Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-03-22
Ih" Railroad Problem in Belgium
BY CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Jp

Ih" Railroad Problem in Belgium.
HYcHAHLts FRANCIS >p>Ns.JR
The flmouS Belgian railroad system
originated with King Leopold, and bears
to this day the marks of the creating mind.
When the Manchester X Liverpool Rail
way was completed the Belgium revolu-
ton had not Vet taken place, and Leopold
was still II resident of England. His at
tcntion was strongly drawn to the possible
consequences of this new application of
steam, and whcn,a few years later. he WAS
called to the throne of Belgium. one Of his
earliest projects related to the construction
of railroads in his new domnions. He
was strongly persuaded. however, that the
English system of private construction was
not the correct one. He. rs We'll rs the
Duke of Wellington, strongly adhered to
the analogy of the highway; but. more
logical than the duke, his wuS the kings
highway and not a turnpike. According
~ he planned 4 system OF Railway COM
municaton in which the roads were to be
constructed, owned, and operated by the
state. With some difficulty, legislative
assent to his scheme was obtained, and the
earliest lines were undertaken in l>:3
The government then went on year by
year developing the system. but failed to
keep pace with the public demand. Ac-
cordingly, in 4 few Years, though not un-
til after the principal and more remunera-
tive routes were occupied concessions. ;~
they We're called. being the equivalent of
English charters, We're made to private
companies, which carried on the work of
extension.
One particular feature in ali these con-
ccs~ions had, however, u direct and "a
gacOus though somewhat distant bearing
on the fundamental idea OF the Belgium
railroad Sv>tcm-tlat of ultimate GOV
crnment ownership. They were all made
for Il term of ninety wears. NJ the eNpirl-
tion of which time the railroads were to
become the property of the state, which
was to pay only for their rolling stock
The right was also reserved to the govern
mcnt of buying back the concession at any
time. on assuming payment of an annuity
to the owners equivalent TO the payment,
for any uncNpircd balance of the concre-
sion of a yearly sum equal to the average
net receipts during the seven preceding
years.
During the period of the concession, The
private companies owned and operated
their several roads in much the same WAY
, us English or American corporations; al
though the greatest benefit from their con-
>trlrtiOn resulted To the state lines, which.
holding the center of the country and the
main routes of communication. kept the
private lines necessarily tributarv In
! $50 the government owned tWo-thi,d> of
the railroad mileage then in operation.
and private companies the other onc-third
I Ten years later the proportion had chang
> ed. two-lhirds of the system being in the
hands of private companies. 1t SO hap
pcncd also. that, rs the government in
making the concessions hat followed no
F., plan of di>;ricting the country, but had
l rather adopted Il policy of competing lines,
: these lines competed not only with each
: other, but also with the state lines. From
this fact there resulted condition of at
firs which va, wholly unanticipatcd, but
which has since constituted the very c--
-encr of the Belgian railroad system. For
the first and only tim" in railroad history Il
: case was presented in which competition
t did not result in combina' ion. The one
system of lines being owned bv the state,
and the other by private companies no
| consolidation Of the Two was practicable rs
, against the public: and accordingly the
Il government found itself in Il poSiti' to
> regulate the whole system through the
ownership of :, part of it, and in conSc-
Quencr WAS able to establish Il policy Of
!; cheap roiroad transportation, under the
II influence of which the country developed
: with amazing rapidity.
The action of the government, however
: practically forced the independent com
{ panieS to unite among themselves: until
- about the year 1860, they had become con-
solidatcd into trunk lines sufficiently
powerful to compete with the state on
;, equal terms. Under these circumstances
il order to maintain the principle of lis
4 railroad system, the government was
* forced into further development. Oihrl
10 roads were accordingly constructed ant
LEASED, until, at the commencement of 1872
- the state controlled about fortv-two pei
~ cent of the entire railroad mileage of tho
country and ten private companies, oper-
~ ating from twenty to six hundred and fifty
- miles Of road each, controlled the Other
:, fiftv-eight per cent. This condition of af
:, fairs still continues Practically these com
pancs operate their roads with the samt
:. freedom from governmental interference
! as English or American companies
- They raise and lower their rates at discre
~ ton. and give special rates, while no linn
i it is put on the amount of dividends they
. NAV declare In spcct to questions O.
4 pOlltc anu S'ticty oHl uotS tilc SUN u IL
- ment formally interfere with them; ant
q with the exception of certain guaranteed
~ lines. it has no power even of supervising
- their accounts, or. indeed, of compelling
70 them to render any
II OF late years, therefore, Belgium has
;a simply presented the spectacle of the
state, in the character of the richest anl
most powerful railroad company of this
system, holding in check and regulating
# other companies not greatly inferior to i
N in power, which were competing with i
70 for business, and dealing with it on term:
n of equality. The effect of this on cacl
~ system of roads was most excellent. A
n times, when the government has been at
g. tempting certain great measures OF reform
}. or bold experiments in transportation, it
" course has been vehementIy criticised b,
es the private companies. who have claimed
st that their property has been unjustiy de
A. preciated by tariff reductions made upol
q unsound principles but which, from thei
Of position. they were compelled to adopt
l. This was perfectly true; but, on the othe
l. hand, the government was so largely in
- +orocto1 no .,ilrOaJ tbat II e.