The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-11-07

virtually went out OF railroad building
but the private companies which con
Struct shese roads are required TO dd
vance the amount of money which the
state would bave contributed to tee
construction fund under the Old law
and this money is to be paid gradually
By the state within the time when prl'
vate ownership will cease and the roads
will revert to Jce state. By the middle
OF the next century France wldl own al
Of the French ROADS. unless a new svs
tenn is adopted in tAe meantime. Tn
der this government supervision auC
half control passenger rates are almost
double these of the United States, anc
freight rates are more than twice as
great.
The conservatism of France in tbs
introduction Of Improvements is
matter of comment among American
travellers. Tue same is trds Of other
countries where the government exer
cises general or partial control. ID
Belgium about four-ifths Of the mile
age is owned by the State, and the re
naming one fifth will revert to the
government after q period Of years.
Railway affairs are administered bY q
department Of railways, post offices
and telegraphs. Rates are fixed by
law. The railroads are exempt from
taxation. The Belgian system was to
have been model for the governments
of the world, and at first it Ra' IN
ouestionabiy excellent. But the dispo'
sltion Of government departments tc
stick to old methodS,so we'll illustrated
in the departm ents at Washington
where for the first time in a century
the red tape in the accounting oMces
has been shortened recently by a con
sressional commission. kept the Bel.
gium railroads at q standstill when all
the world was constantly adopting
new Improvements and recent devices
The Belgium roads, together, therefore
are monuments to old-fogytsm. The
rates of passenger fare charged, how
ever, are very little higher than those
of the United States, aud the freight
rates are only little more than 5O pei
cent. higher.
In Russia about oGe,third Of the
mileage is owned and operated by the
State. and some of the private lines
have received government aid. A
tariff council" superVises rates for all
lines, and no rate can be changed with
out the sanction of this council. Ia
Russia as in Japan (where two-thlrds
of the mileage is owned by the govern,
me0t,) the State undertakes to say
whether a proposed private line is
needed. In fact, there is no free right
of way in any country but the United
States. In AusJria-Hungary one-halt
of the railroads are owned oy the gov
ernment, but all private charters ex-
pire at a stipulated time, not exceeding
a period of ninety years, and at that
time all lioes, lands and buildings re-
vert to the State. The government
fixes the tariffs for its own lines and
revises the tariffs OF private lines every
three years, and can reduce rates If the
net earnings exceed IL per cent.
TRANSFORMATION charges in Russia are
40 per cent. higher than in America.
In Austria the passenger rates are
about 50 per cent. higher thsn in
America, and the freight rates more
than douole as much. The passenger
rates in Spain and Portugal are about
what they are II Russia. All Of the roads
il these countries are private properly
but most of them have been aided by
the government on condition that they
become the property OF tue State With
in nInety-Rine years.
ITALY FINDS IT A FAILURE.
10 two countries-Hclland and Italy
the government owns a part or the
mileage but leases its shars to private
Italy has tried State
railroads and private railroads and al
most every relation between tae State
and individuals in the management OF
the roads Woich could be suggested
The whole subject was investigated by
a commission in 1873 and this commis-
sion reported adversely to State man
agement. In leasing It's lines IN 1885
to private parties for term Of sky
wears, the Italian goverEm 9lt summed
up the situation thus: 1t IS a mistake
20 expect lower rates and better faclll-
Ties from government than from prl-
vate companies. The actual results
are lust the reverse. The State IS more
apt to tax industry than to foster II,
and when 1t attempts TO tax industry
il is even less responsible than a private
company. State management Is more
costly than private management.
Mucn capital is thus wasted. State
is demoral zing both TO
legitimate business and pJlitlcs." Italy
had one unique experience during the
period of government control. One of
It's provinces, Lomoardy, found it nee.
essary to suspend freight service be-
cause of lack of ability Of those IN
charge to handle it.
Iu Great Britain and Ireland, as in
the United States, none of the roads
are owned by the government; but II
the British Isles no lines may be con.
structed without permission from par
liament. A law was passed in 1914
giving the government the right to
cQuire railroads constructed after that
date at a computation value based on
profits; but a commission appointed IN
1867 reported that it was lnexpedient
Ito subyert tie policy which has hlth-
erto been adopted Of leaving the con-
struction and management Of railroads
to the free enterprise of the people, IN
der such conditions as parliament may
think best to impose tor the general
welfare of the public" The board OF
trade has supervision Of the manage
ment of the roads IN certain respects
and there is a law governing rates
something like our interstate commerce
law.
1t Is not generally remembered that
the United States has made expert
ments in the State ownership of rail
roads. KtTkman, in his book on gov.
ernment cootrol, says: "GoVernment
ownership has been tried 10 limited
way in the United States. Fifty years
ago the State of Illinois constructed g
road at a cost of 81 900, ,00O,bu disposed
OF It later for 100000. Indiana had q
similar experience. Georgia owns g
railroad, but has found it expedient tc
lease it to private parties. PennsylVa
MIA constructed a railroad from Paila
delphia to Columbia, but subsequently
sold lt,ror the reason that the common
wealth, on reflection, believed that
TRANSPORTATION was to Oe regarded as
private enterprise and not as pubic
function. Massachusetts acquired NE
Troy and Greenvl!le line, but found il
expedient TO part with it. Michigan