228 THE GRANGER MOVEMENT 



Considerable opposition to the Reagan bill developed during 

 the discussion. It was denounced by some as a measure in the 

 interests of the corporations. 1 The principal objections, how- 

 ever, were the complicated language in which it was phrased 

 and the fear that it might be construed to interfere with com- 

 merce wholly within a state. Later in the session, Reagan 

 introduced a substitute measure, couched in simpler language 

 and definitely excluding commerce within a state from its pro- 

 visions, but with an added section prohibiting pooling. Time 

 was lacking for the consideration of this substitute and it went 

 over to the next session. By this time, the stream of petitions 

 and memorials for restrictive railroad legislation, which had been 

 trickling into Congress since early in the decade, had become a 

 flood, 2 and the Reagan bill was quickly revived in the third 

 session of the Forty-fifth Congress (1878-79) . 3 Mr. Reagan's 

 substitute measure was accepted by the House and the bill 

 passed by vote of 130 to 104. In the Senate the measure was 

 referred to the committee on commerce where it was allowed 

 to sleep undisturbed, although one senator attempted to secure 

 a report by introducing a resolution requesting early action. 



The National Grange memorialized Congress in November, 

 1878, " to enact general laws, prohibiting unjust discrimination 

 and to regulate the rates of freight and passage," and steps were 

 taken in November, 1879, to inaugurate a general campaign 

 of petitions to Congress among the farmers. 4 Partly as a result 

 of this action, the Forty-sixth Congress was again flooded with 

 petitions, memorials, and resolutions from citizens, granges, 

 state legislatures, and boards of trade for the passage of the 

 Reagan bill or some other measure for the regulation of interstate 



1 For the career of the Reagan bill at this session see House Journal, 241, 525, 

 991, 1039, 1043, 1068, 1089, no2j 1149, 1170, 1184; Congressional Record, 442, 

 1340, 3096, 3275-3280, 3324-3327, 3392-3413, 3435-3521. 



2 Senate Journal, 44 Congress, i session, 411, 422, 428, 445; House Journal, 

 45 Congress, 2 session, 680, 763; Senate Journal, 45 Congress, 3 session, 538 (index); 

 House Journal, 45 Congress, 3 session, 775 (index). 



3 House Journal, 70; Senate Journal, 48, 49, 131, 228, 254; Congressional 

 Record, 93-102, 113, 117, 531, 1045, 1182. 



4 National Grange, Proceedings, xii. 67, 72, 96-98, xiii. 24, 39, 86, 121, 124, 135, 

 145 (1878, 1879). 



