.
The law was extensive in its scope and stringent for that time, and, if
strictly enforced in letter and in spirit, promised to be, and would
have been, entirely sufficient for the thorough control of railroad
corporations.

Nevertheless, in the course of time it became apparent that either the
law had not lodged sufficient authority in the commission or the
commission did not make use of the authority which the law had given
them. In spite of the commission, the railroad companies maintained
pools and charged extortionate and discriminating rates, in direct
violation of the law. It is true the commissioners righted many a wrong.
In investigating the complaints of shippers against railroad companies
they often rendered valuable services to those who had neither the means
nor the inclination to prosecute their rights in the courts of law; but
as they held that they could only pass upon individual charges, and did
not have the power to revise the companies' tariffs, the companies were
virtually in a position to become guilty of more extortions in one day
than the commission could investigate in a year. Moreover, the railroad
company might be ordered by the commission to return an overcharge to a
certain shipper, but this did not prevent it from continuing the
excessive charge. If the overcharged shipper again wanted relief it was
his privilege to again apply to the commission, and to continue this
tedious process until either his or the commissioners' patience became
exhausted. The people soon found that the new system of control was
almost as inadequate as that which it had displaced. Some attributed the
weakness of the commission to its personnel, others to the law. There
is no doubt that the commission might have accomplished more than it
did.

It was hoped by some that as the commission gained in experience it
would gain in influence, and that railroad evils would gradually
diminish. But they were disappointed in their expectations. Every year
seemed to add to the grievances of the public. Success greatly
emboldened the railway companies. Discriminations seemed to increase in
number and gravity. At many points in the western part of the State
freight rates to Chicago were from 50 to 75 per cent. higher than from
points in Kansas and Nebraska. A car of wheat hauled only across the
State paid twice as much freight as another hauled twice the distance
from its point of origin to Chicago. Minnesota flour was hauled a