Stetson-Eshelman Act - Essay Example

The historical event proceeding Frank Norris writing “The Octopus: A Story of California” The Stetson-Eshelman Act “The Octopus: A Story of California” presents to readers the American history at the time when California state was a new open land that was full of promise. The ability of the country to produce agricultural products was endless at the time, but the whole process was threatened by greed and interface of laws that were passed at the time in favor of the rich. At the time, wheat farmers were strolling to grow their crops and send them to the market for sale but their efforts were being frustrated by the high prices set by the giant railroad conglomeration (Norris, 23).

The Southern Pacific railway road was a major construction that controlled about 85 percent of rail traffic in California. The writing of Frank Norris exposed the monopolistic practices that the railway road created. It was characterized by trafficking, bribery, discriminating pricing and monopoly of power that was fueled by popular resentments among the authorities. The state of the railway road changed when the Governor at the time “Hiram Johnson” expanded the government authority and systems crashing the political and economic power the Southern Pacific Railroad had passing the “Stetson-Eshelman Act” (Deverell, 143).

After enactment of the act, the passengers and freight rates were fixed that ended the monopolistic practices that were being practiced before. The state commission’s authority of the railway road was also increased (Deverell, 158). As a result of the act, the economic landscape of California was shifted from an industrial centered economy to a mass market consumption economy where wheat farmers could take the products to the market for sale.Work citiedDecisions of the Railroad Commission of the State of California.

Sacramento, Calif: The Commission, 1912. Print.Deverell, William. Railroad Crossing: Californians and the Railroad, 1850-1910. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994.Norris, Frank. The Octopus: A Story of California. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co, 1903. Print.