Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-07-31
INTEREST OF PRESS
SAME AS RAILWAYS
DECLARES PRESIDENT
FINLEY TO N. c.
EDITORS.
RAIL MAYS AND PRESS ALLIED
Mr. Finley, at Asheville, Dis
cusses Mutual Interests OF
Press and Railways and
Their Aid in Community
Development.


meeting of the North Carolina Press
Association in Asheville to-day Pres
ident Finley, of the Southern Railway
Company, delivered an address on
THE Relations Of the Press and the
Railways and the Value of their Co
operation In Community Develop
ment."
Mr.. Finley pointed out the natural
basis for 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 traffc
and making it logical that the press
and the railways, i'm their respective
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 not 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-
cism 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 a
factor so essential to community
development, to be helpful and edu-
~cational rather than being along
lines tending to create unreason-
ing prejudice.
Personally, / am a great reader
of the newspapers. ! appreciate at
its full value the work they are do
ing and ! recognize in their editors,
in many cases, the spokesman of
their communities. / do not ignore
what is said in the newspapers rel
ative to u policies. i always take
note of newspaper criticism on mat
tGrs that it may be within our power
to remedy and all such matters are
given attention so far as it may be
practicable to do So"
Referring to the fact that . railway
can not win the support of public
opinion through the exercise Of politi.
cal influence or in any other way ex-
cept by the intelligent and effective
performance of it's functions as a car.
rier and by it's responsiveness to fair
criticism, Mr.. Finley pointed out that
it's position can only be secure when
the economic conditions surrounding
it's operation and the importance of it's
functions to development and to the
enlargement of opportunity are apprs.
ciated by the people of the com
munity, and that this appreciation was
dependent upon enlightened citizen
ship. He spoke of the moral respons,
Utility of the press in this connection
and of it's power, by presenting fully
and fairly, the economic situaeion OF
the railways and the interest of all OF
the people in their prosperity and eff:
cheney, to bring about that mutual
good understanding which is indis
pensable to effective cooperation.
As, in an economic sense, produc
ton is not complete until goods are
| put in a position for consumption, Mr.
Finley spoke of the railways as crea
tors Of value and as an indispensable
part of the producing equipment, O.
every community and of every farmer
and manufacturer in it and said tina
unjust criticism directed agains
farmers and manufacturers would b
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, full!
and freely, before courts, administra
tive tribunals, legislatures, and tn,
bar of public opinion, Mr. Finley said
enlightened public opinion II
the United States will not justify tn,
RELOCATION of the railways to tn,
status of the Jew in England in tn,
Middle Ages, when, as We read Il
Madoxe's History OF the Exchequer
tJosce Quartebuch gave forty mark
that his son Hekelin might be deal
with according to Justice; and Jul
net OF Norwich gave 1900 mark
that he might reside lnzEngfand Wit
the Kings good viii
"The railways are asking for n
special favors. They ask only tha
their importance in the development
of the country and that the intel
est which each individual has /
their efficiency shall be frankI
recognized. They ask that difel
ence which may arise between ther
and individuals o r communitie
shall be subjects of full and fire
conference to be adjusted in accor'
ance with sound business principle,
or that, failing such adiustmen
they shall be adjudicated by tn
tribunals constituted by law"
Having outlined the condition whic
AA believed to be necessary to th