RAILWAY LEGISLATION l8l 



and 1873 there was considerable agitation outside the legislature 

 for the regulation of rates, and Governor Washburn tried to 

 stir that body into activity by vigorous discussions of the question 

 in his annual messages. 1 Nevertheless none of the numerous 

 bills introduced were passed by either house. Clearly the 

 legislature was not yet convinced that the people were in earnest 

 in their demand for railroad regulation, and after ten years of 

 agitation, the advocates of restrictive laws seemed farther 

 from their goal than they had been in 1864. 



Before considering the railroad legislation of 1874, it will 

 be necessary to notice a number of things which explain the very 

 different attitude toward the railroad question of the legislature 

 of that year from that of preceding legislatures. Most impor- 

 tant of these factors was undoubtedly the rapid organization 

 of the farmers of the state into the order of the Patrons of Hus- 

 bandry. 2 This order, which numbered less than thirty active 

 granges in the state at the opening of the year 1873, grew to 

 over four hundred local granges by March i, 1874; and by 

 taking a stand in favor of railroad regulation it undoubtedly 

 gave a great impetus to that movement. Closely connected 

 with the spread of this organization was the formation of the 

 Reform party, which made restrictive railroad regulation the 

 main plank in its platform. 3 The Republican leaders had been 

 reading the signs of the times, and their party platform, adopted 

 in August, 1873, also declared for the regulation of railroads, 

 the establishment of a board of commissioners, and anti-pass 

 legislation. 4 This, however, was too late to stem the tide. 

 The Reformers, by fusing with the Democrats, won the election 

 and secured control of the Assembly, though the Republicans 



Northwestern Railroad Company Relative to Assembly Bill No. 260, Relating to 

 Railroad Tariffs (pamphlet, 1870). 



1 Assembly Journal, 1871, pp. 55, 66; ibid., 1872, pp. 306, appendix, 22-24; 

 ibid., 1873, pp. 144, 616, 808, 812-814, 831, 852; Senate Journal, 1873, PP- 28, 

 39, 113, 116, 144, 279, 322, 487, 514, 533; Prairie Farmer, xliv. 17 (January 18, 

 1873); Tuttle, Wisconsin, 636. 



2 See table above, following p. 58. 



3 American Annual Cyclopedia, 1873, p. 775- See also above, pp. 89-92. 

 * American Annual Cyclopedia, 1873, p. 774. 



