“The work of building railroads is done by gangs of men, who make that their profession, and who are provided with the very best tools, graders, and everything necessary to produce the best results with the least amount of labor. After the roads are built and equipped, they are operated at 10 per cent. above cost until all the subscriptions have been paid back to those who advanced them, after which they are always operated at cost. Every one who rides on the train pays fare, the same as you do. The only difference is, that we ride at cost on an economically operated railroad, while you are paying the stockholders a large dividend on an extravagantly operated one. “I think I have already told you that the motor-lines and railroads are brilliantly lighted with electric light when dark. “So we notice briefly that the products from the farm are hauled with land engines to the warehouses; from these warehouses it is conveyed by motors through every ‘big-house’ on the line, where it can be unloaded for use, or can be transported to a depot for exportation. At these depots, of course, we receive also the imported goods brought by the railroads. As the motor-line passes through every ‘big-house,’ a passenger is enabled, without going out doors in the rain or snow, to step on a motor, which will take him to a depot where he can board a fast train, by which he can reach any part of the country in a short time. All our motor cars and other vehicles are almost noiseless. The boxing never heat and wear for years under the highest speed.” “Your commercial department is, indeed, very perfect and convenient,” said Mr. Uwins. “Every person in your whole country, or even in your whole world, can travel to the abode of any other person without going out doors or in the dark.” “Yes, papa,” said Roland, “and one can ride on the motor all he likes for nothing; that strikes me very favorably.” “Now let me tell you how our mercantile business is conducted; how we buy and sell,” said Mr. Midith. “But the mercantile business we shall not be able to understand _fully_ until you are acquainted with our monetary system, or medium of exchange. “We have _three_ kinds of parties that do business: 1. The collectivity which we call the community. 2. The collectivity which we call the family. 3. The individual. “_One_ ‘big-house’ of every community, we call, in short, the ‘Com,’ meaning in our language a common business place; a place where the community’s business is transacted, such as selling the products of the _community_, which are not needed for home consumption; issuing money, receiving the remittances from all families’ and communities’ sales, paying all the families’ and communities’ bills, doing the printing for the community, etc. Under the head of government, I shall further describe its function.