The U.S. Supreme Court case Washington ex rel. Stimson Lumber Company v. Kuykendall et al., 1927, revolved around the issue of whether a state could regulate and limit the operation of trucks on its highways based on weight to prevent damage to roads without violating the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. The Stimson Lumber Company challenged a Washington State law that limited truck weights, arguing it interfered with interstate commerce by limiting their ability to transport goods across state lines efficiently. However, in this landmark decision, the court upheld states' rights to impose such regulations for protecting public infrastructure from potential harm caused by heavy vehicles like logging trucks used by lumber companies. The court ruled that these laws did not violate federal authority over interstate commerce as they were reasonable measures taken in response to local conditions and aimed at preserving public safety and welfare rather than restricting trade between states.

In the dissenting opinion for Washington ex rel. Stimson Lumber Company v. Kuykendall, Justice Stone argued that the majority's decision to strike down a Washington state law regulating intrastate lumber transportation rates was incorrect. He contended that states should have the right to regulate their own industries and economies without federal interference unless it directly contradicts federal laws or policies. In this case, he did not believe there was any conflict with federal policy as Congress had not legislated on this specific issue of intrastate commerce regulation at all. Therefore, in his view, there was no reason why Washington State’s attempt to protect its local industry from potentially destructive competition should be invalidated by the Supreme Court.