The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-10

Tn only one country in the world,
India, do railways haul freight so
cheap1y as the railways of the United
States. On the other hand, wages of
railway employees in the United States
are higher than in any other country
except western Austria, and In cap
iitalization per mile of its railways the
United States is exceeded by every
| one of the principal countries OF the
world. In no country in the world has
so much progress been made in efforts
to perform railway service in man
ner which will best serve the bust
moss interests OF its patrons. In none
OF them is the service performed so
cheaply.
] The Railway Age Gazette. In an art
icle in its current issue. thus sum-
marfzes an analysis of the most COM
prehensive compilation Of the railway
statistics of the world ever published,
which has just been issued by the
bureau Of railway economics, present
ing comparative data regarding the
railway situation in the United States
and thirty-eight principal foreign
countries. with a combined railway
mileage of the world. The statistics
are for the year 1912, the latest for
which comparable statistics are avail
able, and show in tabular form the
principal information given for the
United States in the reports OF the IN
iterstate commerce commission
Among the interesting facts brought
ont as indicating the superiority OF
the railways of the United States, the
Gazette shows the following: In
average receipts per ton mile the rail-
roads of the United States receive
about co per cent OF the average re-
CENTS of the principal European coun-
tries. The rate in the United states
l744 cents) is lower than that OF any
other country, except India, where
the cost OF labor is SO little as to De
almost negligible. Brazil stands high.
est In the list. with a rate (6.Slo
centgl nearly 10 times the average
amount for the United States. Several
countries receive from two to three
end even four times as much for maui
Ing ton OF freight one mile as the
railroads in the United States. The
only country which has Substantially
the same rate is Canada In Cuba the
average rate is 2.944; in Spain, 2.226;
Denmark. 2.113; Mexico, 1853; Ger
many. 1.244: France. 1.1s1; Russia,
1888. In India the rate is FOB.
One Of the reasons for the low
,rreigbt rates In the United States, in
sp,te Of the high wages paid. is tnd!-
Gated in the statement that while In
freight revenue per mile OF line the
United States is exceeded by five
F,uropean countries, in freight density
1.-THE number OF ton miles per mile OF
Incl the United States Is exceeded
onIv BY Germany with 1,117,37G ton
miles Der mile OF line against 1,07S,bSO
for the United States. Although the
freight density is only 3.s per cent
greater in Germany than in the United
states. the higher rate in that country
produces a freight revenue per mite OF
tiine>of s13s9s, which is 10 per cent
Ereater than in the United states:
where the freight revenue per mile OF
line is 1882.
| In the consideration OF passenger
rates the Railway Age Gazette says
that while receipts per passenger per
mile are higher in the United States
than in most countries, the facts are
not at all comparable unless full con-
sfderation is given to the distribution
OF passengers into classes. IN the
United States. where the average rate
Is 1897 cents. practically all passen.
ger traffic is first class. In nearly al
of the countries with which compar'-
son is made a very large proportion
Of the passenger traffic Is second
third. or even fourth class. In Ger
many the average rate Is .9oS; IN IN
dia, Ala: in Hungary. .96i; IN aoi'
sio. 699: in Japan, $50: In emma
1854. In only two countries are the
rates shown tn be higher than for the
United States Brazil with rate OF
9, 424 cents and Cuba with 2.sss. How
lever. the percentage Of passenger
travel in the lower classes, which