variation than are those of any other class of labor, and that they bear favorable comparison with those paid all other classes.

The men are intelligent, trustworthy, independent and influential, and they will secure and hold the sympathy and support of all classes of labor in their efforts to uphold the general average of wages, and in making these efforts they will necessarily sustain just prices for transportation to the end that labor directly employed by the carriers and indirectly dependent upon them, will not be made to suffer.

It is necessary that the railways have the support of the government in maintaining rates that are fair and just, neither too high or too low, but this support can be given without any approach to state ownership. The fabric of rates throughout the United States is so peculiarly woven that one part cannot be materially strengthened or weakened, without affecting the whole. The rates on traffic within states are so closely interlocked with and dependent upon rates on traffic between states, and at times on that with foreign countries, as to make their readjustment coincident in the generality of cases. Hence, co-operation on right lines between the state boards of commissioners and the national board is desirable, and conferences and co-operation between state and inter-state carriers are necessary.

The railways are not fully agreed among themselves as to what ought to be done to perfect legislation in the mutual interest of the public and themselves, and perhaps the government commissioners are similarly conditioned.

If duly appointed committees of representatative railway men from the various sections of the country covered by the different traffic associations would meet and confer, they would, no doubt, reach a reasonable conclusion which could be entrusted to a sub-committee empowered to ask for a conference with the federal commission in relation to inter-state legislation, and with representatives of state boards as to state

legislation if it be necessary in connection therewith. As there would be no vexed question at issue, no matter of rates to pass upon, no transportation principle to determine, I am persuaded. to believe that the federal commission would accord a conference, of a series of them if need be, for the purpose of endeavoring to formulate a recommendation to the national legislature, so fair and just to all concerned as to insure its approval and its crystalization into law. It may take time and patience and protracted conferences to come to a joint conclusion grounded upon justice and common sense; but can time be spent more advantageously and beneficially and can united effort on any other great question produce more satisfactory results to the country at large? I shall not venture any suggestions about the additional legislation that is desirable, beyond stating that it is clear to me agreements between carriers for maintaining reasonable and just rates under the approval of the commissions, should be legalized, and when entered into the people and the carriers who may be injured by violations of them should be able to sue and recover damages in courts of law; and perhaps the incorporation of joint traffic bureaus or associations or clearing houses should be authorized and persons who manage them held directly responsible to commissions and amenable to law as agents of carriers, so associated together. I purposely refrain from speaking farther upon this point because I do not know the views of those who have broader minds, larger responsibilities and greater opportunities for formulating just and proper recommendations.

Federal and state laws for the regulation of railways, rulings of national and state commissions and the general methods of inter-state and state carriers should be substantially alike in all important matters. The basic principle governing charges is the same the country over, as heretofore shown and for the reasons stated; therefore all legislation should be upon the same lines to accomplish the same end, regardless of whether carriers have a preponderance

of inter-state or of state traffic.

What is most reasonable and just to all interests, state and national, should be attained, and the machinery of government, of transportation companies and of traffic associations should be worked in harmony with each other for the benefit alike of the public and the carriers. Not for the purpose of oppressing the carriers, but to protect them equally with all other interests in the republic. There are large areas of our country to

be opened up to settlement, and transportation facilities will be their leading necessity. Capital must be enlisted in this behalf or else we shall stand still as a nation. For these enterprises, and for all other material development, capital and labor are the factors, and to succeed they must work in close co-operation under laws equally just to each and inspiriting to both. The sentiment or legislation that cripples either will injure both.

"A letter for you, Miss Jane," said the housekeeper.

"Land, when have I seen a letter?" and the little spinster held out a thin hand eagerly for the much creased envelope.

Miss Jane Crocker was a maiden lady of over fifty summers-it would be more appropriate to say winters. She was a happy little body, though easily discouraged, and very dependent upon the good will of others. Twenty blessed seasons had passed since she had attempted a journey, but here came this letter, saying that her only brother, Sam Crocker, of Crockerville, was very sick and would like to see his only sister before he died.

"Dear, dear," Miss Jane said to her housekeeper, with a comical look of distress, "it is the kind of summons one ought to obey at once, but there's my false front in a terrible state, and I couldn't get it done over in less than a week. Then there's nearly seven y miles to go, and I so dislike traveling this time of year. Still, one's own, though one hasn't seen him for twenty years, has a claim on one, and I must go, though he never wrote me a letter before and I really don't know as I should recognize him if he stood before me this minute."

Miss Jane was not heartless, as might

be imagined, but she was very much given to "speaking her mind," as the neighbors said.

