, 1873-02-19

aaven yearB previous to tho net Of taking.. 1Aoro
s no guarantee Of dsyonla by tho aovGn,m tnan
that rcforrod to III connection with tho !" now
systom;"n and thoto is no provision mado TOR
tho reduction of charges IN conBoqnonoee
givon rate. though, by virtue Of special
agreements In certain caBea, tho 0overnmont
aRnrea in aurplua funds available for disi1onds
Toro Ha ID ID thna, M is Though tho systo Of indc-
pondont .datriot!ng, no general compotion1, be,
twoon railroads in Franco; nor, II oxcoptional
eaeoa is It encouraged by the doyornme,t naa;,
pa1iod by = complete classification Of goods anu
travel. The rates aro marina, but horo, ns % n
nolgium, oonsidorablo power ia iotS sat.. WITH 1.
making gpecial thrills. yory, groatt ueo las
panea to make direrentlnl tarie, spcoial tariffs,
aud through-rate tariffs, subject, H. however,
Of tho Goyernmont must be obtained to any
ohango In tho rate which aifoota tho original
basis Of the tariff THAT public notiso must DO
Senr i il the ratio is to be- raisod and ono month il
II is to ho chnngod IN any oshor way ;-and,
1astly, that ovory tariR shall DO general In form
md npplicnblo to oyory ono. Tho last condition,
special contracts ] WITH individuals, 1T one time
very prevalent In franco, is strictly tnHistod on.
In preotico, tho goods charges of the TEL French
oonpaniea arc established upon tho bnatB OF a.
dlfrerontial ratio, graduated according to quan-
titles and distance; and special tariffs at re-
duced rates. aro concoded whoreyer 1t Ia neceg-
sary, as, for Instance, to onablo company to
meet wat9rcompettton The question Of daneren;
md opposed in France, but It is now 90. gonoral-
ly recognized and adopted as to 10 beyond tho
range Of discussion. No ono would at tho pres-
force equal milongo ratoa throughout the. coun-
try. Tic companies, hoWoyor, do not ali adops
tho game basis. nor does the Same company
gysfom. In the application Of the speoial tariff,
thoro is ono condition vigorously insisted on, to
tho effect that whore rate is fixed for any sta-
ton, no intervening place on!an shall be charged
Tho companies have, under the terma OF their
tarifree, complete running powors over one an
othor'a linos, or, as It iB Expressed In Massa-
onga 9 to os ind ase
ono another, tic Same systom aa II belgium, by
which tho cars Of ono company aro allowed to
ond company being bound to pay to tho formor
small sum for uBo Of rolling stock, and to re-
ceive In return It's mileage proportion Of tho
ratio. It does not appear that my soriona dill
hold In common between. companies. Whore
thoy do ariso, IT they are. between ono company
and anothor, MS, for ins:auco, In regard to tho
control q common ststlo o. th9 9p proportion
settioa by spoolal tribunal in tho
nature Of Board Of >. Railroad Arbi-
tration. If thcy nrise botwoen
company and private individual, :aa With re.
| spoct to tho nou-forwa:ding or non-deliyery Of
goods, 'rccourso ia had to tho ordinary law
| courts. Tho decision OF any question as to tho
right Of any company to- run it's onglnes aud
cars oyer the 1noa Of anot4ar H. espr99aS con
lowing tile general law on the subject, Of minis.
terial decisions, reserves tho ultimate appeal
! upon any disputed point as TO tho execution or
and tara to- tIe @ CO Counc Of State: Other nat
| tors Of grayor Importance which como before
tho Government arc referred TO- tho Central
Railway Commisaion, and decided tloro.
and railway control in Trance is TIC imEhost
I possible removed from tho :. principlen
followed in Amorica. Tho lines to be construct
cd have been under tho supervision of tho Gov
every freight tarii1, Is submitted to the Govern
| ment, which has q complete syetom Of suryoil-
lance, with agents in ovory principal station of
tho country, Tho accounts Of FL FL the companies
which makes yoarly examination OF thom. Tho
Government has also tho rightto make orders on
all matters which affect the public safety, and
| this right ia construed In the moBt liberal man-
nor. Some yoars ,sncc, for instance. there WAS
l found to bo an undue accumulation OF goods in
tho railway stations. arising from tho exercise BY
tho oonBignees OF thoir acknowledged right to
upon made an order that the conpanica
might curt away Nil goods. not removed
within q certain time, and seemed to hayo based
thor decision upon th9 g1onna tat II was neg
not bo .choked. aB otherwise tho trains would bo
delayed upon the lines. Though tlere sooms to
have beon some disposition at that time to quos-
tion tho power OF. tho Government In tho matter,
it was admitted, and another similar order WIS
made during tho year 1879. Tho country, moro
over, is ono whero tho great amalgamations have
been long since carrial into effect, where tho
companies do not profess to compete, and where
whole most friendly. ,Lastly, tho esprit de corps
among railTay manngers' thcir relatlons
so RS te e"ts decide and sss STez 2s
tic Interpretation or EXECUTION Of their thrills
teud to produce harmonious working through
out tho railway ayatem The publicity which is
amount OF tho, rate, the distinction between
ratos and terminal charges, and between these
latter and tho chargos for carting, must also be
/, Of great assistance in preventing diHputea bo-
twoon the companies and tho freightora.
Tho railway system Of Germany Waa originally
constructed uudor systom OF concessions to
described in tho case Of France, and Of
rsilssoaa nSseada'' aovolopment tho tho principle :oi
competition was distinctly ronounced, and, i'll
ueeQ, tle CONSTRUCTION .! computing !Aoe WIZ
expressly forbidden by lay. This, however,
proved great impediment in tho way OF railroad
development, and tho law has recently been ro-
poalod. The concession ia usually limited to 81
years; but, In prussa, power has also invariably
boon reaeryod for tho Government to repurohasc
any railway aftor 80 yoars upon tho payment ol
an indemnity, to bo computed ut twenty-five
times the Average annual dividends of tho five
! yoarB previous to tho taking. 4 =
The assistance Of the State has boon freely
given to tho construction of railroads, ,aometimoa
In the form Of subsidy, at othor tnles through
| guarantee either of Interest or Of dividends,
whilo, in yet other casos tie State lag takon al
! receives its pnrt of tho profits. lilo prus
slnn Government nlso owns and itself workf
noarjy one-llulf Of all tho miloa of railrond IL
I tllat country.
, Tho railway companies OF North Germany en-
Joy greater Freedom in rotation to their tariffs o
| frolghts aud faros than thogo Of Franco o.
, | Belgium. No maximum rates are t1xod in tht