Paul  Pioneer  claimed  that  it  was  due  to  lack  of  efficient  cam-
paign organization,  asserting  that  the  Democratic  state  central
committee  had  never  met,  and  that  the  Anti-monopoly  com-
mittee had  likewise  done  absolutely  nothing  to  keep  able  men
in  the  field.-'«°

It  is  to  be  noted,  however,  that  the  defeat  of  the  Anti-mo-
nopoly party  and  its  allies  did  not  mean  the  overthrow  of  the
farmers'  movement.  By  nominating  C.  K.  Davis,  a  known
sympathizer  with  the  grangers,  for  governor,  the  Republican
party  practically  adopted  this  movement  as  its  own,  and  seri-
ously interfered  with  the  plans  of  Mr.  Donnelly  and  others  to
identify  the  anti-monopoly  movement  with  a  new  political
party.'^"^  A  letter  which  Mr.  Davis  published  shortly  after  his
nomination  was  instrumental  in  reassuring  many  whose  faith
in  the  party  was  wavering.^^^  Had  Mr.  Dyke  been  nominated
state  treasurer  by  the  Republicans,  the  opposition  party  would
have  made  a  sorry  showing.  All  Republicans  w^ere  by  no
means  in  accord  with  the  granger  ideas  of  their  gubernatorial
candidate.  This  was  evident  at  the  state  convention,  and  later
throughout  the  campaign.  But  under  his  leadership  the  gran-
ger element  remained  in  the  ascendency  and  the  party  gained
a  decisive  victory  at  the  polls.
The  interest  in  the  railroad  question  did  not  subside  after
election.  Although  the  railroads  were  about  to  go  into  the
hands  of  receivers,  the  people  remained  determined  that  they
should  be  compelled  to  submit  to  law.
During  tlie  annual  meeting  of  the  State  Grange  held  in
Faribault  in  December,  the  State  Master  delivered  an  address


558.  World  Almanac,  1873,  p.  42.
559.  Cf.  VP^orld  Almanac,    1872,   p.   69.
560.  St.  Paul  Daily  Pioneer,  Nov.   12,   1873,   p.   2,   c.   1.
