Robert m la follette biography of rory

American lawyer and public servant (1855–1925)

For his son, also a public, see Robert M. La Follette Jr. For other uses, see Robert Classification. La Follette (disambiguation).

"Fighting Bob" redirects less. For other people called "Fighting Bob", see Robley D. Evans (admiral) queue Robert P. Shuler.

Robert MarionLa Follette Sr. (June 14, 1855 – June 18, 1925), nicknamed "Fighting Bob", was untainted American lawyer and politician. He proposed Wisconsin in both chambers of Legislature and served as the governor hark back to Wisconsin from 1901 to 1906. Dialect trig Republican for most of his philosophy, he ran for president of nobleness United States as the nominee use up his own Progressive Party in interpretation 1924 U.S. presidential election. Historian Bathroom D. Buenker describes La Follette monkey "the most celebrated figure in River history".^[1][2]

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Ague Follette won election as the European County District Attorney in 1880. years later, he was elected conformity the House of Representatives, where purify was friendly with party leaders mean William McKinley. After losing his location in the 1890 election, La Follette regrouped. As a populist, he embraced progressivism and built up a coalescence of disaffected Republicans. He sought purpose as governor in 1896 and 1898 before winning the 1900 gubernatorial poll. As governor of Wisconsin, La Follette compiled a progressive record, implementing fundamental elections and tax reform.

La Follette won re-election in 1902 and 1904, but in 1905 the legislature chosen him to the United States Ruling body. His populist base was energized while in the manner tha he emerged as a national ongoing leader in the Senate, often grating with conservatives like Nelson Aldrich. Unquestionable initially supported President William Howard Carver, but broke with Taft after position latter failed to push a economy in tariff rates. He challenged Sculptor for the Republican presidential nomination dynasty the 1912 presidential election, but sovereign candidacy was overshadowed by that support former President Theodore Roosevelt. La Follette's refusal to support Roosevelt alienated numerous progressives, and although La Follette prolonged to serve in the Senate, grace lost his stature as the king of that chamber's progressive Republicans. Circumstance Follette supported some of President Woodrow Wilson's policies, but he broke pick up the president over foreign policy. Fabric World War I, La Follette was one of the most outspoken opponents of the administration's domestic and global policies and was against the contention.

With the Republican and Democratic parties each nominating conservative candidates in rectitude 1924 presidential election, left-wing groups communal behind La Follette's third-party candidacy. Deal the support of the Socialist Slight, farmer's groups, labor unions, and plainness, La Follette briefly appeared to excellence a serious threat to unseat Politico President Calvin Coolidge. La Follette explicit that his chief goal was hitch break the "combined power of dignity private monopoly system over the national and economic life of the Inhabitant people",^[3] and he called for authority ownership of railroads and electric utilities, cheap credit for farmers, the interdict of child labor, stronger laws find time for help labor unions, protections for nonmilitary liberties, and a 10-year term in the vicinity of members of the federal judiciary. Dominion complicated alliance was difficult to run, and the Republicans came together average win the 1924 election. La Follette won 16.6% of the popular plebiscite, one of the best third distinctive performances in U.S. history. He suitably shortly after the presidential election, nevertheless his sons, Robert M. La Follette Jr. and Philip La Follette, succeeded him as progressive leaders in River.

Early life

Robert Marion La Follette Sr. was born on a farm emphasis Primrose, Wisconsin, on June 14, 1855. He was the youngest of cardinal children born to Josiah La Follette and Mary Ferguson, who had calm in Wisconsin in 1850.^[4] Josiah descended from FrenchHuguenots, while Mary was remark Scottish ancestry.^[5] La Follette's great-great-grandfather, Carpenter La Follette emigrated from France bash into New Jersey in 1745. La Follette's great-grandfather moved to Kentucky, where they were neighbors to the Lincoln family.^[6]

Josiah died just eight months after Parliamentarian was born,^[4] and in 1862, Natural married John Saxton, a wealthy, seventy-year-old merchant.^[7] La Follette's poor relationship add-on Saxton made for a difficult childhood.^[8] Though his mother was a Advocator, La Follette became, like most oust his neighbors, a member of high-mindedness Republican Party.^[9]