To all this the housekeeper listened and smiled assent. She had hardly ever in her life done anything but listen and smile assent. That was why she kept her places so long and was such a general favorite with householders.

Miss Jane Crocker, however, went on with her preparations, mildly scolding and protesting through all.

In due course of time she found herself on board the cars, feeling very dependent upon the conductor, who saved her from a fall as she reached the top step and asked her very kindly, some little time after she had arranged her parcels and papers, if she was quite comfortable.

"Oh very," she said, "thanks to you. It's the first time I've been on the cars for twenty years, and oh, dear, dear me!" she cried out, making frantic clutches at her arm and feeling about the seat and the floor with an expression of utter dejection.

"What is it?" asked the conductor, with an air of interest.

"My black silk bag, Mr Conductor. I've certainly lost it. Oh, if I could only turn back! It was on my arm and when I came nigh falling as I did it must a' slipped off. Oh, dear Lord,

what shall I do? And the cars going that fast my head swims, and all my money-a hundred dollars-laying somewhere loose if it hasn't been picked up. Oh, dear, oh, dear, what shall I do-and I on the way to my dying brother, who may be dead. And if I'm put off, for my ticket is gone, too, where shall I go -a poor, lone woman, frightened to death and not used to travel?"

"Let us give a thorough search for it, madam," said the conductor, who never could abide the sight of a woman in distress, particularly if she happened to be old and gentle and gray haired, so he searched and she searched and the porter searched, and all came to the conclusion that the bag with the pocket book had been lost at the time of that unlucky tumble.

The poor lady gave herself up to dispair, and the faded blue eyes lifted in appeal, mute, but tearful, touched the heart of the big conductor, conscious of his duty, yet not willing to do it if there was any honorable way out.

"When shall I have to get off, sir? Oh, dear, I've got money enough at homebut think of being penniless in a strange place! What will I do? Oh what will I do?" and she rocked herself back and forth. Then looking up through her tears, "there's no way out of it, I suppose?" The conductor shook his head. He was a man with a soul. Turning away to gather up his faculties, he did some rapid thinking.

"I've got a good gold watch," the woman went on, producing it, "and a diamond ring, though it's small and old; but it's worth something." She hastily produced it with the watch, but he shook his head again. He had no doubt of the woman's sincerity, for his calling had made him a good student of human nature and the heart in his big body was one that responded at once to suffering humanity. He moved on and counted the contents of his pocket book. Strangely enough there was just the money to pay the fare to the town which was the woman's destination.

"Make yourself easy," he said, going back to poor Miss Jane, who, racked by a thousand conjectures was on the verge

of dispair. "You shan't be put off. I will pay your fare, and here's my card. When you get back home, you can refund the money. I live in the next

town."

"You won't put me off, then?" she exclaimed, in a burst of gratitude; her eyes brightened. "Oh, how good of you! Pay you back? I certainly will, and that at once, as soon as I get home. But I insist that you take my watch, I won't be happy if you don't. It's worth something as security, and oh, sir, to my dying day I shall remember this kindness."

The false front trembled-from the dim eyes fell a few slow tears, and as the conductor turned away his own eyes were suspiciously moist.

"Never mind about the watch," he said.

"But I do mind, I never wear it except on occasions, and if you don't take it I shall feel badly, so I insist," she pleaded.

She thrust the watch into his hand, and because of her anxiety and evident sincerity, he accepted it, though with reluctance.

"It made me feel right mean," he said to his wife in narrating the story, "and I'm sorry I couldn't get you the things I promised to bring home, but what could I do?"

"You did quite right," was the cheery answer. "I'm glad you helped the poor old soul, as glad as if it had been myself."

So the matter was almost forgotten as the weeks passed on; but in the meantime the conductor received a letter containing a check for the borrowed money and a request that he would keep the watch and give it to his daughter, if he had one, if not to his wife, in remembrance of a kind deed done to a forlorn old woman who had but few friends.

One day, years afterward, there was a terrible accident at "Four Corners," in which one conductor was killed and another maimed for life.

Pearson, or "Cap," as he was called by his intimates-both legs cut off, came home from the hospital to be an almost helpless burden on his wife and child,

the latter a girl of fourteen years, who had to give up her studies and take a position far beneath her merits. To be sure the railroad men remembered "Cap" and generously contributed towards his support, and the associations of which he was a member gave him a stipulated sum, but it was all barely sufficient to keep the wolf from the door. Mrs. Pearson took in sewing, and the little family, though not living in absolute comfort, managed to hold their

own.

