92 THE GRANGER MOVEMENT 



It was in Wisconsin, however, that the most startling results 

 were achieved. The campaign in that state developed a peculiar 

 alignment of interests. Governor Washburn, who was renomi- 

 nated by the Republicans, had frequently recommended legisla- 

 tion for the regulation of railroads, and in other ways incurred 

 the enmity of the railroad interests. As a consequence much 

 of the railroad influence was exerted in favor of Taylor, the 

 Reform candidate, whose principles were not so well known 

 as those of Washburn, apparently with the idea of putting 

 him under obligation to these interests. Another factor in the 

 election was the Graham liquor law, passed by a Republican 

 legislature, which imposed serious restrictions on the liquor 

 traffic, and resulted in turning the powerful brewery interests 

 of the state, as well as a large part of the foreign vote, to the 

 new Reform party. Then, of course, the order of Patrons of 

 Husbandry was a factor in the election, and it seems probable 

 that the major part, though by no means all, of the " Granger 

 vote " was cast for the Democratic-Reform ticket. Although 

 Wisconsin was normally Republican by large majorities, this 

 "unholy alliance" of the railroad interests and the liquor interests 

 with the Granger movement was sufficient to turn the scale 

 and bring about the election of Taylor and the whole fusion 

 ticket of state officers. The Democrats and Reformers also 

 secured a majority of twenty in the lower house of the legisla- 

 ture, though the Republicans retained a majority of one in the 

 Senate. 1 



In Kansas and Nebraska there were no state elections in 

 1873, but Independent or farmers' tickets were put in the field 

 in a number of counties. In Kansas the result was the election 

 of a sufficient number of Independents or Reformers to give 

 the opposition to the Republican party a majority of about 

 twenty in the lower house of the legislature. This was sufficient 



1 Prairie Farmer, xliv. 379 (November 29, 1873); Chicago Tribune, October, 

 i873~January, 1874, passim; Industrial Age, November, 1873, passim; Wisconsin, 

 Legislative Manual, 1874, pp. 325, 348; American Annual Cyclopedia, 1873, PP- 774~ 

 776; C. W. Lea, Granger Movement in Wisconsin (Ms.), 20; C. R. Tuttle, Illus- 

 trated History of the state of Wisconsin, 642; G. W. Peck, editor, Wisconsin in 

 Cyclopedic Form, 183. 



