LEE BENSON. Merchants, Farmers, and Railroads: Railroad Regulation and New York Politics, 1850-1887. Pp. x, 310. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1955. $5.50

• Published date: 01 March 1956
• DOI: 10.1177/000271625630400136
• Date: 01 March 1956
• Author: William Kunstler
• Subject Matter: Articles

160
and persuasive. Few contemporary econo-
right to regulate railroads. The legislature
mists combine mastery of technique with
imposed some controls such as the fixing
attention to fundamentals in the manner
of passenger rates and the requirement of
characteristic of Shackle’s work.
As a
annual reports, and it recognized that the
stimulus to thought and discussion, the
roads had a public character quite distinct
inaugural lecture alone is worth the price
from run of the mine corporations. How-
of the book, which no serious student of
ever, all in all, these and other limitations
economics can afford not to read and
were more theoretical than real and the
ponder over.
act ushered in an era of unrestricted rail
HENRY WILLIAM SPIEGEL
competition.
Catholic University of America
The bulk of Mr. Benson’s book is de-
voted to a study of the organized reaction
LEE BENSON.
Merchants, Farmers, and
that arose to combat the harmful effects
Railroads: Railroad Regulation and New
of the great struggles of the railway finan-
York Politics, 1850-1887. Pp. x, 310.
ciers. that reached their peak in the 1870’s.
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University
The farmer and the small shipper, in par-
Press, 1955. $5.50.
ticular, began to bear the brunt of such
The years which parenthesize Mr. Ben-
unfair practices as the rebate and discrimi-
son’s scholarly study of railroading and
natory rate structures, and the Granger
politics are those between New York’s Free
Movement directed most of its protest at
Railroad Act and the passage of the Inter-
the railroads. It was successful in secur-
state Commerce Act.
They span thirty-
ing the passage in several midwestern states
seven years in which the monumental
of laws establishing uniform rates and rail-
growth of the great trunk lines that nour-
road commissions to supervise them. More
ished the expanding ports of the eastern
important than this legislation, however,
seaboard brought with it the inevitable
was the Supreme Court’s...