 However, from mid-1873, mine-owners formed their own organisations to target the union, while a downturn in the industry combined to see the union decline.In 1874, Halliday sought election as MP for Merthyr Boroughs but although he polled well he was comfortably defeated by the sitting Liberal members, Henry Richard and Richard Fothergill.The last great industrial battle fought by the AAM was in 1874 but Halliday's hardline stance was rejected by the majority of his followers.