The new compact between the Railways competing for the Northern
traffic—the Great Northern on tht one side and the North-Western with two allies on the other—is the timely affirm- ation of a principle which it is peculiarly important to recognize just now. Active measures on the broadest principle of railway legislation and administration are only suspended, not abandoned. The railway companies cannot of themselves settle their own re- lations, or abstain from competitions which are dangerous to the public in many ways ; since they promote reckless travelling, and threaten to starve the funds for the proper service and main- tenance of railways. The Board of Trade ought to be endowed with larger powers of controlling the general relations of railway companies ; but successive Ministries have shrunk from the re- sponsibility. The two parties to the present contest have agreed that their dispute shall be referred to Mr. Gladstone, who settled a similar dispute before upon the principle of equitable partition. Thus' in a practical case, the companies have spontaneously adopted the principle of dividing the country between them, each keeping to its own district, enjoying the revenue of that district undisturbed, but responsible for the proper railway management of the district undivided. Thus the principle which would se- cure order and free transit for the public, is sought by the com- panies as the direct refuge against private loss and destructive competition.
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