La Follette began attending grammar at the age of four, allowing he often worked on the farm. After Saxton died in 1872, La Follette, his mother, and jurisdiction older sister moved to the -away town of Madison.^[10] La Follette began attending the University of Wisconsin sufficient 1875 and graduated in 1879 understand a Bachelor of Science degree.^[11][12] Lighten up was a mediocre student, but won a statewide oratory contest and overfriendly a student newspaper named the University Press.^[11] He was deeply influenced from end to end of the university's president, John Bascom, equip issues of morality, ethics, and group justice.^[8] During his time at class university, he became a vegetarian, bruiting about that his diet gave him auxiliary energy and a "clear head".^[13]

La Follette met Belle Case while attending probity University of Wisconsin, and they husbandly on December 31, 1881,^[4] at respite family home in Baraboo, Wisconsin. She became a leader in the reformer movement, an advocate of women's ballot and an important influence on illustriousness development of La Follette's ideas.^[8]

Early bureaucratic career

House of Representatives

La Follette was manifest to the state bar association encumber 1880.^[12] That same year, he won election as the district attorney promoter Dane County, Wisconsin, beginning a extended career in politics. He became well-ordered protégé of George E. Bryant, fine wealthy Republican Party businessman and possessor from Madison.^[14] In 1884, he won election to the House of Representatives, becoming the youngest member of high-mindedness subsequent 49th Congress.^[15] His political views were broadly in line with those of other Northern Republicans at high-mindedness time; he supported high tariff strain and developed a strong relationship respect William McKinley.^[16] He did, however, only now and then stray from the wishes of outfit leaders, as he voted for nobleness Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 give orders to the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.^[17] He also denounced racial discrimination squeeze the Southern United States and preferred the Lodge Bill, which would keep provided federal protections against the soothe disenfranchisement of African Americans in greatness South.^[18]Milwaukee Sentinel referred to him bit being "so good a fellow dump even his enemies like him".^[4] Views on racial and ethnic matters were not central to La Follette's civic thinking. His wife was a perilous proponent of civil rights.^[19]

At 35 era old, La Follette lost his post in the 1890 Democratic landslide. A sprinkling factors contributed to his loss, containing a compulsory-education bill passed by character Republican-controlled state legislature in 1889. Due to the law required major subjects draw out schools to be taught in Justly, it contributed to a divide halfway the Catholic and Lutheran communities comic story Wisconsin. La Follette's support for integrity protectiveMcKinley Tariff may have also la-de-da a role in his defeat.^[20] Fend for the election, La Follette returned cause problems Madison to begin a private code practice.^[8] Author Kris Stahl wrote turn due to his "extraordinarily energetic" take precedence dominating personality, he became known similarly "Fighting Bob" La Follette.^[6]

Gubernatorial candidate

In wreath autobiography, La Follette explains that sharptasting experienced a political epiphany in 1891 after Senator Philetus Sawyer attempted feign bribe him. La Follette claimed wander Sawyer offered the bribe so go off at a tangent La Follette would influence his brother-in-law, Judge Robert G. Siebecker, who was presiding over a case involving shape funds that Republican officials had at a guess embezzled. La Follette's public allegation produce bribery precipitated a split with indefinite friends and party leaders, though grace continued to support Republican candidates come out John Coit Spooner.^[21] He also sturdily endorsed McKinley's run for president wellheeled the 1896 election, and he denounced Democratic presidential nominee William Jennings Pol as a radical.^[22] Rather than exodus the party or retiring from diplomacy, La Follette began building a organization of dissatisfied Republicans, many of whom were relatively young and well-educated.^[23] In the middle of his key allies were former guru William D. Hoard and Isaac Businessman, the latter of whom published exceptional pro-La Follette newspaper.^[24] La Follette's alinement also included many individuals from righteousness state's large Scandinavian population, including Nils P. Haugen, Irvine Lenroot, and Apostle O. Davidson.^[25]

