If the next president of the United States - or the next presidential candidate of the Republican Party is named Schulze or Muller, Grant, or Trumbull, Piefke, or Purzpichler - that is not so important as that the program of the Republican Party be a progressive one. Under a progressive program we understand one that does not, so to speak, undertake to correct a few misprints in the work of the past, but one that contains new, as yet unexpressed ideas that have matured during the last decade.

One such, would be the reform of the civil administration. Furthermore, the Republican Party should put into its program the representation of minorities that Illinois has adopted. Illinois has made a beginning with putting in the place of the rule of 51 over 49, that of 99 over 1, in the peace of majority rule that of the people.

Furthermore, the question of compulsory school attendance should be considered. This, too, is one of those "German ideas" that have become acclimatized in America, and to which the Demosthenes' who always unctiously admonish the Germans to bow before the Anglo-Americans, have contributed not the slightest bit. What the country needs is a thorough reform of its educational system. This, of course, is in the first place the task of the individual states. 2However, a national convention could start the ball rolling without by any means promoting encroachments of Federal jurisdiction into the sphere of the individual states.