es as long as the average journey per
passenger. How can such a difference be accounted for except by the
dissimilarity in the principles which govern the computation of
passenger and freight charges? The same rule should be adopted in fixing
passenger rates that is recognized by railroad men in fixing freight
rates: the rate per mile should decrease with the increase of the number
of miles traveled.

The principle of arranging passenger tariffs on a sliding scale has
found recognition in Europe. In Denmark first-class passenger fare is
3.13 cents for each of the first 47 miles, 2.67 cents for each of the
next 47 miles, and only 2.22 cents for every additional mile. The
practical application of this principle is, in fact, only limited by the
extent of the kingdom. In nearly all European countries a uniform
reduction, ranging from 20 to 30 per cent., is made from regular rates
for return trip tickets, and coupon tickets are issued to tourists
almost everywhere at largely reduced rates.

Hungary recently adopted a new method of making passenger and freight
tariffs for its state lines. This is now generally called the zone
system. There are two classes of tickets sold, one for short trips on
suburban or branch lines, the other for longer journeys on the main
lines. The distances that can be traveled on short or suburban lines are
divided into two zones of stations, and those on main lines into
fourteen zones. The division of the kingdom into zones is made with
Buda-Pesth as the center. A ticket purchased for a particular zone
carries the passenger to the end of that zone or any nearer station.

The following table will show the extent of each zone and the fares
paid:

--------------+---------------+--------------------+--------------------
| | LOCAL TRAINS. | FAST TRAINS.
ZONE | DISTANCE |------+------+------+------+------+------
| |First |Second|Third |First |Second|Third
| |Class.|Class.|Class.|Class.|Class.|Class.
--------------+---------------+------+------+------+------+------+------
Short Lines.| | Fl. | Fl. | Fl. | Fl. | Fl. | Fl.
|First Station. | 0.30 | 0.15 | .10 | - | - | -
|Second Station.| .40 | .22 | .15 | - | - | -
Main Lines. | | | | | | |
1 | 1-25 km. |