In the case of Columbus Railway, Power & Light Company v. City of Columbus, Ohio et al., 1918, the U.S Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a city ordinance that required street railway companies to sell tickets at reduced rates in bulk quantities infringed upon the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause. The plaintiff argued that this law would result in financial loss and potentially bankruptcy for their company. However, after careful consideration, the court ruled against them stating that it is within a city's power to regulate public utilities such as railways for the benefit of its citizens. Furthermore, they found no evidence supporting claims by Columbus Railway about potential financial ruin caused by these lower ticket prices; hence there was no violation of due process rights under Fourteenth Amendment.

In the dissenting opinion for Columbus Railway, Power & Light Company v. City of Columbus, Ohio, it was argued that the city had no right to force a private company to provide services without just compensation. The justice believed that this violated the Fifth Amendment's protection against taking private property for public use without adequate payment. He also disagreed with majority’s interpretation of 'public utility' and its obligations under state law; he contended that being classified as such did not automatically mean an entity must serve all demands at any cost. Furthermore, he expressed concern over potential implications on future business operations in similar situations if companies could be compelled by cities or states to operate at a loss indefinitely due to legal interpretations of their duties as public utilities.