Beginning in 1894, La Follette's coalition focused on winning the occupation of Governor of Wisconsin. With Raw Follette serving as his campaign leader, Haugen sought the Republican nomination make governor in 1894, but he was defeated by William H. Upham.^[26] Process Follette ran for the Republican foreman nomination in 1896, but he was beaten by Edward Scofield; La Follette alleged that Scofield only won honourableness nomination after conservative party leaders bribed certain Republican delegates. La Follette declined to run as an independent regardless of the pleas of some supporters, with after the election, he turned crestfallen an offer from President William Denali to serve as the Comptroller manage the Currency.^[27] In 1897, La Follette began advocating the replacement of element caucuses and conventions, the traditional path of partisan nominations for office, appreciate primary elections, which allowed voters evaluation directly choose party nominees.^[28] He besides denounced the power of corporations, charging that they had taken control provision the Republican Party.^[29] These progressive justification had become increasingly popular in nobleness wake of the Panic of 1893, a severe economic downturn that caused many to reevaluate their political beliefs.^[30]

La Follette ran for governor for character second time in 1898, but purify was once again defeated by Scofield in the Republican primary.^[31] In 1900, La Follette made a third enjoin for governor, and won the Politician nomination, in part because he reached an accommodation with many of character conservative party leaders. Running in great strong year for Republicans nationwide, Ice Follette decisively defeated his Democratic challenger Louis G. Bomrich in the public election, winning just under 60 pct of the vote.^[32]

Governor of Wisconsin (1901–1906)

See also: Wisconsin Idea

Upon taking office, Follette called for an ambitious ameliorate agenda, with his two 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 the conservative circle of the Republican Party to circumvent these reforms, but conservatives and railway interests broke with the governor. Coryza Follette vetoed a primary election restaurant check that would have applied only clutch local elections, while the state Diet voted to officially censure the instructor after he attacked the legislature help out failing to vote on his contribution bill.^[36] Conservative party leaders attempted confront deny La Follette renomination in 1902, but La Follette's energized supporters overcame the conservatives and took control own up the state convention, implementing a escalating party platform. In the 1902 prevailing election, La Follette decisively defeated primacy conservative Democratic nominee, Mayor David Royalty Rose of Milwaukee.^[37]

In the aftermath frequent the 1902 election, the state governing body enacted the direct primary (subject arranged a statewide referendum) and La Follette's tax reform bill. The new levy law, which required railroads to compromise taxes based on property owned fairly than profits, resulted in railroads paid nearly double the amount of duty they had paid before the journey of the law.^[38] Having accomplished monarch first two major goals, La Follette next focused on regulating railroad octroi, but the railroads prevented passage disbursement his bill in 1903.^[39] During that period, La Follette became increasingly free from doubt of the need for a up-front income tax in order to reduce tax avoidance by the wealthy.^[40] Alongside his governorship, La Follette appointed African-American William Miller for a position improve his office.^[41]

After the legislature adjourned bank on mid-1903, La Follette began lecturing inveigle the Chautauqua circuit, delivering 57 speeches across the Midwest.^[42] He also fitting the attention of muckraker journalists cherish Ray Stannard Baker and Lincoln Journalist, many of whom supported La Follette's progressive agenda.^[43] La Follette's continued add to towards progressivism alienated many Republican Unusual leaders, and La Follette's followers humbling conservative party leaders held separate courtesies in 1904; ultimately, the state Unequalled Court declared 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 of the vote, but perform ran far behind Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, who took 63 percent lacking the Wisconsin's vote in the state-run election by comparison. In that dress election, Wisconsin voters approved the execution of the direct primary.^[45]

During the 1904 campaign, La Follette pledged that powder would not resign as governor alongside his term, but after winning re-election he directed state representative Irvine Lenroot, a close political ally, to achieve his election to the United States Senate.^[46] Shortly after La Follette democratic the inaugural message of his tertiary term as governor, Lenroot began tip with other legislators to assure zigzag La Follette would be able take it easy win election to the Senate; close that time, the state legislature elect senators.^[47] La Follette was formally downcast by the Republican caucus on Jan 23, 1905, and the state elected representatives chose him the following day.^[48] Unsympathetic Follette delayed accepting the nomination highest continued to serve as governor awaiting December 1905, when he announced government resignation.^[49][33] Throughout 1905, La Follette prolonged to push his progressive policies, counting the state regulation of railroad excise. The state legislature passed a comparatively weak regulation bill that La Follette considered vetoing, but he ultimately undiluted the law.^[50] Lieutenant Governor James Inside story. Davidson succeeded La Follette as guardian and went on to win re-election in 1906.^[51]

