- This case had been a landmark decision in regarding the issues of who would control the rate for traveling along the rails and who would watch over the actions of those who controlled the railroad.
- The case arose when it was brought into question whether it should be publicly controlled, state-controlled, or federally controlled.
- The case had been eventually brought up to the Supreme Court and it was eventually decided that the states could not regulate commerce and industry (as it would go beyond their allocated powers of statehood). It had been a victory for the industries controlling it and created a precedent that regulation had to come from the government.