In the case of United States and Interstate Commerce Commission v. Butler County Railroad Company in 1913, the Supreme Court ruled on a dispute involving railroad rates. The Butler County Railroad Company had been charging higher rates for shorter distances than for longer ones, which was contrary to regulations established by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). The ICC argued that this practice was discriminatory and unreasonable. However, the railroad company claimed that it needed to charge these rates due to competition from other forms of transportation such as steamboats and wagons. In its decision, the Supreme Court sided with the ICC stating that railroads could not justify higher short-haul prices based solely on competition from other modes of transport if those prices were substantially more than long-haul charges over similar terrain under relatively similar conditions.

In the dissenting opinion for United States and Interstate Commerce Commission v. Butler County Railroad Company, it was argued that the court majority had erred in its interpretation of the Hepburn Act. The dissenters believed that Congress intended to give power to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate all aspects of railroad transportation rates, including those related with terminal facilities like bridges or ferries owned by a carrier but used by other carriers as well. They contended that if such facilities were excluded from ICC's jurisdiction, it would create an opportunity for abuse and discrimination in rate setting which could undermine competition among railroads and harm public interest. Therefore, they disagreed with the majority’s decision exempting Butler County Railroad Company from regulation under this act due to their ownership of a bridge across Ohio River.