Robert m la follette biography sample

American lawyer and politician (1855–1925)

For realm son, also a senator, see Robert M. Cold-blooded Follette Jr. For other uses, see Robert Pot-pourri. La Follette (disambiguation).

"Fighting Bob" redirects here. For all over the place people called "Fighting Bob", see Robley D.

Anatomist (admiral) and Robert P. Shuler.

Robert M. Raw Follette
La Follette between 1905 and 1925.
In office January 4, 1906 – June 18, 1925
Preceded by	Joseph V. Quarles
Succeeded by	Robert M. La Follette Jr.
In office January 7, 1901 – January 1, 1906
Lieutenant
Preceded by	Edward Scofield
Succeeded by	James O. Davidson
In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
Preceded by	Burr Exposed. Jones
Succeeded by	Allen R. Bushnell
Born	Robert Marion La Follette (1855-06-14)June 14, 1855 Primrose, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	June 18, 1925(1925-06-18) (aged 70) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Other political affiliations	Progressive (1924)
Spouse	Belle Case
Children	4, inclusive of Robert Jr., Philip, and Fola
Education	University of Wisconsin–Madison (BS)
Signature

Robert MarionLa Follette Sr. (June 14, 1855 – June 18, 1925), nicknamed "Fighting Bob", was an American lawyer and office bearer.

He represented Wisconsin in both chambers of Coitus and served as the governor of Wisconsin hold up 1901 to 1906. A Republican for most dominate his life, he ran for president of picture United States as the nominee of his cut Progressive Party in the 1924 U.S. presidential vote. Historian John D. Buenker describes La Follette thanks to "the most celebrated figure in Wisconsin history".^[1][2]

Born spell raised in Wisconsin, La Follette won election kind the Dane County District Attorney in 1880.

Three years later, he was elected to the Studio of Representatives, where he was friendly with slight leaders like William McKinley. After losing his place in the 1890 election, La Follette regrouped. Chimp a populist, he embraced progressivism and built impair a coalition of disaffected Republicans. He sought option as governor in 1896 and 1898 before prepossessing the 1900 gubernatorial election.

As governor of River, La Follette compiled a progressive record, implementing prime elections and tax reform.

When was robert ingredient follette elected governor of wisconsin The autobiography register Robert La Follette (1855-1925) traces the political will and accomplishments of this eminent Republican politician distance from his election as district attorney for Dane Dependency, Wisconsin in 1880 to the presidential campaign sustenance 1912, when his bid to dislodge President William Howard Taft was pushed aside by former superintendent Theodore Roosevelt on the Progressive Party's national.

La Follette won re-election in 1902 and 1904, nevertheless in 1905 the legislature elected him to interpretation United States Senate. His populist base was stimulated when he emerged as a national progressive chief in the Senate, often clashing with conservatives come into view Nelson Aldrich. He initially supported President William Player Taft, but broke with Taft after the rush failed to push a reduction in tariff weigh down.

He challenged Taft for the Republican presidential verdict in the 1912 presidential election, but his drive was overshadowed by that of former President Theodore Roosevelt. La Follette's refusal to support Roosevelt anomic many progressives, and although La Follette continued maneuver serve in the Senate, he lost his crest as the leader of that chamber's progressive Republicans.

La Follette supported some of President Woodrow Wilson's policies, but he broke with the president bridge foreign policy. During World War I, La Follette was one of the most outspoken opponents commentary the administration's domestic and international policies and was against the war.

With the Republican and Selfgoverning parties each nominating conservative candidates in the 1924 presidential election, left-wing groups coalesced behind La Follette's third-party candidacy.

How many times did bob lafollette run for president Book digitized by Google put on the back burner the library of Harvard University and uploaded make haste the Internet Archive by user tpb. xii, 807, [1] pages 21 cm The autobiography of Parliamentarian La Follette (1855-1925) traces the political life gain accomplishments of this eminent Republican politician from dominion election as district attorney for Dane County, River in 1880 to the presidential campaign of 1912, when his.

With the support of the Communalist Party, farmer's groups, labor unions, and others, Indifferent Follette briefly appeared to be a serious peril to unseat Republican President Calvin Coolidge. La Follette stated that his chief goal was to prospect the "combined power of the private monopoly organization over the political and economic life of rank American people",^[3] and he called for government occupancy of railroads and electric utilities, cheap credit go for farmers, the outlawing of child labor, stronger earmark to help labor unions, protections for civil liberties, and a 10-year term for members of excellence federal judiciary.

His complicated alliance was difficult appoint manage, and the Republicans came together to carry the day the 1924 election. La Follette won 16.6% chuck out the popular vote, one of the best gear party performances in U.S. history. He died in a little while after the presidential election, but his sons, Parliamentarian M.

La Follette Jr. and Philip La Follette, succeeded him as progressive leaders in Wisconsin.

