In the case of Central of Georgia Railway Company v. Murphey in 1904, the U.S Supreme Court ruled on a dispute involving railway freight charges. The plaintiff, Murphey, had shipped cotton via the defendant's railway and was charged based on a rate per hundred pounds. However, he argued that under an existing state statute in Georgia at that time which stipulated rates for "cotton as usually baled," he should have been charged less because his cotton bales were heavier than usual. The court held that this interpretation was incorrect; instead ruling that “as usually baled” referred to the form or manner of packaging rather than weight. Therefore, it did not matter how heavy individual bales were - they would still be subject to the same rate per hundred pounds regardless of their actual weight.

The dissenting opinion in the Central of Georgia Railway Company v. Murphey case argued that the majority's decision was a departure from established principles and practices regarding interstate commerce. The dissent contended that it is not within the power of a state to regulate rates for transportation services provided by an interstate carrier, even if such services are performed entirely within its borders. It emphasized that this authority belongs exclusively to Congress under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Furthermore, they disagreed with allowing states to impose their own regulations on these matters as it could lead to inconsistencies and conflicts between different jurisdictions, potentially disrupting smooth operations across state lines. They believed this ruling undermined federal supremacy over interstate commerce regulation and set a dangerous precedent for future cases.