88 THE GRANGER MOVEMENT 



the many regular meetings of local clubs and granges, kept it 

 at fever heat throughout the summer; the political results 

 being seen when county after county fell into line, held conven- 

 tions, and nominated farmers' tickets for the fall elections. 

 The procedure in organizing the new party in most of the 

 counties was similar to that in Livingston, already described, 1 

 and the platforms adopted were generally similar to the Living- 

 ston County declaration of principles, though in some instances 

 they contained more outspoken denunciation of the protective 

 tariff. The completeness with which old party lines were 

 broken up by this movement is seen in the fact that in some 

 counties one party and in others the opposite party, either 

 openly joined the " Reformers " or refrained from making 

 separate nominations. 2 



Of the one hundred and two counties of the state, independent 

 nominations were made by the new party in sixty-six, while 

 in many of the other counties the candidates of one or the other 

 of the old parties were acceptable to the farmers. The returns 

 of the elections, which took place early in November, showed 

 the farmers' or " Anti-Monopoly " tickets victorious in fifty- 

 three of the sixty-six counties in which they were in the field, 

 while Republican candidates were elected in sixteen, Demo- 

 cratic in twenty, and independents in thirteen of the remaining 

 counties of the state. 3 The total vote in the sixty-six counties 

 contested by the new party was 176,263, of which the Reform 

 candidates received 94,188, leaving 82,075 to all the other 

 candidates; and it was calculated that the same ratio carried 

 throughout the state would have given the party a majority 

 in a state election of twenty- two thousand over all. 4 In esti- 



1 For examples, see Chicago Tribune, 1873, June 25, p. i, August 2, p. i. 



2 This was generally, but not always, the party which had previously been in a 

 minority in the county. See Chicago Tribune, August, 1873, passim. 



3 These figures are based on votes for county treasurers, who appear to have 

 been the most important officials elected in the several counties. 



4 For returns and classification of counties, see Industrial Age, 1873, November 

 8, pp. 4, 5, November 15, pp. 3, 6; Chicago Tribune, 1873, October 20, p. 4, Novem- 

 ber 6, p. i, November 10, p. 5, November 19, p. 4; Prairie Farmer, xliv. 361, 363, 

 37*> 379 (November, 1873); American Annual Cyclopedia, 1873, p. 368; World 

 Almanac, 1874, p. 23. 