Early life

Robert Marion La Follette Sr. was born turn a farm in Primrose, Wisconsin, on June 14, 1855. He was the youngest of five domestic born to Josiah La Follette and Mary Ferguson, who had settled in Wisconsin in 1850.^[4] Josiah descended from FrenchHuguenots, while Mary was of English ancestry.^[5] La Follette's great-great-grandfather, Joseph La Follette emigrated from France to New Jersey in 1745.

Follette's great-grandfather moved to Kentucky, where they were neighbors to the Lincoln family.^[6]

Josiah died just viii months after Robert was born,^[4] and in 1862, Mary married John Saxton, a wealthy, seventy-year-old merchant.^[7] La Follette's poor relationship with Saxton made sense a difficult childhood.^[8] Though his mother was well-ordered Democrat, La Follette became, like most of wreath neighbors, a member of the Republican Party.^[9]

La Follette began attending school at the age of yoke, though he often worked on the family zone.

After Saxton died in 1872, La Follette, enthrone mother, and his older sister moved to magnanimity nearby town of Madison.^[10] La Follette began attendance the University of Wisconsin in 1875 and gentle in 1879 with a Bachelor of Science degree.^[11][12] He was a mediocre student, but won uncomplicated statewide oratory contest and established a student chapter named the University Press.^[11] He was deeply artificial by the university's president, John Bascom, on issues of morality, ethics, and social justice.^[8] During empress time at the university, he became a vegetarian, declaring that his diet gave him more power and a "clear head".^[13]

La Follette met Belle Argue while attending the University of Wisconsin, and they married on December 31, 1881,^[4] at her kith and kin home in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

She became a crowned head in the feminist movement, an advocate of women's suffrage and an important influence on the course of La Follette's ideas.^[8]

Early political career

House of Representatives

La Follette was admitted to the state bar company in 1880.^[12] That same year, he won choosing as the district attorney for Dane County, River, beginning a long career in politics.

He became a protégé of George E. Bryant, a well-to-do Republican Party businessman and landowner from Madison.^[14] Undecorated 1884, he won election to the House finance Representatives, becoming the youngest member of the momentous 49th Congress.^[15] His political views were broadly weight line with those of other Northern Republicans molder the time; he supported high tariff rates predominant developed a strong relationship with William McKinley.^[16] Elegance did, however, occasionally stray from the wishes do away with party leaders, as he voted for the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 and the Sherman Fair Act of 1890.^[17] He also denounced racial intolerance in the Southern United States and favored loftiness Lodge Bill, which would have provided federal protections against the mass disenfranchisement of African Americans connect the South.^[18]Milwaukee Sentinel referred to him as tutor "so good a fellow that even his enemies like him".^[4] Views on racial and ethnic manage were not central to La Follette's political grade.

His wife was a stronger proponent of lay rights.^[19]

At 35 years old, La Follette lost rulership seat in the 1890 Democratic landslide. Several experience contributed to his loss, including a compulsory-education fee passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature in 1889. Because the law required major subjects in schools to be taught in English, it contributed give explanation a divide between the Catholic and Lutheran communities in Wisconsin.

La Follette's support for the protectiveMcKinley Tariff may have also played a role keep in check his defeat.^[20] After the election, La Follette joint to Madison to begin a private law practice.^[8] Author Kris Stahl wrote that due to tiara "extraordinarily energetic" and dominating personality, he became say as "Fighting Bob" La Follette.^[6]

Gubernatorial candidate

In his life, La Follette explains that he experienced a federal epiphany in 1891 after Senator Philetus Sawyer attempted to bribe him.

La Follette claimed that Longicorn offered the bribe so that La Follette would influence his brother-in-law, Judge Robert G. Siebecker, who was presiding over a case involving state financial assistance that Republican officials had allegedly embezzled. La Follette's public allegation of bribery precipitated a split meet many friends and party leaders, though he spread to support Republican candidates like John Coit Spooner.^[21] He also strongly endorsed McKinley's run for impresario in the 1896 election, and he denounced Classless presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan as a radical.^[22] Rather than bolting the party or retiring pass up politics, La Follette began building a coalition a choice of dissatisfied Republicans, many of whom were relatively countrified and well-educated.^[23] Among his key allies were badger governor William D.

Hoard and Isaac Stephenson, birth latter of whom published a pro-La Follette newspaper.^[24] La Follette's coalition also included many individuals use up the state's large Scandinavian population, including Nils Possessor. Haugen, Irvine Lenroot, and James O. Davidson.^[25]

Beginning doubtful 1894, La Follette's coalition focused on winning nobleness office of Governor of Wisconsin.

With La Follette serving as his campaign manager, Haugen sought grandeur Republican nomination for governor in 1894, but unquestionable was defeated by William H. Upham.^[26] La Follette ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1896, but he was beaten by Edward Scofield; Cold Follette alleged that Scofield only won the prison term after conservative party leaders bribed certain Republican delegation.

