Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-29
POLITICAL ITEMS.

the affirmative side of the Bennett
law question and the flight Of time
has apparently wrought no change
of faith on his part. Just now
there is an obvious subsistence in
the agitation of the matter, but a
revival of unusual vigor is gener-
ally anticipated Immediately
following the Lutheran Conven-
ton to be held in Milwaukee June
4. The arrogance of that religo-
politico demonstration will have a
strong tendency to arouse all the
spirit and belligerency in the
American character and there can
be scarcely a doubt but that the
controversy Waged thereafter will
rival in bitterness all that has
gone before.
The aggressiveness manifested
by the Lutherans has already
made some notable converts in
favor Of the law, among whom
may be mentioned ex-senator n.
L. James, of Richland Center, who
has been brought around from a
position of indifference even if not
of pronounced unfriendliness,
toward the law to one of avoWed
advocacy of it. His case is only
one of many.
1t is universally conceded that
the LutheranS who believe they
have absolute command over the
situation, will demand nothing less
than the complete emasculation OF
the law, and be satisfied with
nothing else. In the face Of this
fact it is difficult to conceive how
the republicans can do else and
retain their self-repsect than make
the issue straight on the law and
stand or fall with it. The best
minded men in the republican
party feel that way; as a promin-
ent official in the capitol said to
your correspondent to-day eve
might as we'll find out first as last
who rules in this state, the people
at large or the Lutheran Church,
1t is not one Of the improbable
occurrences of the near future that
Alley Peterson, railroad commits
sioner, may be continued on the
state ticket as the representative Of
the Scandinavian element. He is
an exceedingly popular Norwegian
a man of Astounding good sense
and one in whose nature no alloy
is mixed with the honesty il
contains. His metal was tried in
the fall of 1880, just after he hac
been elected to the assembly. He
had made the canvass not because
he wanted the office, but to help
"Boss" Reyes in his fight for the
United States senatorship tc
succeed Angus Cameron. Soor
after the election Peterson received
a visit at his rural home in Craw
ford county from Mr.. Olson, {
prominent Norwegian republican
of Oshkosh, and the present post
master there, Jerry" Rusk, nov
secretary Of agriculture, and on,
or two other gentlemen, who cam,
to endeavor to win over Peterson
to the support of Sawyer. Strong
pressure was brought to bear t.
bring about the desertion bnt tn,
ponderous Norwegian, while
respectfully listening to tn,
appeals of the Sawyer zealots
unequivocally declared his loyalty
to Reyes, greatly to the chagrin O
his visitors. They remained from
morning until night supplicatins
Peterson to join their forces
making tempting promises to hin
if he would comply, but he wa
firm as a rock. keyes though
beaten for the senatorship pai'
him back few years later b,
working up the Norwegian dele
cation in the republican stat
convention of 1886 to put hin
forward as their representative am
securing for him, despite the effort
of Nils P. Hougan's friends, th
nomination for the office he ha
since held. These are little fact
such as honey-comb our secre