RESULTS OF AGRARIANISM 249 



and his efforts to secure cheap money have brought 

 him in conflict with the great financial interests of 

 the country. But whatever form the struggle has 

 taken, and it has varied all the way from organizing 

 for buying and selling farm products to uniting by 

 the thousands in political organizations, the end 

 has always been either to improve the economic 

 status of the farm population or to equalize the 

 opportunities of farming as a business in compe- 

 tition with other vocations. 



Outline of Results 



What have been the net results of the united ef- 

 forts of farmers to accomplish these ends? This 

 is a question that naturally arises after one has 

 surveyed the activities of farmers throughout the 

 long period of their struggle. The more significant 

 results of agrarianism in this country in the period 

 since the Civil War may be summarized as follows: 



I. Railroad Control: 



1. Establishment of railroad commissions 

 with power to regulate freight rates and pre- 

 vent rebates. 



2. Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. 



II. Agricultural Education and Research: 



1. The Land Grant Act of 1862, with subse- 

 quent amendments for the endowment of agri- 

 cultural colleges in the several states. 