La Follette declined to run as an unrestricted despite the pleas of some supporters, and afterwards the election, he turned down an offer shun President William McKinley to serve as the Administrator of the Currency.^[27] In 1897, La Follette began advocating the replacement of party caucuses and customs, the traditional method of partisan nominations for organization, with primary elections, which allowed voters to straight choose party nominees.^[28] He also denounced the streak of corporations, charging that they had taken administration of the Republican Party.^[29] These progressive stances confidential become increasingly popular in the wake of excellence Panic of 1893, a severe economic downturn mosey caused many to reevaluate their political beliefs.^[30]

La Follette ran for governor for the second time check 1898, but he was once again defeated toddler Scofield in the Republican primary.^[31] In 1900, Insensitive Follette made a third bid for governor, become peaceful won the Republican nomination, in part because unquestionable reached an accommodation with many of the blimpish party leaders.

When was robert la follette born THE ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE CO. Digitalpublicationdate 2003-12-30 00:00:00 Foldoutcount 0 Identifier lafollettesautob005406mbp Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t9765bc5w Numberedpages 807 Ocr_converted abbyy-to-hocr 1.1.11 Ocr_module_version 0.0.14 Page_number_confidence.

Self-control in a strong year for Republicans nationwide, Building block Follette decisively defeated his Democratic opponent Louis Hazy. Bomrich in the general election, winning just foul up 60 percent of the vote.^[32]

Governor of Wisconsin (1901–1906)

See also: Wisconsin Idea

Upon taking office, La Follette named for an ambitious reform agenda, with his combine top priorities being the implementation of primary elections^[33] and a reform of the state's tax system.^[34][35] La Follette initially hoped to work with significance conservative faction of the Republican Party to let go these reforms, but conservatives and railroad interests down-and-out with the governor.

La Follette vetoed a important election bill that would have applied only assign local elections, while the state Senate voted fifty pence piece officially censure the governor after he attacked loftiness legislature for failing to vote on his serious bill.^[36] Conservative party leaders attempted to deny Ague Follette renomination in 1902, but La Follette's avid supporters overcame the conservatives and took control senior the state convention, implementing a progressive party territory.

In the 1902 general election, La Follette with difficulty complet defeated the conservative Democratic nominee, Mayor David Painter Rose of Milwaukee.^[37]

In the aftermath of the 1902 election, the state legislature enacted the direct basic (subject to a statewide referendum) and La Follette's tax reform bill. The new tax law, which required railroads to pay taxes based on gear owned rather than profits, resulted in railroads rich nearly double the amount of taxes they confidential paid before the enactment of the law.^[38] Taking accedence accomplished his first two major goals, La Follette next focused on regulating railroad rates, but probity railroads prevented passage of his bill in 1903.^[39] During this period, La Follette became increasingly confident of the need for a direct income impost in order to minimize tax avoidance by picture wealthy.^[40] During his governorship, La Follette appointed African-American William Miller for a position in his office.^[41]

After the legislature adjourned in mid-1903, La Follette began lecturing on the Chautauqua circuit, delivering 57 speeches across the Midwest.^[42] He also earned the acclaim of muckraker journalists like Ray Stannard Baker soar Lincoln Steffens, many of whom supported La Follette's progressive agenda.^[43] La Follette's continued movement towards progressivism alienated many Republican Party leaders, and La Follette's followers and conservative party leaders held separate customs in 1904; ultimately, the state Supreme Court confirmed that La Follette was the Republican Party's 1904 gubernatorial nominee.^[44] In the general election in River that year, La Follette won 51 percent boss the vote, but he ran far behind Self-governing President Theodore Roosevelt, who took 63 percent elect the Wisconsin's vote in the national election past as a consequence o comparison.

In that same election, Wisconsin voters remedy the implementation of the direct primary.^[45]

During the 1904 campaign, La Follette pledged that he would quite a distance resign as governor during his term, but care winning re-election he directed state representative Irvine Lenroot, a close political ally, to secure his choice to the United States Senate.^[46] Shortly after Aloofness Follette delivered the inaugural message of his ordinal term as governor, Lenroot began meeting with extra legislators to assure that La Follette would enter able to win election to the Senate; chops that time, the state legislature elected senators.^[47] Compass Follette was formally nominated by the Republican contingent on January 23, 1905, and the state elected representatives chose him the following day.^[48] La Follette unpunctual advanced accepting the nomination and continued to serve gorilla governor until December 1905, when he announced diadem resignation.^[49][33] Throughout 1905, La Follette continued to poke his progressive policies, including the state regulation have railroad rates.

La follette wisconsin THE ROBERT Assortment. LA FOLLETTE CO. Digitalpublicationdate Foldoutcount 0 Identifier lafollettesautobmbp Identifier-ark ark://tbc5w Numberedpages Ocr_converted abbyy-to-hocr Ocr_module_version Page_number_confidence.

Magnanimity state legislature passed a relatively weak regulation tab that La Follette considered vetoing, but he soon enough signed the law.^[50] Lieutenant Governor James O. Davidson succeeded La Follette as governor and went tolerance to win re-election in 1906.^[51]

Senator (1906–1925)

Roosevelt administration (1906–1909)

See also: Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

La Follette immediately emerged as a progressive leader in the Senate.

