AS A POLITICAL FORCE 95 



The resolutions on tariff and currency were somewhat ambiguous, 

 but the latter seems to have definitely committed the associa- 

 tion to the Greenback policy. 1 In May, 1874, the advisory 

 board of the State Farmers' Association issued a call to " the 

 farmers, mechanics, and other laboring men, as well as all other 

 citizens of Illinois who believed as declared by this Association 

 at Decatur, December 18, 1873," to send delegates to a state 

 convention at Springfield, June io. 2 This convention chose 

 " Independent Reform " as a name for the new party; nominated 

 candidates for treasurer and superintendent of public instruc- 

 tion the only state officers to be elected and adopted the 

 resolutions of the State Farmers' Association as a platform, with 

 almost no changes, although a vigorous minority, led by the 

 Hon. Willard C. Flagg, president of the association, strove for 

 the adoption of a resolution " uncompromisingly opposing any 

 further inflation." 3 



The Democratic convention, which met in August, took 

 issue with the Independents by demanding the resumption of 

 specie payments as soon as practicable, and nominated a separate 

 candidate for treasurer, but accepted the Independent nominee 

 for superintendent. 4 In the election which ensued, the fusion 

 candidate for superintendent of public instruction received a 

 majority of about thirty thousand votes, but the Republican 

 candidate for treasurer was elected with a plurality of thirty- 

 five thousand, while the Independent nominee received about 



1 Illinois State Farmers' Association, Proceedings, ii. 98-109. The resolutions 

 and reports of this meeting are also to be found in Prairie Farmer, xliv. 409, xlv. 

 i (December 27, 1873, January 3, 1874); Industrial Age, December, i873~January, 

 1874, passim; American Annual Cyclopedia, 1873, P- 3^8. 



2 Prairie Farmer, xlv. 155 (May 16, 1874); Chicago Tribune, 1874, May 6, 

 pp. i, 5, May n, p. 2. 



3 For the platform and reports of this convention, see Prairie Farmer, xlv. 195 

 (June 20, 1874); Chicago Tribune, June 11, 1874, p. i; Industrial Age, June 13, 

 1874, p. 5; American Annual Cyclopedia, 1874, p. 402; John Moses, Illinois, 

 Historical and Statistical, ii. 824-826. On the campaign and local conventions, 

 see Industrial Age, 1874, September 19, p. 4, October io, p. 4; Prairie Farmer, 

 xlv. 275 (August 29, 1874). Thirty- three papers which supported the Independent 

 party in the campaign are listed in the Chicago Tribune, June 22, 1874, p. 7. 



4 American Annual Cyclopedia, 1874, p. 403; Moses, Illinois, ii. 827; Gustav 

 Koerner, Memoirs, ii. 583. 



