account. The public certainly ought to make no complaint if the latter method is adopted. At the same time, when the use to be made of statistics is held in mind, accounts should be kept so as to allow of some degree of uniformity as to the meaning of operating expenses. This is a difficult matter to adjust, and should receive the careful attention of those interested in railway statistics.

It is unnecessary to follow this subject further, or to suggest more of the topics that call for detailed discussion. There can be no question of the desirableness of uniform railway statistics in the United States, and, as has been discovered, the degree of uniformity that now exists is such as to encourage further steps in the same direction. It only remains for the members of the convention to consider with care which steps should be taken first, and in what manner the desired end may be most easily attained.

TABLE

SHOWING DATA PERTAINING TO RAILWAYS, CALLED FOR BY THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION AND BY THE

VARIOUS STATE COMMISSIONS.

[Compiled from Forms of 18:8, unless otherwise indicated.]

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The questions appearing in the boxing, at the head of the columns, are taken from the Form for annual report issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission to the common carriers. On the left-hand side of the table appear the names of the States having railway commissions or other officers charged with the collection of railway statistics. The letter "x" in the body of the table indicates that the question given at the head of the column is asked by the officers of the States after which it appears. The table is thus designed to show the present degree of uniformity in the railway data called for by the State and Federal Commissions.

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