The shifting political milieu which surrounded and conditioned all of Illinois' educational endeavors in the half century after 1870 is discussed. Studies of those elements of society which have influenced the development of schools have often neglected the political milieu that affects educational policy-making at the state level. The political milieu of any state plays an important role in determining the destinies of its state-supported educational institutions. Examination of the shifting relationships, objectives, and values within the Illinois government which affected its allocation process between 1870 and 1890 may provide a valuable approach to understanding the development of public education at every level. Between 1870 and 1900 the legislature was criticized for corruption and procedural sloppiness, and the general disorderliness of its meetings did little to encourage careful consideration by merit of issues concerning state-supported education. The community centeredness of American life before the 20th century resulted in a belief in "economy in government" and, consequently, a slow rate of increase in state appropriations. Another significant influence on the allocation of state funds in the late 1890s was the near dictatorship in state politics by Illinois farmers. The emergence of numerous organizations beginning in the mid 1890s combined with a substantial change in the appropriation process itself to push state spending steadily upward through the first decade of the 20th century. (Author/MK)