184 THE GRANGER MOVEMENT 



The Potter law of Wisconsin l was one of the most famous 

 and most condemned of all the Granger acts. It will be worth 

 while to note its provisions with some care. The first section 

 of the law divided the railroads of the state into three classes; 

 A, B, and C; those placed in classes A and B being listed, and 

 class C including all the rest, and especially the newer and less 

 important lines. By section 2 the maximum passenger fare 

 was fixed at three, three and a half, and four cents per mile 

 for roads in classes A, B, and C, respectively. Section 3 pro- 

 vided for the classification of freight into four general classes 

 numbered i, 2, 3, and 4, and seven special classes: D, grain in 

 carloads; E, flour or lime; F, salt, cement, etc.; G, lumber in 

 carloads; H, livestock in carloads; I, agricultural implements, 

 furniture, and wagons; J, coal, brick, sand, stone, etc., in car- 

 loads. By section 4 graduated maximum rates were fixed for 

 the transportation of freight in the seven special classes on 

 roads in classes A and B, no distinction being made between the 

 two classes in this case. Section 5 provided that for all freight 

 in the four regular classes transported on roads in classes A 

 and B and for all freight transported on roads in class C, the 

 maximum charge should be the rates in force June i, 1873. 

 Sections 8 to 13 inclusive provided for the appointment of three 

 railroad commissioners, who were empowered to reclassify all 

 freights except such as were placed in classes D, E, G, and H, 

 and to reduce rates on any road in any class whenever a majority 

 of the commission should believe that it could be done without 

 injury to the road. 



It will be seen then that the maximum rates on grain, lumber, 

 and live-stock, in carloads, and on flour and lime, were fixed by 

 the act for the more important roads and could not be raised 

 though they might be lowered by the commission. Maximum 

 rates were also provided for these roads for commodities in the 

 other special classes, but these were subject to change by the 

 commission by means of reclassification. The newer and weaker 

 roads placed in class C were affected only by the provisions of 

 the act which limited their passenger fares to four cents per mile 



1 Laws, 1874, ch. cclxxiii; Railroad Commission, Reports, ii. appendix A, 1-6. 



