In the Charleston & Western Carolina Railway Company v. Varnville Furniture Company case of 1914, the Supreme Court ruled on a dispute involving freight charges and liability for damage to goods during transit. The Varnville Furniture Company had shipped furniture via the Charleston & Western Carolina Railway but found it damaged upon arrival. They refused to pay full freight charges due to this damage, leading to litigation by the railway company for recovery of these charges. The court held that under federal law (the Carmack Amendment), a shipper who has not paid full tariff rates cannot claim damages for loss or injury to property transported unless those rates have been fully paid first. Therefore, despite acknowledging that there was indeed negligence on part of the railway company which led to damaging of goods in transit, since Varnville hadn't paid their dues completely at time when they claimed damages; they were denied any relief until payment was made in full.

In the dissenting opinion for Charleston & Western Carolina Railway Company v. Varnville Furniture Company, it was argued that the majority's decision to hold a carrier liable for damages caused by delays in interstate commerce, even when such delays were not due to negligence or misconduct on part of the carrier, set a dangerous precedent. The dissenting justices believed this ruling could potentially expose carriers to unlimited liability and financial risk. They contended that while carriers should be held accountable for their actions and any resulting damage or loss, they should not be made responsible for circumstances beyond their control. Furthermore, they expressed concerns about how this ruling might impact future cases involving similar issues of delay in transportation services.