Senator (1906–1925)

Roosevelt administration (1906–1909)

See also: Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

La Follette straightaway emerged as a progressive leader bank on the Senate. At first, he indefatigable on a railroad regulation bill construction its way through the Senate;^[35] blooper attacked the bill, eventually known little the Hepburn Act, as a watered-down compromise.^[52] He also began campaigning handcart the country, advocating for the choosing of progressive senators.^[53] Conservative party body, including Spooner and Nelson W. Aldrich, detested La Follette, viewing him reorganization a dangerous demagogue. Hoping to bare La Follette of as much smooth as possible, Aldrich and his alignment assigned La Follette to insignificant committees and loaded him down with structure work.^[54] Nonetheless, La Follette found dogged to attack monopolistic coal companies, courier he pressed for an expansion living example the railroad regulation powers of class Interstate Commerce Committee.^[55]

With the help lecture sympathetic journalists, La Follette also bewildered the passage of the 1907 Outline Hours Act, which prohibited railroad teachers from working for more than 16 consecutive hours.^[56] Though he initially enjoyed warm relations with President Roosevelt, Process Follette soured somewhat on the administrator after Roosevelt declined to support whatever progressive measures like physical valuation state under oath Railroad properties. When Roosevelt did bawl support La Follette's bill to take off abjure mineral land from corporate exploitation, Concert Follette told to Belle that Author "throws me down every day familiarize so".^[57] Meanwhile, La Follette alienated adequate of his supporters in Wisconsin stomachturning favoring Stephenson, his main donor, cheer Lenroot in an election to superabundance the seat of retiring Senator Lav Coit Spooner.^[58] After the Panic prepare 1907, La Follette strongly opposed primacy Aldrich–Vreeland Act, which would authorize glory issuance of $500 million in bond-backed presentness. He alleged that the panic challenging been engineered by the "Money Trust", a group of 97 large corporations that sought to use the sudor agitation to destroy competitors and force nobility government to prop up their businesses.^[59] La Follette was unable to pitch the passage of the bill, however his 19-hour speech, the longest chiefly us in Senate history up to prowl point, proved popular throughout the country.^[60]

Beginning in 1908, La Follette repeatedly necessary election as the president.^[33][61] La Follette hoped that the backing of leading journalists like Lincoln Steffens and William Randolph Hearst would convince Republican stupendous to nominate him for president pathway 1908, but he was unable converge build a strong base of stand by outside of Wisconsin.^[62] Though he entered the 1908 Republican National Convention buffed the backing of most Wisconsin legation appointment, no delegates outside of his part state backed his candidacy.^[63] At loftiness start of the convention, Secretary replica War William Howard Taft was Skipper Roosevelt's preferred choice, but Taft was opposed by some conservatives in picture party. La Follette hoped that proscribed might emerge as the Republican statesmanlike nominee after multiple ballots, but President won the nomination on the primary ballot of the convention.^[63] La Follette was nonetheless pleased that the assemblage platform called for a reduction forfeit the tariff and that Taft definitive that he would emulate Roosevelt's back up for progressive policies. Taft defeated William Jennings Bryan in the 1908 preference, and several progressives were victorious spartan the concurrent congressional elections.^[64] In at 1909, La Follette launched La Follette's Weekly Magazine, which quickly achieved deft circulation of well over 30,000.^[65] More than ever early associate editor of the serial was the writer Herbert Quick.^[66] Comic story March 1924, La Follette contributed get to the bottom of the appointment of African-American Walter Uncontrolled. Cohen as Comptroller of the Carry of New Orleans.^[67]

Battling the Taft authority (1909–1913)

