RESULT Af THE POLLS. Sl5 



The grand, central point, attracting universal attention, 

 was, of course, the Fifth District, where the Lawrence- 

 Craig contest was going on. There the opposition to the 

 farmers candidate was powerful, united, and determined. 

 Judge Lawrence had the support of all the legal talent of 

 the State. Some of the leading journals espoused his cause, 

 and in his own county every local interest that could possi 

 bly be brought to bear was arrayed against his opponent. 

 On the other hand, however, he had to contend with the 

 active, relentless animosity of the Chicago Journal, the ed 

 itor of which, a short time previously, he had fined for con 

 tempt of court. The State Farmers Association did not 

 take an active part in the contest, some of its officers not 

 sympathizing with the opposition to Judge Lawrence. Yet 

 the farmers voted together manfully, and Craig was elected 

 by a majority of about 3,000. 



THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION MISCONSTRUED. 



This judicial contest attracted much attention, particu 

 larly in the East, where, up to this time, the Farmers 

 Movement had been reckoned of small account. The East 

 ern journals, misinformed of the true state of the case, stig 

 matized it as an attempt to pack the judiciary in favor of a 

 class; declared that the judges were pledged beforehand to 

 decide cases regardless of the law; that it was to punish 

 Judge Lawrence for conscientiously deciding a case in favor 

 of a railroad that Judge Craig was elected ; that it was an 

 outrage which ought to be denounced every-where, etc. 



The utmost that can be alleged against Judge Craig is, 

 that he accepted a nomination from a convention which had 

 made a certain declaration of principles, but which will all 

 bear examination, and to which no one can reasonably ob- 



