dec 1, 1877 - Fighting Back: National Grange Movement, Munn v. Illinois* (WXT, POL)

Description:

As large businesses grew and dominated the American economy, farmers were at the short end of the growing economy. Farmers suffered from unfair middlemen and unjust prices from railroads. In response to this injustice, the farmers fought by forming political groups, uniting farmers, and getting legislation passed to protect farmers. One of these groups was the National Grange of Patrons of Husbandry, founded by Oliver H. Kelly in 1868, to provide social and educational support to farmers and their families. This idea of a grange gradually expanded to most agrarian states in the span of 5 years igniting the National Grange Movement; with their larger presence, these granges became more involved in the politics and economics of America. Grangers would establish cooperatives aimed to save farmers the cost of paying a middleman to transfer their crops. In states like Illinois, these farmers would work with small businesses to lobby their states to pass laws that would lower the rates railroads are charging unprivileged folks like farmers. One of the most significant examples of the government supporting farmers is the case of Munn v. Illinois in 1877 where the court sided with the farmers and gave states the rights to regulate public businesses like railroads. That way, the expensive rates railroads charged farmers could be lowered and farmers could put more of their crops into the market

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