92 Meyer—Adjustment of Railroad Rates in Prussia. 
the Bernese treaty will influence other phases of national and 
international law of the states of central Europe can not well be 
foreseen. However, when we consider the fact that states dif¬ 
fering widely in forms of government, geographical position and 
commercial interests have voluntarily made themselves amenable 
to a common code of law, we can not help but be again impressed 
with the great power of railroads, in strengthening, not only 
commercial, but also the political bonds among nations. 
The Prussian system, then, presents two groups of railway 
administrative organs. The one represents railroad interests in 
particular, and the other social and economic interests, both 
groups meeting on common ground for the consideration of 
common interests. Every industry, every trade, in short, every 
interest is thus provided with a legally constituted agent, 
through which it may make its wants and grievances known, 
and, if necessary, call the railroad authorities to account before 
the parliament. To summarize: The one group represents the 
legally responsible railroad authorities, namely, (1) the Min¬ 
ister of Public Works, (2) the Royal Railroad directions, and 
(3) the General Conference and Tariff Commission. Following 
the same order, there exist, as advisory boards to the first 
group, (1) the National Railroad Council, (2) the Circuit Coun¬ 
cils, and (3) the Committee of Shippers. These two groups are 
organically connected. Independent of them are the various 
traffic and rate unions, and, above all, the Bernese Congress. 
V. 
A few words must be added on the question of publicity of 
rates. All Prussian railroads — state or private, primary, sec¬ 
ondary or local — are required to publish their rates under the 
supervision of the same authorities which fix them. Such pub¬ 
lication includes all tariffs—passenger (which are also printed 
on the tickets), freight, local, through rates, terminals, inci¬ 
dental fees, etc. And not only the bare schedules, but also the 
rules and regulations governing their application, as well as all 
changes which have been made in them must be published. 
Every advance in rates must be published, together with the old 