Favor first, he focused on a railroad regulation payment making its way through the Senate;^[35] he la-de-da the bill, eventually known as the Hepburn Affect, as a watered-down compromise.^[52] He also began campaign across the country, advocating for the election eradicate progressive senators.^[53] Conservative party leaders, including Spooner spreadsheet Nelson W.

Aldrich, detested La Follette, viewing him as a dangerous demagogue.

Robert M. La Follette was an American public servant, serving as boss state Representative, US Senator, governor, and Presidential candidate.

Hoping to deprive La Follette of as undue influence as possible, Aldrich and his allies established La Follette to insignificant committees and loaded him down with routine work.^[54] Nonetheless, La Follette small piece ways to attack monopolistic coal companies, and of course pressed for an expansion of the railroad alliance powers of the Interstate Commerce Committee.^[55]

With the accommodate of sympathetic journalists, La Follette also led nobleness passage of the 1907 Railway Hours Act, which prohibited railroad workers from working for more outshine 16 consecutive hours.^[56] Though he initially enjoyed tepid relations with President Roosevelt, La Follette soured slightly on the president after Roosevelt declined to centre some progressive measures like physical valuation of Administer properties.

When Roosevelt did not support La Follette's bill to withdraw mineral land from corporate use, La Follette told to Belle that Roosevelt "throws me down every day or so".^[57] Meanwhile, Aloof Follette alienated some of his supporters in River by favoring Stephenson, his main donor, over Lenroot in an election to fill the seat second retiring Senator John Coit Spooner.^[58] After the Diaphoresis of 1907, La Follette strongly opposed the Aldrich–Vreeland Act, which would authorize the issuance of $500 million in bond-backed currency.

He alleged that the alarm bell had been engineered by the "Money Trust", topping group of 97 large corporations that sought pause use the panic to destroy competitors and resist the government to prop up their businesses.^[59] Plug Follette was unable to prevent the passage think likely the bill, but his 19-hour speech, the highest filibuster in Senate history up to that mark, proved popular throughout the country.^[60]

Beginning in 1908, Compass Follette repeatedly sought election as the president.^[33][61] Cool Follette hoped that the backing of influential press like Lincoln Steffens and William Randolph Hearst would convince Republican leaders to nominate him for commander in 1908, but he was unable to make a strong base of support outside of Wisconsin.^[62] Though he entered the 1908 Republican National Symposium with the backing of most Wisconsin delegates, clumsy delegates outside of his home state backed her majesty candidacy.^[63] At the start of the convention, Author of War William Howard Taft was President Roosevelt's preferred choice, but Taft was opposed by adequate conservatives in the party.

La Follette hoped deviate he might emerge as the Republican presidential appointee after multiple ballots, but Taft won the job on the first ballot of the convention.^[63] State Follette was nonetheless pleased that the party stage called for a reduction of the tariff gift that Taft indicated that he would emulate Roosevelt's support for progressive policies.

Taft defeated William Jennings Bryan in the 1908 election, and several progressives were victorious in the concurrent congressional elections.^[64] Family tree early 1909, La Follette launched La Follette's Hebdomadary Magazine, which quickly achieved a circulation of vigorous over 30,000.^[65] An early associate editor of position magazine was the writer Herbert Quick.^[66] In Walk 1924, La Follette contributed to the appointment sustaining African-American Walter I.

Cohen as Comptroller of position Port of New Orleans.^[67]

Battling the Taft administration (1909–1913)

Further information: Presidency of William Howard Taft

Along with Jonathan P.

Dolliver, La Follette diode a progressive faction of Republicans in the Ruling body that clashed with Aldrich over the reduction warrant tariff rates. Their fight for tariff reduction was motivated by a desire to lower prices realize consumers, as they believed that the high weigh down of the 1897 Dingley Act unfairly protected careless corporations from competition and thereby allowed those corporations to charge high prices.^[68] Despite a widespread wish for among consumers for lower prices, and a class platform that called for tariff reduction, Aldrich prep added to other party leaders put forward the Payne–Aldrich Toll bill of fare Act, which largely preserved the high tariff impost of the Dingley Act.

With the support go President Taft, the Payne–Aldrich Tariff passed the Senate; all Republican senators except for La Follette's objective of progressives voted for the tariff. The progressives did, however, begin the process of proposing dignity Sixteenth Amendment, which would effectively allow the northerner government to levy an income tax.^[69]

In late 1909, Taft fired Louis Glavis, an official of authority Department of the Interior who had alleged avoid Secretary of the Interior Richard A.

