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Show RAILWAYS HOME AND ABROAD. The railroads In this ountry are tho subject's of much criticism and in me instances justly so, but when romnared with tho railroad service in other countries and tho freights and fares charged, distances considered ho roads in tho United States are par neons of perfection. Hero is an article 'from tho Pocatello Tribune which elves facts worth the considentlon o' thoughtful people. It reads as follows: "The best statistics on English ltuil roads show a freight rate on minerals of 1 93 ccnts l'er ton m,1' on mcrclmn" disc and livestock of 2.94 cents, on all commodities of 2.32 cents. On American Ameri-can roads the average on the same clnsses of freight is 0.58 cents per ton mile. On German roads it Is 1.42 cents on French roads 1.05 cents, on Austrian roads 1.1C cents on Hungarian roads l.IiO cents. "In 1903 the average passenger rate on American roads was 2.01 cents per mile; this was an increase due it is claimed, to the transfer of tho cheaper passenger rates to tho intorurban electric elec-tric roads, and not an nctual advance In passenger rates on tho steam roads. Tho foreign passenger rates on 'the same classes were, in England 4 cents, In Germany 3-45 cents. Taking the miles that a laborer can travel on an average day's wage, the American laborer la-borer for a day's pay can travel G5 miles, the British 35 miles, tho Gorman Gor-man 53 miles, tho French 40 miles, the Belgium 3G miles, tho Italian 38 miles, tho Russian 38 miles, the East Indian 21 miles. "On American roads tho pay of loco motive engineers average $4 per day, English $1.02, Belgian $1.01. American firemen get $2.28 per day, British 91 cents, Belgian 72 cents.. During tho last four years American roads have paid for now locomotives, cars and equipment, equip-ment, $874,000,000. Tho capitalization of 283,821 miles of American railroad track and equipment, depot buildings, etc., is $12,794,80G,023. Tho capitalization capitali-zation in 1903 was $01,309 per mile. The samo year It was on English roads $277,474 per mile; on German roads, 104,725; on French roads, $143,053; on Russian, $79,095; on Austrian, $110,-475; $110,-475; on Belgian $107,898. at tho same time labor employed In the construction construc-tion of American roads paid from two or four times as much as on foreign roads. Comparing tho division of gross earnings on American roads between labor and capital, 40 per cent goes to labor and 23 per cent to capital. In England labor gets 27 per cent and I capital 38 per cent. In Germany the I division Is equal. "These figures, taken mostly from th? reports of the interstate commerce commission, servo to emphasize tho conservative policy of tho president as against tho radical policy of government govern-ment ownership effected by partial confiscation. Tho railroads have tho power of a giant over tho prosperity of tho people. A conservative policy of government supervision means only that they will not bo permitted to us this power like amuck giant. When con Korvatlvo supervision is conceded an' is in operation it will bo seen to hav been tho best for railroad property as well as best for tho shippers and the public. Any ono who runs amuck at tho railroads is unwise and Imprudent. Impru-dent. Any ono who pretondB that their offensive use of power can be proyent-ed proyent-ed only by government ownership Is one who dlsbellovos in government at all. "This country will not subject the people to oppression by tho railroads nor tho railroads to oppression by the government. But it will establish and maintain justice and a square deal for all. A rudo hand cannot bo thrust into our delicate Industrial machinery at any point without Inflicting damage and doing harm to tho whole system. All this Is perfectly well understood by tho president and his policy means just what ho stands for, a squaro deal for all. There is only one kind of real cr "parity, and thnt Is general in .vhi-h rll have a share, and to secure that Is tho business of the government govern-ment as far as industrial conditions. This should be the only purposo of congress con-gress in dealing with the railroad ques-icn, ques-icn, and as far as tho president is concerned, that Is tho policy that will ecure his endorsement and nothing Mso will." |