 The modest launch of the party was followed with a flurry of enthusiastic county-level conventions during the spring of the election year of 1902.The Marion County gathering alone drew over 100 participants to a gathering held March 5, 1902 in Salem to nominate candidates and approve a platform.The fledgling SPO was able to field broad slates of candidates around the state for the June 1902 general election, with the statewide ticket headed by R.R.