THE INFLUENCE OF LAND POLICIES 125 



quarter-sections belonging to the government would 

 be secured in due time through "dummies" selected 

 for the purpose. The railroads also came in compe- 

 tition with the government in the sale of land. As 

 a means of inducing settlers to buy railroad lands, 

 reduced freight rates or rebates were promised. This 

 practice produced one of the most significant con- 

 troversies in the last half of the nineteenth century. 

 The regulations of freight rates became one of the 

 most important political controversies of our history, 

 and agrarian influence throughout the nation was 

 exerted on the side of regulation. Freight rate 

 abuses were one of the principal causes leading to 

 the establishment of railroad commissions in many 

 states. The Interstate Commerce Commission had 

 its inception in the conflict between railroad corpora- 

 tions and the general public. 



Federal land grants and railroad bonuses resulted 

 in bonanza farming on an enormous scale. Farming 

 practices of the period developed a class of nomadic 

 farm hands who began the harvest season and 

 worked northwest as the grain crops matured, fol- 

 lowing the harvesting season until the Canadian 

 border was reached. There also were groups of 

 sheep-shearing specialists who passed their winters 

 in the towns and cities and usually made two rounds 

 a year in the practice of their vocation. The great 

 cattle ranges were traversed by nomadic bands 

 of cowboys who followed the cattle trails. Texas 

 cattle were rounded up on the ranges and driven 



