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In 1884 Representative Reagan, of Texas, submitted a bill to the House for the regulation of interstate commerce, and about the same time a similar bill was proposed in the Senate. Both bills failed. Thereafter yearly debates took place concerning these and similar bills, until, February 4, 1887, the Reagan bill was finally passed and approved. It provides for the appointment of a commission, consisting of five persons, who shall see to it that railroad and other such companies establish and preserve a just and uniform rate of transportation. This particularly affects such corporations as control continuous lines from one State to another, either by land or by water, or both. The law has been very effective in preventing gross discriminations in charges for freight and issuing of passes.