RAILWAY LEGISLATION 22$ 



In the country at large, however, the demand for national 

 legislation for the control of railroads was steadily increasing. 

 On December 17, 1873, the Illinois State Farmers' Association 

 declared that " we oppose any legislation by Congress, under 

 the plea of regulating commerce between the States, which shall 

 deprive the people of their present controlling influence through 

 state legislation." * That this sentiment was not the prevalent 

 one among the farmers of the Northwest is indicated by the fact 

 that the state grange of Illinois, which met about a week earlier, 

 adopted a resolution declaring that Congress should exercise its 

 power to regulate interstate commerce by controlling railroads, 2 

 and the Iowa State Grange about the same time refused to adopt 

 a resolution asserting the exclusive right of the state legislature 

 to regulate railroads, on the ground that the constitution of 

 the United States gives to Congress the power to regulate com- 

 merce between the states. 3 The Michigan State Grange also, 

 at its first annual session in January, 1874, demanded " such 

 legislation as will control and regulate the carrying trade of our 

 country and compel all railroad companies to carry passengers 

 and freight at reasonable and uniform rates," 4 which would 

 seem to call for federal as well as state action. 



The prevailing sentiment among the farmers of the West is 

 also indicated by resolutions adopted by the state legislatures, 

 for at this time most of these legislatures were controlled by the 

 Granger element. Thus the general assembly of Illinois, early 

 in 1874, adopted a joint resolution calling upon Congress to 

 prevent unjust charges and discriminations on railroads engaged 

 in interstate business, 5 and the legislature of Iowa about the 

 same time declared in favor of congressional legislation to regulate 

 freights and fares which could not be reached by state laws. 6 

 The demand for congressional action was not confined to the 



1 Illinois State Farmers' Association, Proceedings, ii. 100-109 (1873); American 

 Annual Cyclopedia, 1873, P- 3 6 9- 



Prairie Farmer, xliv. 403 (December 9, 1873). 



Iowa State Grange, Proceedings, iv (1873). 



Michigan State Grange, Proceedings, i (1874). 



Illinois, House Journal, 1874, p. 199; Senate Journal, 1874, p. 313. 



Iowa, House Journal, 1874, pp. 420-422; Senate Journal, 1874, p. 313. 



