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INTRODUCTION

sands of people are not based on accurate knowledge.

Railroad officers have been less active than they should have been in keeping in touch with the public. The railroad stockholders have not realized how strong the forces affecting their properties are. This condition has changed and the modern railroad-owners, officers, and employees should and do realize that it is necessary to maintain cordial and friendly relations with the public and by their personal efforts and examples to give full information about the business, and to build up a constantly better feeling toward the transportation machine of the United States.

It is, no doubt, true that little things—the abruptness of an agent or a trainman, a lack of proper courtesy, inattention to complaints of the public, dilatoriness—often cause quite as much criticism from the public as things of greater importance. This irritation and criticism can be reduced by adjusting the relations between the railroads and the public at the point of contact. For example, the passenger

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