The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-01-21
a xRzDzD RAnwAY 8sroRn.

tenn which we could copy to the greates
advantage. For many years she has EN-
ployed on her railroads what is called tn
| 'tzone system" that is, oil the railroad
in the country are marked off into zones
or distances Of about 20 kilometers-say
IL to Is miles. These form the unit 70
the railroad passenger tickets. The mar
who wants to travel the distance of on,
zone ON any railroad buys ticket at som,
shop or station precisely as he would blu,
postage stamp. This ticket is good OF
any railroad for the distance named. TIL,
rate is very low, much lower than tn,
rates in the rest Of Europe, and even lowe
| than in this country. He doesn't hav,
| TO go to station to buy his ticket, fol
| they are on sale like postage stamps a
convenient places in every city. II h,
cent or two less than for two separate zon,
tickets, and so on, there being small
percentage in favor all the time of tn,
| tickets for longer rides This system
which cut the prevailing rates in Hun
gary in two has been of the greatest ad
| vantage not only to the people, but to tn,
| railroads themselves, since in a few year.
| it so increased the travel as to bring grea
profits to the roads. The roads have t.
maintain the Same road-bed. the same
| track, the same expensive staff. the same
telegraph and other stations, whether the,
carry LOCO passengers or $4,000. They
have to maintain almost as many locomo
| tiyes All that is necessary is to add a
few more cars. Not only nrc the people
given greater facilities for travel, but il
is good public policy to have them travel
since they see much, and the development
Of the country goes on much more rapidly
the people becoming fused and united to a
much greater degree. A very large proper
ton of the troubles which have afflicted
all countries have been the result Of isola.
ton, and the impossibility of the people
Of one locality understanding and sympa.
thiZing with those of another. If, for ex-
ample, we had had more railroads and
greater communication between our own
people, there would never have been any
rebellion.
A reform on the lines Of the Hungarian
Zone System is imperatively needed in this
country, and should be the next great
movement. Almost everywhere passenger
rates are too high, and from twice to
thrice what they should be. As the rail
roads are the highways Of the people, the
Government has under its prerogatives OF
eminent domain and control of the high,
ways, full power to regulate the rate
Of charges. 1t has already asserted
its power in the Interstate Commerce
Laws. 1t has full power to go further
and assume to regulate the passenger
charges on every road in the country. II
should begin by enacting a regulation OF
not over two cents a mile on all the roads
or at least for those east Of tho Missouri
River. 1t might adopt the Hungarian
feature by making zones, say, of 20 miles
as minimum. A man who wanted ia
go 20 miles or less, would buy ticket
costing, say, not exceeding 45 cents. II
he wanted to go 40 miles or less, he would
pay, say SO cents or less. If he desired te
travel 80 miles, his ticket ought not to
cost more than $1.2O. This would not only
immensely reduce the cost of travel, but II
would do away with whole world of ag
gravating and conflicting schedules OF
rates. 1t would prevent determinations
Of which there is so much complaint be
tween the smaller and larger places
Every one would be placed on an equality
A ticket would be good for 20 or 40 or 66
miles, as the case might be, on any road
going in any direction. There would be
no hurry or scramble in getting tickets
no "scalping," no arbitraries, any more
than there Is in sending letter. A. uni
form rate of two cents mile would facil
itate travel in every way, and greatly pro
mote that intermixing of the people OF
different sections which is so essential to
the proper development Of our National
life. The railroads would, as in the case
of Hungary, find it to their advantage to
| have such a low rate OF charges, as the
travel would increase so rapidly in few
years as to pay them well. They would
have to maintain no more expensive road
beds than they do now. The stations and
Telegraph Offices, the entrances to the cities
the expensive administrative staff, would
be the same, but they would have sevcra
times as many passengers contributing t.
their income. The man who wanted To
go LOCO miles in any direction would know
that he could do so for $40, and he WOULD
be much reader to undertake the journey
| than he is now where the expense is un
certain.
The advantage of low fixed rates has
been abundantly demonstrated in oul
street cars and trolley lines, and it is 9
wonder that the railroads themselves have
| not long ago urged such a reform in Their
own interests. Why does not some live
progressive man in Congress, in search OF
something to give him prominence, take
| this matter up?
SINCE Mr.. Bryan's return from Europe
| it is noticeable that he has confined hi.
political speeches to dissertations on copy