The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-09-20
Concerning the Government Own,
ergt1ip Of Railroads.
TaE INTERSTATE CONMgspN.
Finds That It Would Not 30 IA.
visabIe-Erpcrionces Of Other couh-
tries-whers tho Governments owns
tho Roads They Arc Operated .. q
Loss-somo Very Interesting Pncts.

ership OF railroads by foreiRp govern.
ments. This Is summarized a follows:
at appears that ten counties do no.
own or operate railways, VIZ. Colum-
bia, Great Britain and Ireland, Mexico,
Paraguay, Peru, Spain. Switzerland,
Turkey, United States and Uruguay.
'tThe following governments own and
operate some Of the railways. Arpen.
tina, Australasia, AAustfia.H Hungary,
Belgium. Brazil, Canada, Cape Of Good
Hope, Chilli, Denmark, franco, Ger
many, Guatemala, India. HJepan, Nor.
way. Portugal, Russia and sweden-
eighteen. III
t.The following governments own aud
operate practically all their railways,
VIZ: Egypt and Eicaragua-two,
"The following governments own part
Of their railways, but do not operate
any, leasing all the present mileage 70
private companies, VIZ: Greece, Hol-
land and Italy-three.
"Though net claimed TO be accurate,
It 10 believed that The foregoing sum.
mary representsan approximately cor.
rect statement Of the relation Of tho va
rious governments 70 the railways Of
the world" kasa5
Tho relative rates charged for freight
and passenger service on the govern
ment-owned railroads and the other
facts cited In connection with such
roads are calculatedto afford little en-
couragement 70 the advocates OF govern.
ment ownership. A comparison Of
passenger charges per mile elbows an
average in Great Britain Of 4.42 cents
for first class, 820 cents tor second eiass
aud l.94 for third class. In France tho
average is26e cents for flrat class, $50
for second class and EOS cents for third
class. In Germany the ratio ia $40 cents
first class, Use cents second class and
1.54 cents third class. In tho United
States the average charge Is ZIP cents.
The average charges per ton por milo
are as follows: in Great Britain $50
cents, ia France 2.20 cents, in Germany
lO4 centa and in tho United States l
cent ,Sf
Theintereat On capital invested In the
several countries Is os follows: United
Kingdom, 1.4per cont; France, 3.s per
cent; Germany, 81 per cent; Russia,
5.S per cent; Austria, 81 per cent; Bel
gum, 90 per cent; United States, 81
per cent; the world, 3.2 per cent.
Tho report also contains numerous
citations from writer's on tho subject,
including alao extracts from United
Static consular reports as 10 the results
governmental ownership OF railroads.
Tho system Of operation Of railroads
in different countries is indicated. The
following extracts relate TO the princi-
paleountries: "About fye-sixths OF tho
mileage in Australasia belongs TO the
various colonial governments. These
roads werc built principally from
moneys derived from large loana nego.
tiatedb agents general and their value
forms one OF the personal assets for the
public debt.
sIn Austria about 40 per cent Of the
railway mileage Is owned, and about 70
Der cent IL operated by the state. Upon
the expiration Of charters, not exceed.
ling ninety years, the lines, land and
lbuildings OF the company revert 10 the
government, but tho equipment re-
mains the property Of the private own
ers. Before railway Is opened 1t must
be approved by the ministers OF COM
merce. The tariffs Of state roads arc
fixed by tho government; those OF tho
companies arc subject to revision by
the government every three years, and
tho government has power 10 reduce
rates, II net earnings exceed Is poi cont
on capital.
"About throe.fourths Of the railway
milage In Belgium Is owned and oper.
ated by the state. The roads not owned
BY the government will, under the
terms OF their charters ultimately revert
to Il, Railway affairs are admins
by government department Of rail.
ways, postofice and telegraph" The
laws regulate tariffs. Railways arc ex-
empted from taxation.
"In Canada about one.tonth OF Tho
total mileage OF about 1900 miles is
owned and controlled BY tho govern
nent For the year 1892 the operation
q tho government limos resulted In Q
Bss Of over $500, 900.
"At tho present date BY far the ler-
COR portion (about fve.sixths) Of the
french railway system is operated by
triyate company, each company serv-
i,o definite territory aud being com.
IaIatiycly iroo from the competition Of
tther lines. But the railroad proper
ties arc ultimately to become tho prop
Gty OF the government. This system
la mixed one OF state and private own
,rship, Tho competition OF tho private
lines compelled tho government to lease
rome Of tho state lines TO the former.
On account OF the necessity for groat
additional taxation tho scheme OF ma
tionalization OF tho railway system was
abandoned in 1885. +,
ain Germany nearly 90 per cent Of
tho railway mileage In owned by tho
government. Under tho law. the GOV
eminent ia required to manage tho rail-
ways In tho interest OF general traffic on
a single system. II may cause tho con;
struction and equipment OF roads and
enforce uniform trnffic and police rogu-
lations. Even tho few private railways
are controlled by state boards.
an Great Britain and Ireland the
government docs not own any OF tho
railways. There are stringent regula:
tions provided BY law and administered
Ly tho railway commission and board
OF trado. New lines cannot DO con-
structed without tho sanction OF parlia'
"Italy hos tried both statc aud prt'
vato railroads, and has come to the con-
clusion that II Is not advantageous for
tho state to own aud operate tho rail-
ways. 49,,
I'm Russia the government is stated
to own and operate about 10 pei, cont Of
tho railway mileage. Nearly oil oil tho
railways owned by private companies
have received subsidies from tho gov
ernment. Tho state is represented On