, 1873-02-20


Short distance, and aro taxed only at tho eamc
rate. Nor, on tho othor hana, would 1t DO just !
to apportion tho cost OF running tho wlolo train
ut 30 much per llead for each passenger, without
any roforence to tho distance travelled In TX
Ing tho ratio for transportation, tllore must 10
Bomo rule adopted whoroby tho cost OF tho train |
shall DO equtably distributed, with strict refer-
enco TO a just compensation for tho service rom
dorod Experience nhows that tho number Of
passengers travelling a long distance is not
groat1y increasod by reduction Of faro; whilo
1t is equally shown tint tho number Of pas
scngorH travelling a abort diatanco Is groatly
increasod BY reduced faroa especially when
tiokots aro sold by tho package or at
communication rates. When tho ordinary faro bo-
tween two points ia 90 conts, tho amount OF
trayel can DO groat1y incroasod by selling thoso
tickets In packages OF twonty for ca, aud still
further increased II rolucod to tworty for so.
In evory CATO tho company sells tho whole
package Of tckotu, and itiB Of very lttlo concern
In it's expenses whether the purchaser rides or
not. But this reduction Of fares for why travel
can only produce an incroaae Of revenue along
line whore tlloro nro numerous and olosely-situ.
ated towns having considerable population. 10
admit of an incroaBo Of travel, there mugt bo a
population from which this increase must como.
It is not enough that tho roduced rites will
induce an ordinary traveller to riln twioe whore
1o would have ridden but once before, but It
must induce euc1, an increase Of tho number OF
travellers, aud tho number Of ridors, as will not
only cover whatovor incroaso Of tho cost Of
transportation may layo been incurrad, but will
also increase tho revenue in proportion. As the
proportionato coat Of transportation per pas
scnger decreases with the increase Of tho num-
bor Of passengers, tho company can afford,
while making q larger profit, to reduce tho ratea
OF faro; and all experience ahowa tho
increase Of travel on q. woll-populated line
Communication tickets or tickets by the package.
The man who travels thirty miles twice every
day is certainly entitled to transportation ct loss
rates per milo than tho nau who travels 150
miles once every six months. Yet tho advocates
OF scale Of faros, computed by mileage, insist
upon the daily traveller paying tho same faro
per mile, zach day, as ia paid by tho occasional
traveller. Tho result Of theso doductions by
tho Massachusetts Commissioners Ia, that the
railroads do not inoroaao trayol or revenue by
reducing through rates to tho nero cost Of
transportation, but that thoy do deter travel and
lose reyonuo by maintaining high rates upon
way or local travel. Railroads, as d gon-
oral thing, in their anxiety for through
passengers, carry at cost, without
increasing travel in tho loast: and, while they
could Increase local travel indefinitely Mt large
increase OF revenue, aud without any additional
cost. they adopt tho very reverse policy, and
keep that local travol ut it's minimum.
The aamo Commissioners point to the facta
aud figures concerning freights as having tho
opposite effect. Reduced rates have tho etroct
Of increasing through freights, and the longor
the continuous journey Of the freight car, the
creator its daily earnings and prohts, While re-
duccd rateB do not have tho direct effect Of in
| creasing local freghts. they must do 40 in
| directly. II reduced rates have tho effect Of
doubling tho amount Of goods brought from Non
| York to uhicago, they must havo tho eifoct
OF doubling tho amount Of goods supplied from
Chicago to other pointa. Whi1o it is true, ns
stated, that tho cost Of loading, making up, and
running freight trains ia substantially the same
whether the distance bo long or short, and there,
fore tho rates Of freight for short distances must
bo groater per mile than for long distances, this
docs not furnish the loast Qualification for differ
| ences in rates from pointa where there Ia COM
petition, and from points where there ia no com.
petition. Tho principle Of compensation, &C.
eording to service rendered. cannot DO sacrificed,
and must DO followed, and the railroad com,
pany cannot adjust its rates for freight
according to the degroo Of competition it may
encounter. II it can carry freight in compoti.
tion at given rate, it can do 80 whom there is ne
| competition.
The attempt, thoreforc, to fix arbitrary rateE
for passenger fares, or railroad frofglts, at &c
much per milo, is impracticablo, md operates
against both tho public and the railroads. A
bankrupt or Improbable railroad company is {
public nuisance; 1t. cannot accommodate ths
public except ut exorbitant rates. A profitable
rai1road, on the contrary, can not only incroast
ita facilities to meet tho public wants, but witt
the increase Of the volume Of its
business, furnish tho transportation a
a. constantly falling ratio. To, broal
down tho railroad by arbitrary o1aotiona, ig to de-
Btroy tho bridge by which alone no can CROSS tAt
stream. Railroads arc dependent upon public
encouragement. Thcy may asacrt their char
tered privileges and proclaim their legal indie
pondence Of the public, and may dohantly aal
what tho public can do without them uevertha.
less, railroad company, having the confidence
of the people with whom It doos buainose, is in
finite'y stronger than ono ut war with Its Owl
customers. Evory railroad is deeply interested j,
the inoroase Of the wealth and population OF th'
district through which 1t passes. Tho businoa
Of road passing through country filled will