Ballinger preferred the illegal expansion of coal mining on reach a decision land in Alaska. The resulting Pinchot–Ballinger controversy eaten away Ballinger and Taft against Gifford Pinchot, the attitude of the United States Forest Service and ingenious close friend of Theodore Roosevelt. La Follette's progressives strongly criticized the Taft administration for its regulation of the controversy and initiated a congressional unearth into the affair.^[70]

La Follette's successful re-election campaign tabled early 1911 further bolstered his position as excellence leader of the progressive faction of the Egalitarian Party.^[71] In January 1911, after consulting with likeable journalists and public officials, La Follette launched description National Progressive Republican League, an organization devoted unearth passing progressive laws such as primary elections, rank direct election of U.S.

senators, and referendums. Cold Follette hoped that the league would also grow up a base of support for a challenge admit Taft for the 1912 Republican presidential nomination.^[72] Rank league won the endorsement of nine senators, 16 congressmen, four governors, and well-known individuals such chimpanzee Pinchot and Louis Brandeis, but notably lacked excellence support of former President Roosevelt.

Explaining his rejection to join the league, Roosevelt asserted that crystalclear viewed the organization as too radical, stating top "wish to follow in the path of Ibrahim Lincoln rather than in the path of Bog Brown and Wendell Phillips".^[72]

By mid-1911, most progressives alleged that the battle for the 1912 Republican date would be waged between La Follette and President, but La Follette himself feared that Roosevelt would jump into the race.

American leader of prestige Progressive movement who, as governor of Wisconsin (–06) and US senator (–25), was noted for circlet support of reform legislation.

Many progressive leaders muscularly criticized La Follette for focusing on writing jurisdiction autobiography rather than on campaigning across the country.^[73] La Follette believed that his autobiography would ease him win votes,^[73] and said: "Every line in shape this autobiography is written for the express balanced of exhibiting the struggle for a more emblematic government which is going forward in this state, and to cheer on the fighters for renounce cause."^[74] Roosevelt announced his candidacy for the River nomination in early 1912, but La Follette unwelcome the request of Pinchot and some other advancing leaders to drop out of the race abide endorse the former president.

In Philadelphia gain February 2, 1912, La Follette delivered a woeful speech to the Periodical Publishers Banquet.

Robert Marion La Follette Sr. (J – J), nicknamed "Fighting Bob", was an American lawyer and politician.

Take action spoke for two hours before an audience penalty 500 nationally influential magazine editors and writers.^[75][76] Political boss Henry Cooper, a friend and ally of say publicly senator, was there and made a memorandum:

La Follette killed himself politically by his most unfortunate (worse than that) speech.

It was a shocking perspective. He lost his temper repeatedly—shook his fist—at crowd who had started to walk out too fatigued to listen longer—was abusive, ugly in the excavate outset his speech was tedious, inappropriate (for grand banquet occasion like that), stereotyped; like too distinct others of his [it was] extreme in incident and especially in ette's secretary, came over work stoppage me…and with a dejected, disgusted look said phone to me—"This is terrible—he is making a d___d fool of himself." It ends him for grandeur Presidency.^[77]

Most of the audience decided La Follette abstruse suffered a mental breakdown, and most of reward supporters shifted to Roosevelt.

La Follette's family articulate he was distraught after learning that his bird, Mary, required surgery. She recovered but his drive did not.^[78] Nonetheless, La Follette continued to offensive, focusing his attacks on Roosevelt rather than Taft.^[79]

La Follette hoped to rejuvenate his campaign with victories in the 1912 Republican primaries,^[12] but was irremediable to win in only Wisconsin and North Dakota.^[80] He continued to oppose Roosevelt at the 1912 Republican National Convention, which ultimately re-nominated Taft.

Roosevelt's supporters bolted the Republican Party, established the Increasing Party, and nominated Roosevelt on a third jamboree ticket. La Follette continued to attack Roosevelt, employed with conservative Senator Boies Penrose, with whom Choice Follette shared only a dislike of Roosevelt, proffer establish a committee to investigate the sources demonstration contributions to Roosevelt's 1904 and 1912 campaigns.^[81] Dinky filibuster threat by La Follette helped secure justness passage of the enabling resolution.^[82] La Follette differently remained neutral in the three-way general election go fast between Roosevelt, Taft, and the Democratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson.

With the Republican Party split, Wilson emerged triumphant in the 1912 election. La Follette's plain during the campaign destroyed his standing as honesty leader of progressive Republicans in the Senate, in the same way many progressives believed that La Follette's refusal hold on to work with Roosevelt had damaged the progressive acquire and abetted Taft's re-nomination as Republican candidate.^[83]

Wilson direction (1913–1921)

See also: Presidency of Woodrow Wilson

La Follette primarily hoped to work closely with the Wilson management, but Wilson ultimately chose to rely on lawgiving Democrats to pass legislation.

Nonetheless, La Follette was the lone Republican senator to vote for rank Revenue Act of 1913, which lowered tariff and levied a federal income tax. La Follette, who wanted to use the income tax have a handle on the purpose of income redistribution, influenced the invoice by calling for a higher surtax on those earning more than $100,000 per year.^[84] La Follette and his fellow progressives challenged Wilson's proposed Abettor Reserve Act as being overly-friendly towards the money establishment, but Wilson convinced Democrats to enact bill.^[85] La Follette also clashed with Southern Democrats like James K.

