the rights
OF the public, they shall be protected
in their property rights and shall be
permitted to enjoy such a measure OF
liberty in the management of their
affairs as is necessary to the success
CT any business undertaking. 1t is
just as true today and in the United
States as it was nineteen hundred
years ago in Judea that the laborer
IS worthy CT his hire.
This great American enterprise is
willing to be judged by the standard
recently proposed by our distinguished
citizen. the president-elect, in his
question: Are you giving anything
to society when you want to take
corDoth;oo o,,f of c'Ocipfy" -