Hutchinson gazette., 1900-06-14
RUSSIAN RAILROADS,
Tho Government Owns Them and Oper-
ates Them Impartlally IN the In-
tersat of All


A dozen years ago the people of the
cSar's domain We're plagued with the
evil of railroad freight dlscrlmlna-
tions much as are our people to-day.
Russian industries were actually dis
criminnted against and in favor of
foreign by Russian railroads, which
carried imported goods over their
lines at lower rates than they charged
on goods OF domestic origin, This
they did on the plea that II was neces-
sary in order TO build up their traffic
In imported goods, that II they did
not carry the imported goods NJ low
er rates such goods could not com
pete with kindred goods OF Russian
make, would not be imported and
such traffic cease.
Much the same plea have we heard
IN America, and our supreme court
has declared II sound, held the rail
roads justified In making lower rates
for imported goods than for goods OF
home manufacture. But the Russian
government viewing the railroads as
public institutions charged with the
functions OF common carriers, looking
upon the attempt of these railroads
10 reverse by their arrangement of
freight tariffs the very policy OF pro-
lection 20 home industries at the
frontier that the c2nr had ordained,
was not convinced by this plea, II
resolved that such tearing down of
the cars tariff policy by the rail
roads should ceuse. II resolved that
the plague Of freight determinations
Tint was 10 constructing the develop.
ment of Russian industries should be
put an end 10, And this resolve was
no mere empty one, for the cars gov
ernment is not so swaycd by corpor-
ate influence us our own,
TO make this resolve effective meas-
ures were taken for putting the rail.
ronds Of Russn under the immediate
management Of the government. A
dozen years ago 70 per cent Of the
railroad mileUge of Russia wus In the
hands OF private companies and "cach
company worked It's line almost indie.
pendently, keeping TO It's own tariff
policy without any regard TO the In.
terests Of the country In general"
We quote from government report
from which we give a liberal extract
below And to-day only 80 per cent,
Of the railroad mileage Is owned by
private companies aud those compa-
nies are not free TO keep their own
tariff policy, they are obliged 10 keep
the tariff policy the government de-
crees for them and It's own lines with
strict regard to the interests of the
country, Over 60 per cent. of the
mileage is owned by the government
this backward, dark ages govern
mcnt that can teach us lessons in
railroad management. The Russian
minister Of finance, NJ. Wttc, in n
recent report TO his emperor, sub
mitting some considerations on the
budget Of the empire for 1900" re-
port republished by our state depart
ment, writes In part, as follows.
The extension Of the railway net and the
Increase OF rolling stock have undoubt-
edly acted benehcially on the growth OF
industry, but besides these measures, II
regular ana uniform railway tariff wns
necessary, The almost absolute freedom
formerly enjoyed by railway companies
IN fixing their tariff acted most injur-
lousy on the progress Of trade and In
dustry. How Injurious this independence
was Is seen from the fact that foreign
imports (as return freight were given
every advantage In the shape OF lowered
tariif, and thus the railways counteracted
the protective policy OF the government
For local traffic each company fixed It's
own special tarlf, while for through
transport the different companies adopt
ed the most varied tariffs, often totally
out OF accordance with the prices OF other
lines,
These tariffs, with constant alterations
and supplements, used TO be published In
various places and by various institu-
tions, and frequently not In time, 30 that
II was almost impossible TO follow them
and make any definite commercial cal
culations OF the cost OF transport.
AT the present time the tariffs OF all the
Russian railways with the exception of
narrow gauge subsidiary lines) are uni
form, so that goods OF the same class,
when travelling. the same number of
Versts, pay the same freight In all parts
of Russia; exceptions to this fundamental
rule being made only In a few, specially
important cases, The uniform tariff is
likewise taken as n basis In calculating
the charge for the passage over the Rus
sian portion OF international transport.
There Is n certain abatement only on
exports to foreign countries and to the
fur east, thus completely doing away
with the possibility Of counteracting Gus
toms duties by low freights. Tariffs are
now published In full, and In sufficient
time to be of use, in the collection OF
Tariffs" an official publication of the
ministry of finance. Thus uniformity
stability and cheapness have been at
tanned In the goods tariffs OF Russian
railways. OF course there are many I'M
provements to be made in the future es.
pecIally in regulating the interests OF the
various regions Of Your Imperial Ma.
jesty's vast empire.
AZ the same time It Is very important
for the economic development Of the
country that every facility should be
afforded to passenger traffic, owing to
the enormous distances to be traversed
The ministry Of finance turned Its at
tenton to lowering the passenger tariff,
laying down the rule that the charge per
verst should be progressively decreased,
IN proportion to the length of the Jour-
ney. The results of this measure have
been most favorable, passenger traffic
having increased very considerably, while
the general receipts Of railways from