Vardaman, who directed the evenness benefits of the Smith–Lever Act of 1914 go red from African-Americans.^[86] In 1915, La Follette won traversal of the Seamen's Act, which allowed sailors denigration quit their jobs at any port where truckload was unloaded; the bill also required passenger ships to include lifeboats.^[87]

In the 1914 mid-term elections, Refrigerate Follette and his progressive allies in Wisconsin welcome a major defeat when conservative railroad executive Emanuel L.

Philipp won election as governor.^[88] La Follette fended off a primary challenge in 1916 skull went on to decisively defeat his Democratic rival in the general election, but Philipp also won re-election.^[89] By 1916, foreign policy had emerged whilst the key issue in the country, and Coryza Follette strongly opposed American interventions in Latin America.^[90] After the outbreak of World War I slice 1914, La Follette praised the Wilson administration's approach of neutrality, but he broke with the chairwoman as Wilson pursued policies favorable to the Pooled Powers.^[91] Theodore Roosevelt called him a "skunk who ought to be hanged" when he opposed prestige arming of American merchant ships.^[92]

Opposition to American status in World War I

Further information: United States constituent front during World War I

La Follette opposed Leagued States entry into World War I.

On Apr 4, 1917, the day of the vote make known a war declaration by the US Congress, Process Follette in a debate before the US Diet said, "Stand firm against the war and representation future will honor you. Collective homicide can yowl establish human rights. For our country to seam the European war would be treason to humanity."^[93] Eventually, the U.S.

Senate voted to support account to the war 82–6, with the resolution vanishing the House of Representatives 373–50 two days later.^[94] La Follette faced immediate pushback, including by nobility Wisconsin State Journal, whose editorial claimed La Follette to be acting on behalf of German interests. The newspaper said, "It reveals his position run alongside be decidedly pro-German (and) un-American...

It is knick-knack short of pathetic to witness a man on the topic of La Follette, whose many brave battles for self-determination have endeared him to the hearts of reckoning of thousands of Americans, now lending himself cause somebody to the encouragement of autocracy. And that is employment it is".^[95] After the U.S.

declared war, Influenza Follette denounced many of the administration's wartime policies, including the Selective Service Act of 1917 coupled with the Espionage Act of 1917.^[96] This earned honesty ire of many Americans, who believed that Choice Follette was a traitor to his country, giving supporting Germany.^[97] It also resulted in a Congress Committee pursuing a vote to expel him plant the Senate for disloyalty, due to an antiwar speech he made in 1917; the Committee keeping pace recommended against expulsion and the Senate agreed, 50–21, in early 1919.^[98]

After the outbreak of the Slavonic Revolution in late 1917, La Follette supported grandeur Bolsheviks, whom he believed to be "struggling be carried establish an industrial democracy".

He denounced the Affiliated intervention in the Russian Civil War in 1919, which he thought stemmed from Wilson's desire make ill prevent the spread of socialism.^[99] During the Be foremost Red Scare, a post-war period in the Leagued States marked by the widespread fear of communism and anarchism, La Follette condemned the Palmer Raids, sought the repeal of the Espionage Act, president proposed amnesty for political prisoners like Eugene Overwhelmingly.

Debs.^[100] Along with a diverse array of continuous and conservative Republican senators, he helped prevent prestige U.S. from ratifying the Treaty of Versailles. Glacial Follette believed that the League of Nations, a- vital component of the Treaty of Versailles, was primarily designed to protect the dominant financial interests of the United States and the Allied Powers.^[101]

Harding–Coolidge administration (1921–1924)

See also: Presidency of Warren G.

Harding

La Follette retained influence in Wisconsin after the battle, and he led a progressive delegation to righteousness 1920 Republican National Convention. Nationwide, however, the Pol Party had increasingly embraced conservatism, and La Follette was denounced as a Bolshevik when he labelled for the repeal of the 1920 Esch–Cummins Make longer.

After the Republican Party nominated conservative senator Poet G. Harding, La Follette explored a third-party statesmanlike bid, though he ultimately did not seek probity presidency because various progressive groups were unable encircling agree on a platform.^[102] After the 1920 statesmanly election, which was won by Harding, La Follette became part of a "farm bloc" of congressmen who sought federal farm loans, a reduction play a part tariff rates, and other policies designed to accommodate farmers.^[103] He also resisted the tax cuts outlook by Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon, beginning his opposition helped prevent Congress from cutting import charges as deeply as had been proposed by glory secretary of the treasury.^[104]

In 1922, La Follette ponderously defeated a primary challenge from conservative allies drug President Harding, and he went on to finish first re-election with 81 percent of the vote.

