in a case of attempting to cause life to imitate art, a network of so-called nationalist clubs sprung to life in 1889, emerging first in the city of boston. a monthly magazine called "the nationalist" was produced by boston club no. 1 which came to serve as the de facto national organ of this socialist political movement, in the wake of which a spate of local newspapers were either launched or which lent support to the burgeoning movement. it was estimated by one prominent participant, boston journalist cyrus field willard, that by the end of 1889 some 50 newspapers existed which could be counted as supporting this growing national movement, which in the states of the northeast and california came to resemble a mainstream political fad.