We must warn the reader that the summary just given is of only approximate value. To avoid wounding the susceptibilities of the State, or in order not to justify demands on the part of the State for lower tariffs, certain of the railroad companies publish far lower profits than they really make, by means of transforming a portion of their profits to the reserve or redemption accounts. With the same object, they sink considerable sums in land purchase or in permanent-construction work. Other companies, on the contrary, hoping that the State will eventually take over certain of their lines, seek to augment their returns temporarily, in order to obtain a better sale price. We may safely say, however, the administrative methods of the greater companies being what they are, that on the whole the average revenues are above rather than below the figures we have given. Accounts are conducted on a basis of very cautious evaluation, in order to lessen the shock of a bad harvest. As for the tariffs of the various companies, they are still very high, as always happens when there is no competition. Here are some of the prices of freight per ton, according to the articles and the distance they are carried:[23] [Footnote 23: The Argentine “tonne” weighs 35 lbs. less than the English ton being 1000 kilogrammes, or 2205 lbs. in weight.] Up to 50 kilometres 300 kilometres or 700 kilometres or or 30 miles. 180 miles. 421 miles. Wheat 4s. 9·4d. to 5s. 6·5d. 10s. 11d. to 14s. 9·6d. 14s. 9d. to 17s. 2d. Wool in bale 5s. 8d. to 12s. 9d. 26s. 3d. to 39s. 11d. 39s. 2d. to 58s. 1d. Wool in sacks 14s. 11d. to 18s. 3·6d. 47s. 6d. to 58s. 9d. 72s. 3d. to 93s. 3d. A factor that makes these freights seem even higher is a comparison with the maritime freights, which fell in 1908 to a very low figure. The transport of a ton of cereals to a port of embarkation 3000 miles distant would cost a farmer four or five times as much as the freight from that port to Europe. In a country like the Argentine, presenting an immense level surface to the eye, which can hardly distinguish the slightest landmark or difference of level, it would seem as though the building of railways should have been particularly inexpensive, especially as for ten to twenty years all materials could be imported free of duty. As a matter of fact, however, the cost of construction has been very high in the case of certain lines; either on account of the land speculation which has followed their establishment, or because the estimates were exceeded having been established without any serious control on the part of the State. This explains how it is that these companies, having an enormous capital to redeem, cannot at the present moment lower their rates.