Litchfield enquirer., 1871-12-14
..RA,lwAYs AND rAs STATE"

risks of remittance to the clubbing periodical. Receipt will be returnedip the next paper.
 ===-===-=== 'sRAslWAYs AND THE STATE"
 It is not a little remarkable that while the writer of the well considered article in the New Englander, we lately republished, is arriving at the conclusion that Consoli- dation is necessity of railroad progress and Competition an illusion, from study of the workings of the American railway system, an English essayist, writing in the October Qarterly, comes to precisely the same conclusions from Q survey of the history of English railways. We make a few extracts:
 COMPETITION.
 Competition has wholly failed. It is true that it has been tried in the most foolish and expensive way, through the medium of haphazard decisions of Parlia- mentary Committees; but it is evident that under no conditions could it have been successful or permanent. The waste of money has been great; and the result uuHbb DC uOAlOPOAys L@dC1 kTGdU SOUl- pany fights of, buys mp, or amalgamates with, its original rivals, till it gets dis trict to itself; and 1t then makes allian- ees as to rates and fares with its great neighbours so as effectually ta prevent competition. There may be an occasional struggle for some special local traffic, such as the recent fight for the carriage of coals; but the public are little interested in it. for it is sure to end either in the victory of one or other Company, or in ap arrange ment between them, and, either way, ,mon- opoly. There may be also, when two railways run trains to the same place, competition in the speed of trains; but this is extravagant in cost and of doubt ful benefit to the public.
 CONSOLIDATION. '"The extent to which amalgamation, and, consequently monopoly, has been carried, may be seen hy a Return moved for by Mir. Cave in 186S From this Re- turn it appeared that in the seven preced- ing yearsssupwards of 800 Bills had been passed, containing ainalgainations or working arrangements. In 1866, out of 13, 954 miles open, belonging to 353 origi- nal Companies, 12,221 miles were worked by 26 Companies. According to the. Am nual Railway Return of 1870, the number of original Companies is 450, owning 15,- 145 miles of railway; but the number of working Companies is only 103. 1T
 CONSOLIDATION DESIRABLE. sr ,gs ''Nor must it be supposed that it is the interest of the public to resist monopoly. Unity of management, through booking, correspondence of trains, are so import ant, that the public lose more by the di- vision of authority and responsibility than they gain by competition. In general the large Companies possessing large districts serve the public better than Companies with small and divided or straggling dis tricts, and when large Companies inter- fere with one another, the result is incon- venience and not cheapnessr sf1 < 1s'&'
 EVIL OF MONOPOLY 1so1f2s Y2
 'tBut whilst monopoly is thus inevitable and desirable, it must not be forgotten that the interest of the Companies is to- a certain extent only that of the Public. It IS the interest of the Companies to devel. op traffic. so long as the development pro- duces profit proportioned to tic increased outlay. But it is quite possible that de- velopments may be reqlired which would pay their own expenses and be very use. ful to the public without bringing an ad- ditional penny of profit to the Sharehold- CTS. For instance, local branches may be much wanted the traffic from which would only pay their expenses by -benefting the district, but would leave nc profit to the Company. And, again, as regards fares; It IS much better for the Public that a hundred passengers should be carried for sixpence than fifty for a shilling. But it IS easier, cheaper, and every way better Tor the shareholders to ccarry fifty for a shilling. * Itsmay, therefore, be stated that whilst the Railways must be. come, and ought to become mohopolies no provision has seeen made either to se- cure to the Public the, ultimate benefit oi tne MonoRpAy, or to, protect the Public against the monopolizing Companies when tnelr interests are at variance witl those of the Public.aaa@ dl9g2 sdI
 The Quarterly then proceeds to discuss the question of a legislative seg1lation ot farea and freights. Here there seems te be a want of power on the part of tn, British parliament to ifiteffefe effectively English railway charters seem to be wha our lawyers term close corporations over whom the legislature has no genera power of amendment, or of repeal. suc] as IS the case with all Connecticut char ters. Hence, although tolls and charge are limited on all English railways b, their acts of incorporation. s'This limi tation," says the Quarterly, < is really c little value, since they are almost alway considerably higher than Che fassa Whic the company find it their interest charge. Indeed, itsis obvious, that wiitl out power to revise the tolls periodical according to the altered cireHhistances 2 railway, any attempt to fix them ont for all by anticipation must be nugatofy Hence the Quarterly takes the bold grouf that itisiexpedient for goyefhment to br up railways as it has bond hp telegraph It sums ups theofacts re. zing the pr gress of internal impros os6ments' as fc lows t1sdso1f sesgl Iidsaow aL1si
 |. That in an earlier ststea of societ the undertakings of which ue are .srea mg were generally eatab1 1isised and n mai i sslns1 py some public governing bod RAehnek QfSthe country ganerallx. Of Ft districts or interests c0noerneflss ss. -'s.ffs s.
 2 That at later period private, ca, tal and enterprise came the assista4ce
 Government, and did what Govern1m1e never conld or would beve adpegeW sgT
 8. That ak ' latar peried stilI 4lieey arising from placing these monopolies l. the hands of pfiS ' afiies kkys bee fslt; that tlsss evils af5 Ek6l M ye 4l eifll md stfoN61 ais fhaf is, tendency again to plsce such cof1p5II1i