86 Meyer—Adjustment of Railroad Rates in Prussia. 
them to assist in this movement towards a closer union and 
better understanding between the commercial and the railroad 
interests. The railroads were not very ready to respond and 
the movement made little progress, until with the nationaliza¬ 
tion of railroads, which was vigorously pushed from about 1878, 
the reform initiated by Mulhausen was elaborated and given 
permanent shape in the law of June 1, 1882. This law 27 creates 
a class of advisory boards or councils known as Bezirkseisen- 
bahnrathe, and one national council, called Landeseisenbahn- 
rath. The national council is the advisory board of the central 
administration, and the circuit councils of the railroad direc¬ 
tories (I l). 28 Since the reorganization of the railway adminis¬ 
trative system, April 1, 1895, eight circuit councils have been 
in existence. 29 
The national council is composed of forty members, ten of 
whom are appointed and thirty elected (f 10), all holding office 
for three years. Of the appointed members, three are named by 
the Minister of Agriculture, Domains and Forests; three by the 
Minister of Trade and Industry; two by the Minister of Finance; 
and two by the Minister of Public Works. At the same time an 
equal number of substitutes is appointed; provided, however, 
that no immediate state official shall be appointed. The elective 
members are distributed among departments and provinces, the 
right to elect, including substitutes, devolving upon the vari¬ 
ous circuit councils. The presiding officer and his substitute 
are appointed by the King. In addition, the Minister of Public 
Works is empowered to call in expert testimony whenever he 
trauter machen und stets auf dem Laufenden erhalten, und Anderseits 
den Verkehr des Handels u. s. w. eine grossere Klarheit tiber Eigen- 
thumlichkeiten des Eisenbahnbetriebs, sowie tiber die berechtigten In- 
teressen der Verwaltung verschaffen und somit, ernst und massvoll 
gehandelt, durch den Austausch der Ansichten auf beiden Seiten 
erspriesslich wirken.”—Quoted in an article by v. d. Leyen in Schmoller’s 
Jahr'buch for 1888, page 1071. 
27 Gesetz, betreffend die Einsetzung von Bezirkseisenbahnrathe und 
eines Landeseisenbahnraths fttr die Staatsbahnverwaltung. 
28 Sections refer to the law of June 1,1882. 
29 Bromberg, Berlin, Magdeburg, Hannover, Frankfurt a. Main, Koln, 
Erfurt and Breslau. Consult ministerial order of December 18,1894. 
