The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-02-01

ly double that in the United States.
Some Of the reasons for the great cost
being-changing water courses, solid
stone bridges, the building of gas works
for lighting stations, splendid water
service, passing through Notifications,
etc. Statistics for the year 1890 show a
net profit from operating the roads of
$119, ,159,147. This was for some 1900
miles of track. The average passenger
fare is 0117, or less than 1 1-5 cents.
The fare, by means of communication
tickets for third-class travel is at the
rate of four miles for / cent. Sixty per
travel third class. The total income
from passengers for the year 1890 was
$84, ,976, ,84042. Therefore the German
government-owned railways could have
carried the 426,056,250 passengers abso-
lutely free and still have net profit Of
$34, 1872, ,307.09. From 1882 to 1897 the net
profit increased Al per cent, and the
wages are 121 per cent higher than un-
der private ownership. The railways
cost an average of $92, ,OS5 SO per mile, a
sum more than three times what it
would cost the government to duplicate
them.
Capitalists and their PAID attorneys
and the daily press often use as an ar
gument against government ownership
<14 - S1,1s sa1
on the government-owned railways CT
Europe, as compared to the wages paid
on the private-owned railways of this
country. We should compare the wage
rate under public and private owner
ship in the same country. There are 13
men per mile employed on the railways
OF Germany, and only fraction over
four on those of the United States. The
government-owned railways average to
employ double the number of hands per
mile that the private railways employ.
The AustrO Hungarian empire owns
and operates II 300 miles of railroad,
and boasts of having the finest railway
system in Europe. The roads cost $685.
618.77 per mile. Eleven men per mile
are employed. The total income from
the operation of these roads in 1893
Qast report obtainable), was $1O7.714,-
O23.6O. Total expense, $57,2566 60
$7,364 ,1O4.SO of the expense being funds
paid into the sick aid and pension
fund for railroad employees. net
profit of over $5O,OOO,OO0 a year. and this
with the cheapest railway fare in Eu-
rope. From Buda-Pesth to Cronstadt,
distance of 457 miles. the fare, third
class. is $1.53 But in case of agricul-
tural laborers travelling in parties of 10,
or workingmen in parties of 80 or more,
the fare is one-half. or six miles for /
cent. For several years the Zone sys-
tenn has been in operation, with the re-
suit of greatly reduced fares, and great
increase in the number of passengers
carried, and an increase in the net in
come of the government. The Zone
system is divided into sections or belts
of distance from Buda-Pesth. the GEN.
ter
The first zone extends distance of
1878 miles, each succeeding zone up to
the twelfth, being 71a miles longer than
the zone Immediately preceding it, the
twelfth and thirteenth zones being 1878
miles longer than it's preceding one. All
distances from the thirteenth zone are
included in the single and last zone, the
fourteenth. Tickets are not sold at SO
much per mile, but so much per zone,
the charges being less from Buda-Pesth
for each additional zone, thus being a
great help to the sparsely settled dis
tricts.
Holland is a small country, having
only 1850 square miles, and popula-
ton of 4,45O.810, No country in the
world enjoys such an extent of water
navigation. there being more than 5000
miles. OF the 1883 lllIes OF railway In
Holland the state owns and operates
9S6. 1t is only a question of time when
Holland will own the entire railway
, system. Even now she holds that the
private roads are, and of right ought to
be, public property, and she keeps a
sharp eye on them. State railways are
much more important per mile than
those under private ownership. They
transport five-sevenths of the freight
and nearly two-thirds of the passengers.
The state to large extent looks after
the welfare of the railway workers..
They are given houses at from IL to 20
per cent less than the same houses
would rent of private owners. And
those who receive the least wages are
given fuel free. The state employs the
widows of men formerly in the service
of the railroad in manufacturing cloth
ing, blankets, etc., for the families. The
state railway also has a sick and pen
sion fund. Each worker contributes to
this fund, as also does the state. The
children of the railway workers are
carried free both to the common schools
and the distant colleges. At the age of
IS the workers are discharged from
service, and pension during the re-
mainder of their lives is regularly paid
them. Just imagine a Sage or a Gould
giving their railway slaves a pension!
Victoria is one Of the most nrOprpssive