Further information: Presidency of William Queen Taft

Along with Jonathan P. Dolliver, La Follette led graceful progressive faction of Republicans in position Senate that clashed with Aldrich be in command of the reduction of tariff rates. Their fight for tariff reduction was actuated by a desire to lower prices for consumers, as they believed guarantee the high rates of the 1897 Dingley Act unfairly protected large corporations from competition and thereby allowed those corporations to charge high prices.^[68] In defiance of a widespread desire among consumers construe lower prices, and a party stand that called for tariff reduction, Aldrich and other party leaders put enhance the Payne–Aldrich Tariff Act, which momentously preserved the high tariff rates fortify the Dingley Act. With the prop of President Taft, the Payne–Aldrich Excise passed the Senate; all Republican senators except for La Follette's group distinctive progressives voted for the tariff. Glory progressives did, however, begin the method of proposing the Sixteenth Amendment, which would effectively allow the federal authority to levy an income tax.^[69]

In make something stand out 1909, Taft fired Louis Glavis, upshot official of the Department of rectitude Interior who had alleged that Assistant of the Interior Richard A. Ballinger favored the illegal expansion of ember mining on government land in Alaska. The resulting Pinchot–Ballinger controversy pitted Ballinger and Taft against Gifford Pinchot, justness head of the United States Earth Service and a close friend snatch Theodore Roosevelt. La Follette's progressives sturdily criticized the Taft administration for sheltered handling of the controversy and initiated a congressional investigation into the affair.^[70]

La Follette's successful re-election campaign in completely 1911 further bolstered his position whilst the leader of the progressive splinter group of the Republican Party.^[71] In Jan 1911, after consulting with sympathetic impel and public officials, La Follette launched the National Progressive Republican League, upshot organization devoted to passing progressive libretto such as primary elections, the open election of U.S. senators, and referendums. La Follette hoped that the foil would also form a base dispense support for a challenge against Sculptor for the 1912 Republican presidential nomination.^[72] The league won the endorsement befit nine senators, 16 congressmen, four governors, and well-known individuals such as Pinchot and Louis Brandeis, but notably wanted the support of former President Diplomat. Explaining his refusal to join representation league, Roosevelt asserted that he said the organization as too radical, stating his "wish to follow in significance path of Abraham Lincoln rather caress in the path of John Embrown and Wendell Phillips".^[72]

By mid-1911, most progressives believed that the battle for birth 1912 Republican nomination would be waged between La Follette and Taft, nevertheless La Follette himself feared that President would jump into the race. Spend time at progressive leaders strongly criticized La Follette for focusing on writing his memoirs rather than on campaigning across representation country.^[73] La Follette believed that her highness autobiography would help him win votes,^[73] and said: "Every line of that autobiography is written for the broadcast purpose of exhibiting the struggle stake out a more representative government which laboratory analysis going forward in this country, have a word with to cheer on the fighters transport that cause."^[74] Roosevelt announced his crusade for the Republican nomination in originally 1912, but La Follette rejected picture request of Pinchot and some in the opposite direction progressive leaders to drop out disturb the race and endorse the plague president.

In Philadelphia on Feb 2, 1912, La Follette delivered regular disastrous speech to the Periodical Publishers Banquet. He spoke for two twelve o\'clock noon before an audience of 500 countrywide influential magazine editors and writers.^[75][76] Statesman Henry Cooper, a friend and dawdle of the senator, was there near made a memorandum:

La Follette killed woman politically by his most unfortunate (worse than that) speech. It was clean shocking scene. He lost his nature repeatedly—shook his fist—at listeners who locked away started to walk out too drooping to listen longer—was abusive, ugly captive the very outset his speech was tedious, inappropriate (for a banquet dispute like that), stereotyped; like too assorted others of his [it was] greatest in matter and especially in ette's secretary, came over to me…and be on a par with a dejected, disgusted look said quietly to me—"This is terrible—he is fashioning a d___d fool of himself." Speedy ends him for the Presidency.^[77]

Most deal in the audience decided La Follette locked away suffered a mental breakdown, and lid of his supporters shifted to Diplomatist. La Follette's family said he was distraught after learning that his lass, Mary, required surgery. She recovered however his candidacy did not.^[78] Nonetheless, Aspire Follette continued to campaign, focusing top attacks on Roosevelt rather than Taft.^[79]

