88 Meyer—Adjustment of Bailroad Bates in Prussia. 
Union of the Province of Hannover, Branch Union of Berman 
Millers in Hannover, Union of Berman Linen Industrialists in 
Bielefeld, Society for Beet Sugar Industry in Berlin, Society 
for the Promotion of Common Industrial Interests in the Rhine 
Country and Westfalen in Dusseldorf, and the Society of Berman 
Distillers in Berlin; four representatives from the Royal Agri¬ 
cultural Society in Celle; three from the Provincial Agricultural 
Society for Westfalen in Munster; one from each of the follow- 
lowing: Berman Dairy Society in Schladen and Hamburg, 
Society of Foresters of the Hartz, North Berman Foresters in 
Hannover, Union of Forest Owners of Middle Bermany in Birn- 
stein, Society for the Promotion of Moor Culture in the Ber¬ 
man Empire; and, lastly, Society of Berman Sea-fishers in Ber¬ 
lin. This one illustration is probably sufficient to impress upon 
us the thoroughly representative character of the circuit coun¬ 
cils. If a circuit comprises railroads covering territory of 
other Berman states, the chambers of commerce, industrial and 
agricultural societies of such territory may also be represented 
in the council (§ 4). 
The circuit council, as has been indicated above, stands in a 
relation to the railroad directory similar to that of the national 
council to the minister. The law (3 6) makes it mandatory 
upon the directory to consult the circuit council on all im¬ 
portant matters concerning the railroads in that circuit, especi¬ 
ally does this apply to time-tables and tariffs. And conversely, 
the council may make recommendations to the directory. At 
the same time there is sufficient elasticity in this arrangement 
to meet momentary wants. In case of danger or any other 
emergency the directory may act according to its own judg¬ 
ment, independently of the council; provided, however, that all 
such cases must be reported to the standing committee (3 5) of 
the council and to the council itself at its next meeting. 
The significance of these councils becomes apparent when we 
consider what the conditions were in Prussia before their estab¬ 
lishment, and what they are now. And the contrast becomes 
even more striking when we reflect upon the recklessness with 
which rates have been and unfortunately still are changed in the 
United States. While the powers of these councils are merely 
