On March 21st, 1885, under authority of a resolution adopted by the Senate of the United States, the President of the Senate appointed a select committee to investigate and report upon the subject of the regulation of the transportation of freight and passengers between the several States by railroad and water routes. Senator Cullom, of Illinois, became its chairman. The committee examined a large number of witnesses, including railroad managers and shippers, addressed letters to the railroad commissioners of the several States, to boards of trade, chambers of commerce, State boards of agriculture, Patrons of Husbandry, Farmers' Alliances, etc., and made every effort to obtain the opinions of those who had given special attention to the transportation problem. The report of the committee was submitted to the Senate on January 18, 1886. Concerning the abuses of railroad transportation it differed but little from that of the Windom committee. The report declared publicity to be the best remedy for unjust discrimination and recommended that the posting of rates and public notice of all changes in tariffs be required. It also recommended that a greater charge for a shorter than a longer haul be made presumptive evidence of an unjust discrimination, and that a national commission be established for the enforcement of any laws that might be passed for the regulation of interstate commerce. Upon the question of pooling the report stated: "The committee does not deem it prudent to recommend the prohibition of pooling, which has been urged by many shippers, or the legalization of pooling compacts, as has been suggested by many railroad officials and by others who have studied the question.... The majority of the committee are not disposed to endanger the success of the methods of regulation proposed for the prevention of unjust discrimination by recommending the prohibition of pooling, but prefer to leave that subject for investigation by a commission when the effects of the legislation herein suggested shall have been developed and made apparent." The report was accompanied by a bill representing "the substantially unanimous judgment of the committee as to the regulations which are believed to be expedient and necessary for the government and control of the carriers engaged in interstate traffic." The bill was before Congress for more than a year, receiving several important amendments before its final passage in both houses. It was approved by the President on the 4th day of February, 1887, and took effect sixty days after its passage, except as to the provisions relating to the appointment and organization of an Interstate Commerce Commission, which took effect at once.