FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



331 



Bwctancc, CoBt per Ton 



Miles, pcrllik' — ConfK. 



10 4.0G2 



20 2.481 



50 1.533 



100 1.21G 



Diafanco, Cost per Ton 



Mik'H. i»T Jlilu— Cents. 



200 1.058 



250 1.037 



500 0.932 



1000 0.032 



Should legislation 

 should not only be 

 general government, 

 the cost. This rate 



Legislation. 



be deemed necessary it is seen that to be just it 

 general in its nature but should come from the 

 It sliould require a rate somewhat in proportion to 

 could not be lixed absolutely, for the exact cost of 

 freight transportation is an unsolved problem, but it could be fixed within 

 certain limits and sufficiently near the cost for all practical purposes. This 

 rate will increase as the distance is greater, but it does not increase in exact 

 proportion to distance. Tiie schedule of rates once fixed, should be adhered to, 

 except in towns that have two roads, and there it should be departed from only 

 far enough to let ''the shortest route determine the rate." But in no case 

 should freights bo taken for rates below cost. 



Again, there should be, as now, different classes of freight, which should 

 pay different rates, because of their difference in value. The history of rail- 

 road legislation shows that such action must be intelligent, and only such 

 measures adopted as are urgently needed. Railroad legislation has always 

 been successful when it has been contented with the simple reformation of ac- 

 tual abuses ; it has never been successful when undertaking to make railroads 

 act in opposition to business principles. In this case botii the welfare of the 

 State and of the railroads seem to demand that an end be put to senseless com- 

 petition and reasonless discrimination, — which are dragging the railroads iato 

 ruin, and affording some portions of our country advantages that are denied 

 other portions, which is taxing our State for the support of our neighbors, build- 

 ing up competing points at the expense of non-competing points. It is cer- 

 tainly true that fair combination will settle this question, and will in time 

 allow the benefits due to position, not to competition, but before the working 

 of natural laws can settle these points, an irreparable injury may be done the 

 State, in retarding its development. 



Narrow Guage liailroads. 



It had been my intention to say more in regard to the narrow guage rail- 

 roads, but the discussion of the abuses attendant on railroad competition has 

 taken so much time that I shall be oblige to close with a very brief statement 

 in regard to them. Theoretically speaking the narrow guage (3 feet) as com- 

 pared with the standard guage (4 feet 8A- inches) should cost both to construct 

 and operate about 80 per cent of the standard guage. But for reasons which 

 cannot be referred to here, the difference is found to be in actual practice more 

 than 20 per cent. Supposing the saving to be only 20 per cent you can readily 

 aee that it would place our roads not only on a solvent basis but on a paying 

 basis, and that too without raising the cost of transportion. 



In regard to capacity it has been shown by experience that these roads can 

 <io an immense amount of business. The Festiniog railroad of Wales, with a 

 •guage less than two feet, carried in 18G9, 136,073 tons of freight and 79,000 

 passengers, and was at no time worked to one-half its capacity. It has been 

 stated and not denied, that a narrow guage (three feet) road could do the 

 business now carried over any road in the State. 



In regard to speed I need only refer you to the Festiniog road in Wales, 



