COMMON CARRIERS IN FRANCE
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properties, as some roads are already held the new tariffs become operative thirty and operated in France; and that the Minis days after the publication. If the scale ter of Public Works has supervisory powers prepared by the company is altered by the in the matter of rates, as to both passenger Minister of Public Works, the items so and freight traffic. The question will be changed must be published in a second bul clearer after looking for a moment into the letin, and do not come into effect until method of creating a railroad in France. thirty days after this new publication. The first step necessary is to obtain a These changes are made on the initiative Declaration of Public Utility ( Declaration of the companies, and it is doubtful if the d'Utilite Publique). Then the construc Minister of Public Works has the power tion of the proposed road must be author arbitrarily to change the schedule. From ized by the Legislature. This authoriza the foregoing it will be seen that the State tion, or Charter, is called a "Concession." exercises thorough supervision of the car The limits of the road to be built and the riers' operations and the regulation of rates conditions under which it is to be conducted is a matter of national habit, presenting a are set out fully in what is termed a "Cahier very different state of affairs from that, des Charges," so that the road is organized existing in the United States, where powers and the rates fixed, at the outset, under once exercised by the transportation com government supervision. The Concession panies have been gradually curtailed by the may be granted to the State itself, to a government. In France the right of gov department, a commune, or to a private ernment control is one of the conditions of company (Compaignie Concessionnaire). It a railroad's existence. The situation, in is hardly necessary to add that the state this aspect, is ripe for the experiment of has the power to appropriate lands for the government ownership or the ultimate socialistic regime, the sentiment in favor construction or use of railroads, when nec essary. This proceeding is called "Expro of which is already so prevalent in France priation pour cause d'Utilite' Publique." that the Socialist Party was able to carry After the establishment of a road the rates the last election and now holds the reins of may not be changed without the authori power. A bill was introduced in the Leg zation of the Minister of Public Works. islature several months ago, providing for The method of modifying the tariffs, or the purchase of the Western Railroad Sys rate of charges, is as follows. tem (Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest). It is The company publishes a bulletin inform not probable that this bill, as it stands, will ing the public of the changes proposed. At be passed, but it is believed that the real the same time it notifies the Minister of ization of its object is only a matter of time. Public Works. If the Minister approves, Paris. France, July, 1907.
