Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1890 — LUTHERA IS IN POLITICS. [ARTICLE]

LUTHERA IS IN POLITICS.

' Will Endeavor to Send Men to the Illinois J Legislature to Change the Education Law. The first move in Illinois in the Lutheran , church plan to go into politics for the {purpose of attacking the compulsory odu 'cation law was made on the 13th, when ex* County Commissioner Senne announced himself as a candidate for the State Senate. At the recent meeting of the Lutheran Synod, at Springfield, it whs determined to put up candidates for the Legislature in certain districts where the Lutheran chprch is the strongest, pledged to vote-for a repeal or modification of the law. The particular clause aimed at ia i the one requiring that all the common ! branches be taught in the English language i and this is the one which the church des sires to have stricken out. Mr. Senne said that the Lutherans would try to , nominate and elect members of the Legis* lature in a number of northern districts, i hoping to elect enough members pledged to a modification of the compulsory education law to control the balance of power in the Legislature and force their point. The Lutherans are almost all Republicans but in this they expect the aid of the Gorman Catholics, who are largely Democrats, and between the two forces it is thought half a cozen districts can be carried.