Other problems that farmers faced included the discriminatory and unfair practices of industrial corporations such as railroads. Railroads and warehouses often favored larger farmers and, therefore, charged them lower transportation rates than smaller farmers. .
Railroads usually charged small farmers more for storage and shipment of crops, and they also created pools and trusts in order to fix prices and divide businesses for even greater profits. Many people felt that they would "get permanent relief only when the government owns the railroads" (Doc. 6). Therefore, efforts to solve the problems of farmers were initiated with the organization of the National Grange and other such groups. The Grange movement focused on defending farmers from trusts, pools and the rates charged by railroads. The Grangers even succeeded in proving that the government could regulate businesses of public interest such as railroads through cases like Munn v. Illinois (1877). The success of state regulation of commerce was short-lived due to ruling in the case of Wabash v. Illinois (1886), which ruled that that state couldn't regulate interstate commerce, therefore pressuring federal government to pass the Interstate Commerce Act. The interstate Commerce Commission created by the ICA investigated and prosecuted rebates and regulated interstate commerce. Other Farmers' Alliances followed the example set by the Grangers and joined together farmers in attempts to overcome the oppressing influence of industrialization. It is clear that farmers proposed to solve the problems that faced them (regarding railroads and the prices of crops) through the formation of groups such as the Grangers.
Other causes of the plight of farmers were issues regarding currency. Many farmers were in debt in the late nineteenth century due to the fact that they had borrowed money to buy land and machinery in an attempt to produce more crops and make larger profits.
