90 Meyer—Adjustment of Railroad Rates in Prussia. 
another body known as Ausschuss der Verkehrsinteressenten, or 
committee of shippers, whose members represent all parts of the 
empire. It is composed of thirteen members, 34 four represent¬ 
ing the trades, 35 four the various industries, four the agri¬ 
cultural societies, and one from Bavaria. 
There are also railway, traffic and rate unions, which, through 
well established custom, exert considerable influence on railway 
rates. Among these, the Verein der deutschen Eisenbahn 
Verwaltungen, founded in 1846, is most important. This organi¬ 
zation includes representatives of the railroads of Germany, 
Austria Hungary, The Netherlands, and Luxemburg. Both 
state and private roads are eligible to membership. The society, 
having been active during almost the entire period of the develop¬ 
ment of German railroads, has been an influential factor in 
shaping the system. The resolutions of this body, long pub¬ 
lished in an official organ, usually receive the careful attention 
of administrative officials, whether state or private. 
But by far the most significant railway organization in the 
world is the Bernese Congress—Congres international des 
chemins de fer. 36 Its history dates back to 1874, but it was not 
until 1886 that a permanent and effective agreement was made. 
The agreement was approved by Belgium, France, Germany, 
Italy, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Russia, 
and Switzerland. It has been modified and supplemented in 
various ways, partly by international agreements among all 
these countries, and partly by agreements among several of 
them. The “convention internationale sur le transport des 
marchandises ” of October 14, 1890, composed of delegates from 
each of the above-named countries, adopted an international 
code for freight rates. This was revised by a conference of 
specialists, who met in Berne in June, 1893. A number of 
changes have been made since, the last having been approved, 
34 Frequently there are also members of other railroad councils. Eligi¬ 
ble are members of “ der Deutsche Landwirthschaftlicberrath und der 
bleibende Ausschuss des Deutschen Handelstages.” 
35 Handel, Landwirthschaft, und Gewerbe. 
36 Consult Archiv fur Eisenbahnwesen, 1891, page 394 ; Railroad Ga¬ 
zette for 1887, page 511, for 1890, page 843. 
