New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-22

appear from the observations Of Mr.. Meyer that
the cries of conflicting interests which re-
sponsible for present agitation for rate esis-
lation in the United States would be merels inten-
sifed by taking the question out Of the range OF
competitive economics and making It a matter Iof
consideration any other basis.
In his conclusion Mr.. Meyer says: The prob
lem of railway rates is fully much the problem
of the adjustment OF the conflicting interests OF
rival producing centres, markets and distributing
points it is the problem of the adjustment or
the conflicting interests of the public and the rail-
ways. This is shown conclusfvely in the expert
of the United States where Il has not tnfre-
Quently been easier to effect compromise between
the conflicting interests Of competing railways than
to reconcile conflicting interests Of rival producing
centres, markets and distributing points 1t IS
shown even more conclusiveIy by the experiences
OF those countries which have replaced the ran
way company by the State-that is. have gone
over to the State ownership State regulaSion
of railways The invarable result in these coun
tries has been to transfer the field OF business
to the field of politics the perplexing questions OF
trade rivalry and Jealousy precipitated BY the
humiliation of distance by means Of the railway
Under government ownership direction the sec
tionaI conflicts precipitated by discussion OF rail-
way development have oftentimes been so fierce
that il hos become necessary partially to paralyze
the railways for the purpose of preventing them
from developing new producing regions, new mar
kets and distributing points.
Prussia the most enlightened and most indepen-
dent bureaucratic government the world has known,
the State Railway Department is not allowed 20
make railway rates that will permit the surplus
grain. timber and beet sugar of eastern Germany
to move by rail to the markets of the mining and
manufacturing regions along the Rhine. there to
compete with the grain, sugar and beet sugar
produced in western. southwestern and central
Germany.
Under private ownership Of railways. Mr.. Meyer
IN nv
had promised to go the way Of the stage coach.
as in the United States. Yet at the present day
Germany with its agriculture, its manufactures
and its trade rests upon the waterways not upon
the railways, he regime of government made rail-
way rates having reduced them TO the subordinate
position of feeders t. the river and canal boats
In Russia there is the same paralysis OF the
railways through trade icaIousies with the result
ing recourse to transportation by river. upon
the opening of the Siberian railway in 1885 the
landed interests of Western Russia protested that
they must not be exposed competition from
the wheat raised upon the cheap lands OK sioerla-
The government accordingly placed a prohibitive
charge upon the carriage OF this wheat 30 that
i. has been impossible adequately TO develop the
enormous Siberian wheat. resources Wheat Is
exported from Siberia only in years OF serious
crop failures in the countries which ordinarily
supply western Europe The effect OF this IS OF
course to raise the price of breadstuhs to the
laboring classes of the Russian Empire, In the
interests of the landed proprietors
In Australia the same jealousies are apparent
and each colony refuses to cooperate with its
neighbors in the promotion Of trade and industry
The two most important colonies, Victoria and
New South Wales railroads Of different
gauge and raise materially the rates on freight
sent from one colony to the other. New South
Wales refuses to connect its railway lines In the
southwestern part of the colony with the Vic
torian lines lest trade be diverted from Sydney
to Melbourne
As a result Of his investigations Mr.. Meyer feels
that the carriers are best qualified to adjust the
matter of rates in such a way as to meet the
necessities of commerce. subject only to the pro-
hibitons that their charges shall not be unjust
or unreasonable and that they shall not untustly
discriminate so as to give undue preferences or dis
advantage to persons traffic similarly crcum-
stanced.