American Labor

Labor, Immigrants, and Urban Life The late 1800’s was a time period filled with rapid growth of the industries and cities in America, and it led to more opportunities for jobs, education, and entertainment. American farmers in the 19th-century experienced recurring periods of hardship. Several basic factors were involved -- soil exhaustion, the hardships of nature, a decline in self-sufficiency, and the lack of adequate legislative protection and aid. Perhaps most important, however, was the …

…few states passed movements limiting railroad and warehouse fees. When the Farmer’s Alliances came into existence, a huge regulation, if not a nationalization, of the railroads was called for. However, President Theodore Roosevelt, who allowed for the extension of government supervision over the railroads which prompted the passage of major regulatory bills, took the big initiative. One of the bills made published rates the lawful standard and shippers equally liable with railroads for rebates.