In answer to a knock on the door of their plain lodgings one day, appeared Miss Jane Crocker, aged sixty, her false front carefully arranged, her blue eyes peering into every corner. Addressing the wife as she turned from the invalid chair after a hearty handshake with “Cap," "I guess he told you how he helped an old woman out of her trouble by paying her fare," she said.

Mrs. Pearson nodded and smiled while placing a chair for her visitor. "Cap" smiled too, the smile that many a railroad man remembers yet.

"We're so glad to see you," he said. "Laid up for life, ain't you?" Miss Jane went on. "I only heard of it a week ago. I'm visiting one of my friends here, and in one of the department stores I was waited on by a bright little girl who quite took my heart. was your daughter."

It

"I was surprised when I learned who she was, for my friend knew her. Well, to make a long story short, I found out where you were, and here I am."

"Now you're out of business; ain't rich, either, are you? You needn't say a word," and she waived her hand commandingly. "You've got a bright girl who ought to be in school today. Now, I'll tell you what I came for. I've lost my housekeeper, which was my main dependence for years, and I'm awful lonesome. I'm rich. My brother left me all his money and I had some of my own. Come and live with me. You may have your own way-big house, plenty of room. I want that little girl of yours. I want somebody to love, as if they were my own. I haven't got anybody of my very own, and I'm a reasonable woman. I hate to live alone, and the way I feel, all I could do would never repay you for your kindness to me when I was in trouble. Come now, don't say no.'

They wanted to say yes, but naturally hesitated.

"Cap's" daughter turned the scale. She said "yes," with a soul hungry for knowledge, for affluence, for everything that would aid her to rise in the world, and from that day Miss Jane has been the happiest little old maid in the world, and it is her proud boast that now she has "a family of her very own."

Do not, when called to go out, hurry to get up, just take your time, the train does not need looking over, nor brakes let off; the conductor will see to this, he has plenty of time.

Do not look your train over when it stops at a station, but hurry to the office and see if there is anyone to tell how many miles you have made, etc.

Do not look back to see if everything is running right, or to see if the train is

to be stopped at any station; it might cause you inconvenience or dislocate your neck.

Do not, when the train is pulling out of a station, let the train pull partly by you to see if any of the brakes are sticking, but immediately get on the engine. "Do not look back." Take your seat on the fireman's side and go to sleep. This is your duty; there is a heavy penalty for letting cushion fall from the seat.

Do not, when meeting or passing trains, get out where you can see the signals or look back to the hind end, the conductor might wish to stop, and also there are too many cinders flying to be pleasant.

Do not, when coupled to cars on a siding that are to be switched, get on top and let the brakes off. The engineer can pull them and get along faster; it also makes the conductor look pleasant to see you are a handy man.

Do not, when you throw a switch, step to the side of track opposite switch, but stop where you are and hold onto the target, it might fall down when the other train passed it, and if you have to wait long for the other train, rest yourself by sitting or laying down, not forgetting to go to sleep; the conductor has great faith in a man of this character and will speak a good word for you to the trainmaster.

Do not, while on a run, take the trouble to look at any, of the cars in train to ascertain if the seals on doors are intact; it is some trouble to you, and again, it is the conductor's business to see to this matter.

Do not look train over while waiting at stations; you might find something wrong, a brakebeam down or a hot box, and this would cause you some unpleasantness.

Do not, when your train "in taking

siding" does not clear either head or rear ends, go out to flag, but sneak off somewhere and look for birdsnests; the conductor will do all flagging.

Do not be around where you can be easily found at stations, there might be some work to be done; the conductor will do it, that is what he is paid for.

Do not while laying at terminals where there is plenty of water and time, wash the windows, it might injure your or the conductor's eyes. Let the caboose go, it will do while you are on it, that is all you need care for.

Do not, while handling way freight at stations, use care, but throw freight around. If it breaks, all right, the consignee don't care, neither does the company you are working for; they have plenty of money to pay for such things, and it makes the road popular.

Do not take any care of tools or supplies that are entrusted to you, the company is rich and has plenty of them.

Do not, while handling passenger business, look out for anything but the young ladies that are traveling, they like it, and it shows you are a good brakeman. Let them see you jump on and off the cars while running at a high rate of speed, it looks like you are brave and smart.

Do not smoke anything but cigarettes. Drink plenty of whiskey, play cards and be tough generally, and you will gain the respect of all.

Do not do anything you don't have to do, you might learn something that would be useful to you.

contains the detailed reports of the customs officials of each district, as well as a summarization of the total commerce of the year; while the other consists of some extracts from the report of the British commercial attache in China, Mr. J. W. Jamieson. The general report of the commerce of China for the year