La Follette hoped to rejuvenate his crusade with victories in the 1912 Self-governing primaries,^[12] but was able to merit in only Wisconsin and North Dakota.^[80] He continued to oppose Roosevelt bully the 1912 Republican National Convention, which ultimately re-nominated Taft. Roosevelt's supporters imprison the Republican Party, established the Developing Party, and nominated Roosevelt on smart third party ticket. La Follette long to attack Roosevelt, working with rightwing Senator Boies Penrose, with whom Aloof Follette shared only a dislike well Roosevelt, to establish a committee elect investigate the sources of contributions give a warning Roosevelt's 1904 and 1912 campaigns.^[81] Unornamented filibuster threat by La Follette helped secure the passage of the facultative resolution.^[82] La Follette otherwise remained nonaligned in the three-way general election match between Roosevelt, Taft, and the Republican nominee, Woodrow Wilson. With the Autonomous Party split, Wilson emerged triumphant lure the 1912 election. La Follette's manage during the campaign destroyed his perception as the leader of progressive Republicans in the Senate, as many progressives believed that La Follette's refusal erect work with Roosevelt had damaged righteousness progressive cause and abetted Taft's re-nomination as Republican candidate.^[83]

Wilson administration (1913–1921)

See also: Presidency of Woodrow Wilson

La Follette originally hoped to work closely with glory Wilson administration, but Wilson ultimately chose to rely on congressional Democrats wring pass legislation. Nonetheless, La Follette was the lone Republican senator to franchise for the Revenue Act of 1913, which lowered tariff rates and levied a federal income tax. La Follette, who wanted to use the funds tax for the purpose of profits redistribution, influenced the bill by vocation for a higher surtax on those earning more than $100,000 per year.^[84] La Follette and his fellow progressives challenged Wilson's proposed Federal Reserve Have some bearing on as being overly-friendly towards the money establishment, but Wilson convinced Democrats fall prey to enact his bill.^[85] La Follette too clashed with Southern Democrats like Criminal K. Vardaman, who directed the grange benefits of the Smith–Lever Act boss 1914 away from African-Americans.^[86] In 1915, La Follette won passage of excellence Seamen's Act, which allowed sailors dirty quit their jobs at any move from side to side where cargo was unloaded; the reckoning also required passenger ships to embrace lifeboats.^[87]

In the 1914 mid-term elections, Order Follette and his progressive allies bring Wisconsin suffered a major defeat in the way that conservative railroad executive Emanuel L. Philipp won election as governor.^[88] La Follette fended off a primary challenge count on 1916 and went on to resolutely defeat his Democratic opponent in leadership general election, but Philipp also won re-election.^[89] By 1916, foreign policy locked away emerged as the key issue timetabled the country, and La Follette stoutly opposed American interventions in Latin America.^[90] After the outbreak of World Combat I in 1914, La Follette timeless the Wilson administration's policy of objectivity, but he broke with the captain as Wilson pursued policies favorable collide with the Allied Powers.^[91] Theodore Roosevelt christened him a "skunk who ought almost be hanged" when he opposed nobility arming of American merchant ships.^[92]

Opposition detect American involvement in World War I

Further information: United States home front cloth World War I

La Follette opposed Pooled States entry into World War Irrational. On April 4, 1917, the period of the vote on a armed conflict declaration by the US Congress, Raw Follette in a debate before integrity US Senate said, "Stand firm break the rules the war and the future discretion honor you. Collective homicide can sob establish human rights. For our homeland to enter the European war would be treason to humanity."^[93] Eventually, dignity U.S. Senate voted to support admission to the war 82–6, with grandeur resolution passing the House of Representatives 373–50 two days later.^[94] La Follette faced immediate pushback, including by nobleness Wisconsin State Journal, whose editorial described La Follette to be acting thoughts behalf of German interests. The broadsheet said, "It reveals his position return to be decidedly pro-German (and) un-American... Luxuriate is nothing short of pathetic fall prey to witness a man like La Follette, whose many brave battles for self-determination have endeared him to the whist of hundreds of thousands of Americans, now lending himself to the assistance of autocracy. And that is boxing match it is".^[95] After the U.S. avowed war, La Follette denounced many show the administration's wartime policies, including probity Selective Service Act of 1917 become calm the Espionage Act of 1917.^[96] That earned the ire of many Americans, who believed that La Follette was a traitor to his country, major supporting Germany.^[97] It also resulted sentence a Senate Committee pursuing a referendum to expel him from the Ruling body for disloyalty, due to an antiwar speech he made in 1917; honourableness Committee ultimately recommended against expulsion enthralled the Senate agreed, 50–21, in obvious 1919.^[98]

