CURBING THE KAILROADS 45 



some cases manipulation of railway stock had ab- 

 solutely cheated farmers and agricultural towns 

 and counties out of their investments. It is a well- 

 known fact that the corporations were not averse 

 to creating among legislators a disposition to favor 

 their interests. Passes were commonly given by 

 .the railroads to all public officials, from the local 

 supervisors to the judges of the Supreme Court, 

 and opportunities were offered to legislators to buy 

 stock far below the market price. In such subtle 

 ways the railroads insinuated themselves into favor 

 among the makers and interpreters of law. Then, 

 too, the farmers felt that the railway companies 

 made rates unnecessarily high and frequently 

 practised unfair discrimination against certain sec- 

 tions and individuals. When the Iowa farmer was 

 obliged to burn corn for fuel, because at fifteen cents 

 a bushel it was cheaper than coal, though at the 

 same time it was selling for a dollar in the East, he 

 felt that there was something wrong, and quite 

 naturally accused the railroads of extortion. 



The fundamental issue involved in Illinois, 

 Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, where the battle 

 was begun and fought to a finish, was whether or 

 not a State had power to regulate the tariffs of 

 railway companies incorporated under its laws. 



