The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-08
RAILROAD NEWS.
Comparison Between Canadian
and American Roads.
Prosperity for Everyone Who
Work With Them.
MAKE FARMERS RICH.
Canadians Have Odd Ideas OF
This Country.
Other I TENS Of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.
MAKE FARMERS RICH.

Coming in the midst of the contro-
versy in this country over the ques-
ton of the proposed raise in railway
rates, the interview at Washington re-
Gently with Chief Railway Commits
sioner Mabee of Canada has attracted
widespread attention and comment in
business and commercial circles from
one end of the country to the other.
In this interview. which followed a
conference with United States Inter-
state Commerce Commissioner Knapp,
the Canadian official made the declara-
ton that the railway construction IN
Canada this year would be larger even
than last year, when 1,50O miles OF
road were built, and that Canada S
present activity in railroad construc-
ton had never been equaled in any
country.
Taking this fact, compared with the
shrinking condition of railway build
ing in the United States. as a subject,
and emphasizing the point that the gov
ernment jurisdiction over railroads IS
greater in Canada than in the United
editorial entitled "Canada's Square
Deal to the Railroads." says:
Passes to Chosen Few.
Passenger rates are cents mile
uniformly. Indiscriminate issue of
passes is forbidden. but it is specif1cal-
" allowed In the cases VI eQllOIS anu
legislators, which may be significant of
much regarding the difference between
the states of public opinion and legisla-
ton on the respective sides of the Dor
der. 1t is not to be denied that there
is another side to this engaging side OF
the picture which Commissioner Mabee
did not enlarge upon. Readers of the
Canadian journals are aware that
there are scandals of both construction
and operation. and that these are moot
Int hot narfiaG-
fact that such topics are matters of
political differences itself is in sharp
contrast with rivalry between all Amer
lean parties in soaking the railways:
"rThere are points on the record of
the Canadian commission which are in
equally sharp contrast with the policy
of our own commission. At the pres
emf time our commission is semioffi-
ciaIly prejudging subjects which must
come before it for decision. The COM
panies are seeking to raise their rates.
and the inspired statement is made
that the companies are cooking their
accounts for the purpose of making
out their case. This may or may not
be right. but such treatment is not
sympathetic, at least. Selecting topics
on which both commissions have made
decisions it is apparent that the Cana
dian commission gives the companies
as we'll as the shippers square DEAL
All Given a Square Deal.
"The Canadian practice is to estab-
fish standard rates-neither maximum
nor minimum-and not to be over
solicitous regarding special or COM
modify rates, or competitive rates, so
long as they are lower than the stand
ard rates. Much of the friction be-
tween our roads and our commission
springs from the attempts of the COM
mission to supervise infinitely an en-
tire class of subjects of the most con-
tentious character. This class of sub
1ectS the Canadian commission leaves
to the conditions of competition, sub
ject only to the most general oversight
regarding the reasonableness of the
action taken.
Generally speaking the explana-
ton of these differences seems to be
that Canada is still in the condition
we were in some years ago. In Can
ada railways are still appreciated as
creators of wealth. and more are
wanted, which are being supplied ex-
actly as we got ours, by subsidies and
land grants and allowance of profits
which in few years will be thought
exorbitant.
an Canada it is still thought that