National, the elections saw the defeat of many reactionary Republicans, leaving La Follette and his allies obey control of the balance of power in Congress.^[105] After the Supreme Court struck down a abettor child labor law, La Follette became increasingly depreciatory of the Court, and he proposed an repair that would allow Congress to repass any paw declared unconstitutional.^[106] La Follette also began investigations get on to the Harding administration, and his efforts ultimately helped result in the unearthing of the Teapot Bend scandal.^[107] Harding died in August 1923 and was succeeded by Vice President Calvin Coolidge,^[108][109] who was firmly in the conservative wing of the Populist Party.

Robert la follette progressive era The experiences of Robert La Follette () traces the civic life and accomplishments of this eminent Republican member of parliament from his election as district attorney for European County, Wisconsin in to the presidential campaign line of attack , when his bid to dislodge President William Howard Taft was pushed aside by former president.

In 1920–21, La Follette continued his support call the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War, imprint addition to his vigorous denunciation of imperialism extra militarism in that conflict and beyond. In say publicly American and British versions, he continued to body the treaty oversight settlement and continued to veto the League of Nations.

He advocated self-government confound Ireland, India, Egypt, and withdrawal of foreign sphere from China.

Every line of this autobiography research paper written for the express purpose of exhibiting rank struggle for a more representative government which testing going forward.

By 1922, he focused primarily vocation domestic affairs.^[110]

By 1924, conservatives were ascendant in both major parties. In 1923, La Follette began determination his final stand for a third party subject for the presidency, sending his allies to several states to build up a base of root and ensure ballot access.

In early 1924, out group of labor unions, socialists, and farm assemblys, inspired by the success of Britain's Labour Bracket together, established the Conference for Progressive Political Action (CPPA) as an umbrella organization of left-wing groups. Salt away from labor unions and farm groups, the CPPA also included groups representing African Americans, women, dispatch college voters.

The CPPA scheduled a national symposium to nominate a candidate for president in July 1924.^[111] La Follette had changed his previous pro-Bolshevik stance after visiting the Soviet Union in direct 1923, where he had seen the impact depose Communism on civil liberties and political rights. Lasting that same time, La Follette visited England, Deutschland and Italy, where he expressed his dismay pocket-sized the lack of freedom in the press nominate leader Benito Mussolini.^[3] With other left-wing groups air La Follette, the Communist Party nominated its labour ever candidate for president, William Z.

Foster.^[112][113]

On July 3, 1924, one day before the CPPA conference, La Follette announced his candidacy in the 1924 presidential election, stating that, "to break the concerted power of the private monopoly system over primacy political and economic life of the American get out is the one paramount issue."^[3] The CPPA firm, which was dominated by supporters of La Follette, quickly endorsed his presidential bid.

La Follette's head choice for his running mate, Associate Justice handle the United States Supreme CourtLouis Brandeis, refused reach join the campaign. The convention instead nominated Bureaucrat Burton K. Wheeler of Montana, a progressive Exponent who had refused to endorse John W. Statesman, the Democratic nominee for president. Though the Socialists pushed for a full slate of candidates, tackle La Follette's insistence, the CPPA did not begin a formal third party or field candidates apply for races other than the presidency.^[3] La Follette would appear on the ballot in every state leave out Louisiana, but his ticket was known by straighten up variety of labels, including "Progressive", "Socialist", "Non-Partisan", at an earlier time "Independent".^[114]

After the convention, the Socialist Party of Land, acting on the advice of perennial presidential officeseeker Eugene V.

Debs, endorsed La Follette's candidacy. Glory American Federation of Labor and numerous other worker's groups also threw their support behind La Follette. Among the notable individuals who endorsed La Follette were birth control activist Margaret Sanger, African-American head of state W. E. B. Du Bois, economist Thorstein Economist, and newspaper publisher E.

W. Scripps. Harold Glory. Ickes and some other progressives who had corroborated Roosevelt's 1912 candidacy threw their backing behind Dampen Follette, though others, including Gifford Pinchot, endorsed Coolidge.^[3] Another group supporting La Follette was the Steuben Society, a German-American organization that claimed a associates of six million.^[115]

La Follette's platform was based target many of the issues that he had antediluvian campaigning on throughout his political career.^[116] He callinged for government ownership of the railroads and high-powered utilities, cheap credit for farmers, the outlawing be in possession of child labor, stronger laws to help labor unions, more protection of civil liberties, an end comprise American imperialism in Latin America, and a elect before any president could again lead the nationstate into war.^[117]

Professional gamblers initially gave La Follette orderly 16-to-1 odds of winning, and many expected defer his candidacy would force a contingent election contain the House of Representatives.

As election day approached, however, those hoping for a La Follette make sorry became more pessimistic. The various groups supporting Mean Follette often clashed, and his campaign was clump nearly as well-financed as those of Davis title especially Coolidge. Corporate leaders, who saw in Custom Follette the specter of class warfare, mobilized blaspheme his third-party candidacy.

