# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1890_S41
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1890. 41

part. For the conduct of the election campaign in Milwaukee a special executive committee had been appointed by the state central committee. Similar local committees formed in other larger cities of the state as well, and set a vigorous agitation going. Everywhere the procedure followed this principle: "Let us vote for no candidate unless he first pledges himself to work for the repeal of the new school law." By the grace of God it then also succeeded, in Milwaukee especially, in wresting from the opponents the victory of which they already believed themselves certain.

Even before this the opponents had not dared to enforce the new school law (apart from isolated feeble attempts), and after the outcome of the city elections, which was favorable to us, they dared to do so even less. In fact the law has thus done no appreciable harm to our parish schools.

But since it nevertheless remains a constant threat to them, it would have been unwise had we been satisfied with our successes in the city elections. Only repeal of the law can make our parish schools secure. And to achieve this, it was necessary to make arrangements at once so that we might also exert a decisive influence on the general elections to be held in the autumn.

So the central committee issued an invitation to church bodies and prominent citizens from all parts of the state to come together, by delegates or in person, at a state convention. This first larger assembly took place, with numerous participants, on 4 June in Milwaukee.

It declared its position toward the school law in the following statements:

I.

In joining together as citizens of the State of Wisconsin to oppose the so-called Bennett Law (Laws of Wisconsin 1889, Chapter 519), we find it necessary to guard ourselves from the outset against certain suspicions by which an attempt has been made to put our position in a false light. Therefore we declare:

a. We are not enemies of the English language, but on the contrary see to it that our children receive a thorough instruction in it.

b. We recognize the public schools as a necessity, but are of the opinion that the citizens of the country have the freedom and the right to establish or choose schools for their own children.

c. We declare that we make no claim to the support of church schools or other private schools out of the public school fund.

d. We do not oppose the legal prohibition of child labor in factories, a reasonable compulsory school attendance law, nor the right