The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-12-26
THE RAILWAYS.
Misrepresentation as tO~Govern.
ment Control.
Passenger and Freight Rates Lower
in Europe.
[San Francisco Star.1

lSan Francisco Start
NO matter what the object of a law,
II II relates to railroad matters at all,
1T is sure to be twisted in the railroad
interest. The interstate commerce
law has not only been turned from re.
stricting railroad extortion to
strengthening it by the entire Judi
cial and military forces of the United
States, but the commission created
under it is deliberately deceiying the
people In it's reports, judging from one
compiled in answer to resolution by
United States Senator Pettigrew. 1t
is false by omission, apparently, and
probably equally false in commission.
For instance, it states the passenger
rates thus: Great Britain, 1st, I'd and
Sd class, per mile, 4:42, 1920 and 1904.
France, 1886, 2:36 and POS. Germany,
3:l6, 2:3S and 1:54. United States, PIP
cents.
Here is where the lies come in: The
first class in those countries, as in
Australia, are very exclusive, only four
persons occupying car. Very few
travel first class, and their second class
is equal to our first class; we have d.
rect testimony as to this in Australia.
where the second class rate is but q
cents per mile, and half price for re-
turn, which is less than even the al
legged United States average, while the
country is much more thinly settled,
and railroads correspondingly more
costly to operate. But the commission
seems careful to give Australia the
least possible mention.
Similarly as to freights. The charges
per ton per mile are stated to average
2.S0 cents in Great Britain, 2.2O in
France, 1.64 in Germany, and ! cent in
the United States. We do not believe
the rates in the other countries are as
high as stated, but in the United
States the average is obtained by tax
ing Through rates of thousand miles:
in Europe they have no such distances,
but in this state ) to 10 cents per ton
per mile is a common charge for dis
tances of hundred miles and uD to
20 or 3OO, where there is no water COM
petition. In Australia, and probably
In Europe, the rates are uniform, fall
ing regularly with distance, according
to fixed rules: here they vary accord
ing to localities at tie caprice or in
tereSt of the company which would
not be allowed IN Europe.
In regard to interest on CAPITAL in
vested, the report is equally deceptive.
1t is stated at Al per cent in Great
Britain and Ireland; 3.S in France; 81
in Germany; 5.3 in Russia; 3. in Aus
tria; 4.6 in Belgium, and 81 in the
United States. The commission for
gets to remark that in the United
States the stock is three fourths Tor
more) water, while in Europe little or
or none is water" On that basis the
rate in the United States would be
ia per cent instead Of 81. And be-
sides that, there is wholesale plumber
OF both stockholders and patrons.
1t is stated that certain govern
ments including Australia, Gown and
operate some Of the railways" It is
withheld that all the Australian COLO
MES, except the new one of West Aus
tralia, own and operate nearly all of
the railways. South Australia. for
instance, owns and operates all the
railroads in its territory of more than
thousand miles-eXcept about 20
miles. In New South Wales all but
one of 30 miles is so owned, and in Vic
toria only one or two short suburban
lines are owned by private persons.
But they dare not make comparisons
with country SO like ours as Austria
liza. because it would not do to let the
people know that three-fourths of the
cost OF local travel and freight could
be saved in the United States, especi-
ally west of the Missouri, if the gov
ernment owned the railroads.
The report appears to be totally ST.
lent as to the government railroads in
India and Hungary, as they would
show very much lower rates than Aus
tralia, and indicate that the govern
ment could carry passengers and
freight in our railroads at o1,e-tenth the
cost now charged by private compan-
les. The commission is not organized
to tell any more truth than the rail-
road corporations want, and half
truth is whole lie.'