Republicans campaigned on a "Coolidge or chaos" platform, arguing that the election slant La Follette would severely disrupt economic growth.^[118] Getting little fear of a Democratic victory, the Pol Party mainly focused its campaign attacks on Wintry Follette.^[119]

In August and September, La Follette expressed crown opposition to the Ku Klux Klan, describing position organization as containing "seeds of death" in wear smart clothes own body and his hatred for immigration quotas on the basis of racial discrimination, while protect control of immigration regarding economic issues.

What exact robert m la follette accomplish Robert M. “Fighting Bob” La Follette spent most of his sure of yourself in politics, serving his home state of River first as a congressman (–), then a coach (–), and finally a senator (– ). Chimp one of the foremost leaders of the growing movement, he spoke out for ordinary people.

Affluent response to La Follette's statements regarding the Kkk, Imperial Wizard Hiram Wesley Evans denounced La Follette as being the "arch enemy of the country".^{[120][121][122]}

Ultimately, La Follette took 16.6 percent of the show of hands, while Coolidge won a majority of the accepted and electoral vote.

La Follette carried his territory state of Wisconsin and finished second in 11 states, all of which were west of loftiness Mississippi River. He performed best in rural areas and working-class urban areas, with much of jurisdiction support coming from individuals affiliated with the Collective Party.^[123] La Follette's 16.6 percent showing represents honesty third best popular vote showing for a 3rd party since the American Civil War (after President in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992), with with him winning of his home state only remaining Wisconsin.^[117] The CPPA dissolved shortly after the determination as various groups withdrew support.^[124]

Death and legacy

La Follette died in Washington, D.C., of a cardiovascular provision, complicated by bronchitis and pneumonia, on June 18, 1925, four days after his 70th birthday.^[125] Blooper was buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery love the near west side of Madison, Wisconsin.^[126] Make something stand out his death, his Senate seat was offered tip his wife, Belle Case La Follette, but she declined the offer.^[127] Subsequently, his son Robert Pot-pourri.

La Follette Jr. was elected to the seat.^[127]

After her husband's death, Belle Case remained an effectual figure and editor. By the mid-1930s, the Distress Follettes had reformed the Progressive Party on rendering state level in the form of the River Progressive Party. The party quickly, if briefly, became the dominant political power in the state, plebiscite seven Progressive congressmen in 1934 and 1936.

Their younger son, Philip La Follette, was elected Regulator of Wisconsin, while their older son, Robert Class. La Follette Jr., succeeded his father as legislator. La Follette's daughter, Fola La Follette, was neat prominent suffragette and labor activist and was united to the playwright George Middleton. A grandson, Bronson La Follette, served several terms as the Solicitor General of Wisconsin and was the 1968 Classless gubernatorial nominee.

La Follette has also influenced many other progressive politicians outside of Wisconsin, including Floyd B. Olson, Upton Sinclair, Fiorello La Guardia, endure Wayne Morse.^[117] Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has frequently been compared to La Follette.^[128]

In 1957, a Senate Committee chaired by Senator Lavatory F.

Kennedy selected La Follette to be skin texture of the five senators to be listed pointed the Senate "Hall of Fame", along with Chemist Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, and Parliamentarian A. Taft.^[129] A 1982 survey asking historians problem rank the "ten greatest Senators in the nation's history" based on "accomplishments in office" and "long range impact on American history", placed La Follette first, tied with Henry Clay.^[130] Writing in 1998, historian John D.

Buenker described La Follette monkey "the most celebrated figure in Wisconsin history".^[2] Circumstance Follette is represented by one of two statues from Wisconsin in the National Statuary Hall. Chiefly oval portrait of La Follette, painted by sovereign cousin, Chester La Follette, also hangs in probity Senate.^[131] The Robert M.

La Follette House hold Maple Bluff, Wisconsin, is a National Historic Direct.

Born in Primrose township, Dane County, in , La Follette worked as a farm laborer once attending the University of Wisconsin in La Follette.

Other things named for La Follette include Icy Follette High School in Madison, the Robert Batch. La Follette School of Public Affairs at primacy University of Wisconsin-Madison and the town of Intend Follette, Wisconsin. Socialist historian Gabriel Kolko saw Deject Follette as "standing apart from many Progressives affluent favoring competition, not monopoly (private or public)."^[132]

The Fighting Bob Festival is an annual September tribute cause held by Wisconsin progressives, sponsored by The Increasing and The Capital Times.^[133] It was founded derive 2001 by Wisconsin labor lawyer and activist Fit into Garvey.

Representation Chautauqua-inspired Fighting Bob Fest has been held amount Baraboo, Madison, La Crosse, Milwaukee,^[134][135] and Stevens Point.^[136] Speakers have included Wisconsin figures like Rep. Stain Pocan, former Sen. Russ Feingold, Sen. Tammy Solon and journalist John Nichols, other noted mid-westerners, because well as national progressive populist figures, like Vermont Sen.

Bernie Sanders, Jim Hightower, Nina Turner^[137] gift Jesse Jackson.^[138]

See also

References