The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-04
The Influences That Are Converting
the Prairie State to the
Democracy.
Leave the Republican
Party Because OF School
Law Prosecutions.
The Popularity OF Stevenson and Alteeld,
and farmers Disgust at tho Tariff
win BE Strong Factors.

CHICAGO. July 3.-The placing of Gen.
Adlai +. Stevenson on tho democratic ma
tional ticket Al Cieveland's running mate,
and the nomination of Judge John z. Alt
geld. of this city. rs the demoora alto candi-
date for governor, tho constant growth Of
the doctrine OF tariff reform among
the farmers Of Illinois and the re-
belllon Of 230,000 republican Lutheran
voters against that party on account Of the
passage of an obnoxious school law has set
tho feuds Of the republican M ana gers in this
state awimmin9. Exuberant dem ooratp are
proclaiming that Illinoia' twenty-four votes
in the electoral college will surely be Rven
to Cleveland and Stevenson, while conserva-
tive members of the party say that the state
ls debatable at this time, and with q
united party and hard work il can
be won In the election next November.
All agree, however, in predicting the
election of Judge Altgeld, the democratic
gubernatorial candidate. by majoritles run
ming from $4,000 upward. His candidacy 10
regarded as the strongest possible ono that
could have been made in tho state for de-
mocracy, because Of his peculiar elements
of strength. He is an untiring campaiener
and great organizer. He mas been in the
field since last April and he has already
covered the state once and established Alt
geld clubs in every town and village. Gen.
Stevenson is likewise hustler in a canvass.
Both men are fearless on the stump. There
ia not better campaign orator in the state
than Stevenson. Judge Altgeld is noted
for his scholarly attaiuments and has
wide reputation in this part of the country
for his writings on social economic cub
1ects. Add to all these the further fact
that the judge is wealthy enough to permit
of his expending $5O0.0 in the campaign
Tor organization purposes. and one can
readily recognize that the leaders of the re-
publican party have every reason to feel
alarmed over the situation.
The trouble that has arisen among the
Lntherans and the part they will play in
campaign is thus explained. Nine-tenths
OF all the Lutheran voters in the state are
republican,, or at least have been up to q
few years ago, when the then republican
legislature OF Illinois passed school law
fashioned after that of the Objectionable
Bennett law in Wisconsin, which resulted
IN the routing of She republicans OF that
state and the election by the democrats Of
Governor Peck. Governor Pfeiffer was ap-
pealed to by big delegation of Lutheran
preachers to veto the bill. He not only
signed it. but added Insult to injury by his
soant courtesy to the N embers of the cloth.
The Luthsrans have their own parochial
schools, where many of the studies are
taught in their mother tongue. The state
undertook to take charge Of these schools
and direct the manner in which they
should be conducted. The re-
fusal OF the Lutherans to recog-
nlze the states authority was followed by
the states educational officers declaring
oNI V1k nAhx otr rvv,rtk ~
Of the act, and under the compulsory SEQ
tion of the law, they instituted prosecutions
III twenty instances against parents for not
sending their children to the public schools.
These parents we're fined, and then such q
howl was raised by the great body of
Lutherans!that the authorities concluded to
allow the law to remain in statu quo But
the Lutherans were mad all over, and they
set ont to avenge themselves on the party
they had always served. II was largely
through their efforts that tho last legisla-
ture was made democratio, which not only
sent John M. Palmer TO the United Seatss
senate, but also repealed the objectionable
law law. In that oampsien they. organized
state central committee of their own. They
distributed their election tickets at tho
doors of their churches on the Sunday pre-
ceeding the election and they had their
people at the polls on election dsy.
This state central committee had much to
90 with the nomination of Judge Altgeld.
1t in fact indorsed AltReld. and it was this
Endorsement that practically won him the
nomination. The trainers of the emooratie
national platform took good care to recoQ-
nize the Lutheran vote III that document,
1t condemns, in the name Of the party, the
oppression practiced by the Russian gov
ernnent upon its Lutheran and jewish
subjects and oalls upon the national gov
ernment by all Just aud proper means to
use its prompt and best efforts to stop this
prosecution. The republican national
platform speaks only of the abuses prao-
t,ced Oh the Jewish subjects Of the ozar.
The democratic platform also takes strong
ground with the Lutherans in their school
tight.