The U.S. Supreme Court case Interstate Commerce Commission v. Goodrich Transit Company in 1911 revolved around the regulation of water carriers under the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). The ICC had ordered an investigation into certain practices and rates of various transportation companies, including Goodrich Transit Company, which operated steamboats on Lake Michigan. The company challenged this order, arguing that as a water carrier operating entirely within one state's waters (despite those waters being part of an interstate system), it was not subject to federal regulation by the ICC. However, the Supreme Court ruled against them stating that their operations were indeed part of interstate commerce due to their connection with rail lines carrying goods across state borders and thus fell under federal jurisdiction for regulatory purposes.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Interstate Commerce Commission v. Goodrich Transit Company argued that the Supreme Court should not have jurisdiction over this matter, as it was essentially a dispute between private parties and did not involve any significant issues of public policy or constitutional law. The dissenters believed that the majority's decision to uphold the ICC's authority to regulate rates for water transportation companies represented an unwarranted expansion of federal power into areas traditionally controlled by state governments. They also expressed concern about potential negative impacts on business competition and economic growth resulting from excessive government regulation. Furthermore, they disagreed with the majority's interpretation of relevant statutes and precedents, arguing that these legal sources did not clearly establish or support such broad regulatory powers for the ICC.