The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18

they are largely the results OF his own in
tellectual toll. Under his rule the strongly
monarohical andIiniformly disciplined army
was created which for a century and a
half defended and advanced the glory OF
France on the battlefelds of Europe. 1t is
interesting TO note that 'the constitution
given to the French navy during his rule
is still, Notwithstanding the great develop
ment Of naval science, in force In his land.
II is also i~ncontestable hat to Louis XIV.
more than to any other person was France
indebted for the influence exerted by her
spirit over Europe, and Paris owes 1t to him
that in respect Of elegance and refinement
she came to be looked upon as the capital
Of the world. NJ. w. H.
Government Regulation of Railway Rates.
In a book bearing the title Government
Regulation OF Rdiludy Rates, which is pub
lished by the Macmillans and of which the
author is Mr.. HUGO RICHARD MEYER, as
sistant professor Of political economy in
the University Of Chicago, we have a COM
prehensive and painstaking study Of the
experience of the United States, Germany,
France, Austria II Hungary, Russia and Aus
tralia in the political regulation Of rail-
way rates. The purpose Of this work Is
to set forth the facts that have led the writer
to the conclusion that a Government can
regulate railway rates in such n as to
conserve and promote the public welfare
only in so far as II shall act in the spirit
Of the decision rendered by the Supreme
Court Of the United States in the case of
the Interstate Commerce Commission vs.
Alabama Midland Railway Company.
TT1a A~@1kr,,aNt~1 w-h,oh - chat 1oan NNn
highest Federal tribunal has put upon the
act to regulate is that Subject
to two leading prohibitions that their
charges shall not be unjust or unreasonable,
and that they shall not unjustly discrimi-
nate 80 as TO give undue preference or dis
advantage TO persons or traffic similarly
cir~cumstanced, the act to regulate COM
MERGE leaves common carriers, as they
were at the common law, free to make
special rates looking to the Increase Of their
business, to classify their trafio, to adjust
and apportion their rates 30 as to meet
the necessities Of and Of their
own situation and relation to it, and gen.
orally to manage their important interests
upon the same principles which are re-
garded as sound and are generally adopted
in other trades and pursuits. The carriers
are better qualified to adjust such matters
than any court or board OF public admin
istration, and within the limitations sug-
vested it is safe and wise to leave to their
raffic managers the adjusting Of the par
ticular circumstances and conditions To
their business"
Mr.. Meyer views the experiments in
Government regulation of railway rates
that have been made by Germany, France,
Austria Hungary, the Danubian p%rincipali-
ties, Russia, the Australian colonies OF
Victoria and New South Wales ard, finally,
the United States. The deduction drawn
from the facts is that "the invariable result
in these countries has been to transfer
from the field Of business to the field Of
politics the perplexing question Of trade
rivalry and jealousy, precipitated through
the humiliation of distance by means Of
railways. Under Government ownership or
direction the sectional conflicts excited by
the discussion of railway development have
oftentimes been so fierce that 1t has be-
come necessary partially to paralyze the
railways for the purpose Of preventing
them from opening new producing regions,
new markets and new distributing points"
For example, in Prussia, the most en-
lightened and the most independent bureau
cratic government that the world has
known, the State Railway Department Is
for political reasons not allowed to 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, timber n beet sugar produced in
western, southwestern and central Ger
Then, again, the failure of the State
Railway Departments efforts to get the
iron and steel producers of the Saar district
20 agree as to comparative rates with the
iron and steel producers of the Ruhr district
has for upward OF two decades prevented
the German iron and steel industry from
exploiting freely the largest iron ore de-
posts on the continent OF Europe-those, |
namely, of the Saar district. Such has been
In Prussia the paralysis of the railways
under Government Vade railway rates that
the grain, timber and beet sugar producers
of eastern Germany, as well as the iron and
manufacturers of certain districts,
have had to resuscitate river and canal
transportation, which, under the system Of
ownership OF railways, had promised
in Germany to go the way Of the old fash |
lOn0Q sta Bo cOacn. Inc result IL tnat To-Day
Germany, with IT'S agriculture, It's manu-
and its trade, rests upon its water
not upon it's railways, which the sys-
tenn Of Government made railway rates has
reduced to the subordinate position of
to the river and canal boats.
Prof. Meyer goes on to show that the same
jealousy which prevents the Prussian
Railway Department from making
that will permit the agricultural
products and the timber Of eastern Germany
to move by rail into western Germany also
the cooperation of the State Railway
Departments Of Germany, Austria-Hun-
gary and the Danubian principalities to
to an agreement for the purpose Of
securing the free movement by rail into
western Europe of the agricultural products
and timber Of Austria Hungary and the
Danubian p~rincipalities, or the free move |
eastward Of the manufactures Of
Europe. There exists, it is true, a
through rail connection between the North
Sea in the northwest and the Black Sea
in the southeast, but the connection Ia used
for the carriage Of passengers and
the mails. The exchange Of merchandise
between western and eastern Europe is still
in the main by means of the Med
t. D,,aio mn okaar,n 49, .o.. |