The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-03-08
LIVE ISSUES.
Government Ownership of Railroad.

Government Ownership of Railroads.
A Washington dispatch says that
in compliance with resolution of
the Senate, introduced by Senator
Pettigrew, the interstate commerce
commission has compiled some data
regarding the ownership of rail
roads by foreign governments.
This is summarized as follows 1t
appears that ten countries do not
own or operate railways, viz. +: Co
lumbia, Great Britain and neland;
Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Span,
Switzerland, Turkey, United States
and Uruguay. The following gov
ernments own and operate some of
their railways: Argentine, Aus
tralasia, stria-Hungary, Bel
GUM, Brazil, Canada, Cape of
Good Hope, Chill, Denmark,
France, Germany, Guatemala,
India, Japan, Norway, Portugal,
Russia and Sweden. The follow
ing governments own part of their
railways, but do not operate any,
leasing all the present milage to
private companies, viz: Greece,
Holland and Italy.
1t is believed that the foregoing
summary represents an approx
mate statement of the relation of
various governments to the rail
ways of the world. The relative
rates charged for freight and pas
senger service of the government
owned railroads and the other facts
cited in connection with such roads
are calculated to afford little en-
enlargement to the advocates of
government ownership. A COM
parison of passenger charges per
mile shows an average in Great
Britain of 4 .42c for first class; {. zoe
for second class, and / .94c for third
class. In France the average is
3.S6c for first class, 3.OSc for second
class, and 2.0Sc for third class. In
Germany the rate is 3.10c for first
class, 2.32c for second-clas and
1.54c for third class. In the Unit
ed States the average chargeis2. lie.
The averages per ton per mile
as follows Great Britain, 2.OSc;
France, 2.20; Germany, 1.64c, and
in the United States 1c. The in
terest on capital invested in the
several countries is as follows
United Kingdom, Al per cent;
France, 3.S per cent; Germany, 81
per cent; Russia, 5.3 per cent;
Austria, 81 per cent; Belgium, 4.6
per cent; United States, 81 per
cent. The average for the world is
80 per cent.
The system of operation Of the
railroads in different countries is,
indicated In Austria about four
per cent of the railway mileage is
owned and about IS per cent is
operated by state. Upon the ex-
piration of charters, not exceeding
ninety years, the lines, lands and
building of the companies pass to
the government, but the equipment
remains the property of the private
owners. Before railway is opened
it must he approved by the min
lister of commerce. The tariffs on
state roads are fixed by the govern
ment; those of the companies are
subject to revision by the govern
ment every three years, and the
government has power to reduce
rates, if the net earnings exceed Is
per cent on capital.
In Canada about one tenth of the
mileage of abont $4,000 miles is
owned and controlled and operated
by the government. For the year
of 1892 the operation of the gov
eminent lines resulted in loss of
over 100000. AT the present date
by far the larger portion (about
five-siXths) of the French railway
system is operated by private COM
panies, each company serving a
definite territory and being COM
paratively free from the competi-
tion of other lines. But the rail
road properties are ultimately to
become the property of the govern
ment. This system is a mixed one
of state and private ownership.
In Germany nearly 80 per cent of
the railway mile is owned by the
governmnt. Under the law the
government is required to manage