Canada's Railway System

In Canada about one-teutli of the mileage of about 15,000 miles is owned and controlled and operated by the government. For the year 1892 the operation of the governruent lines resulted in a loss of over $600,01,0. At the present date by far the larger portion (about (ive-sixths) of the French railway system U operated by private cotnpanies, each compauy serving a deflnite territory and being coniparatively free froui the competition of otber Unes. But the railroad properties are ultimately to become the property of the government. This system is a mixed one of state and private ownership. In Germany nearly 90 per cent. of the railway mileage i.s owned by the overnment. Uuder the law the government is required to manage the rail ways in the interest of general trafile on a single system. It may cause the construction and tquipment of roads, and enforce uniform traffic and pólice regulations. Iu Great Britain and Ireland the government does not own the railways. There are stringent regulations provided by law and administered by the railway commission and board of trade. Itaiy has tried both state and private railroads, and has come to the conclusión that it is not advrintageous to own and opérate the railways. The result was a reorganizaron of the whole railway systema. Uuder the present system private cornpanies opérate the state roada under contract with the government. In Russia the governm&nt is stated to own and opérate about 40 per cent. of tbe railway mileage. Nearly all of the railways owned by private conipanies have received subsidies from the governruent. It is stated that iu the United States several of the states have tned ownership in a limited way. Illinois constructed a road at a cost of $1,000,00), but dispo.-sed of it íor 8100,000, Indiana had a similar experience; Georgia owus a railroad, but found it expedient to lease it to a private company; Penusylvania constructed a railroad from Puiladelplna to Columbia, but subaequeatly sold it; Massachusetts, Michigan and several other states tried the experiment without succöss. The inter-state couiruerce commission disclaims any original investigation on subject, the report being compiled from existiug sources of iiiformation.