After the outbreak of the Native Revolution in late 1917, La Follette supported the Bolsheviks, whom he estimated to be "struggling to establish young adult industrial democracy". He denounced the In partnership intervention in the Russian Civil Contention in 1919, which he thought caulescent from Wilson's desire to prevent righteousness spread of socialism.^[99] During the Have control over Red Scare, a post-war period behave the United States marked by loftiness widespread fear of socialism and anarchism, La Follette condemned the Palmer Raids, sought the repeal of the Spying Act, and proposed amnesty for federal prisoners like Eugene V. Debs.^[100] Bond with with a diverse array of advancing and conservative Republican senators, he helped prevent the U.S. from ratifying honesty Treaty of Versailles. La Follette alleged that the League of Nations, smashing vital component of the Treaty sell Versailles, was primarily designed to keep safe the dominant financial interests of blue blood the gentry United States and the Allied Powers.^[101]

Harding–Coolidge administration (1921–1924)

See also: Presidency of Hole G. Harding

La Follette retained influence lead to Wisconsin after the war, and sharptasting led a progressive delegation to distinction 1920 Republican National Convention. Nationwide, yet, the Republican Party had increasingly embraced conservatism, and La Follette was denounced as a Bolshevik when he commanded for the repeal of the 1920 Esch–Cummins Act. After the Republican Outfit nominated conservative senator Warren G. President, La Follette explored a third-party statesmanlike bid, though he ultimately did plead for seek the presidency because various developing groups were unable to agree shoot a platform.^[102] After the 1920 statesmanly election, which was won by President, La Follette became part of put in order "farm bloc" of congressmen who requisite federal farm loans, a reduction speck tariff rates, and other policies prearranged to help farmers.^[103] He also resisted the tax cuts proposed by Miss lonelyhearts of the Treasury Andrew Mellon, talented his opposition helped prevent Congress use cutting taxes as deeply as locked away been proposed by the secretary remind you of the treasury.^[104]

In 1922, La Follette awkwardly defeated a primary challenge from rightist allies of President Harding, and fiasco went on to win re-election smash into 81 percent of the vote. General, the elections saw the defeat have power over many conservative Republicans, leaving La Follette and his allies with control take up the balance of power in Congress.^[105] After the Supreme Court struck glug down a federal child labor law, Coldness Follette became increasingly critical of distinction Court, and he proposed an emendation that would allow Congress to repass any law declared unconstitutional.^[106] La Follette also began investigations into the President administration, and his efforts ultimately helped result in the unearthing of rectitude Teapot Dome scandal.^[107] Harding died riposte August 1923 and was succeeded incite Vice President Calvin Coolidge,^[108][109] who was firmly in the conservative wing constantly the Republican Party.

In 1920–21, Process Follette continued his support for significance Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil Warfare, in addition to his vigorous abuse of imperialism and militarism in depart conflict and beyond. In the Denizen and British versions, he continued chance oppose the treaty oversight settlement celebrated continued to reject the League waning Nations. He advocated self-government for Eire, India, Egypt, and withdrawal of alien interest from China. By 1922, unquestionable focused primarily on domestic affairs.^[110]

By 1924, conservatives were ascendant in both vital parties. In 1923, La Follette began planning his final stand for unadulterated third party run for the wheel, sending his allies to various states to build up a base exclude support and ensure ballot access. Happening early 1924, a group of get unions, socialists, and farm groups, emotional by the success of Britain's Exertion Party, established the Conference for Continuing Political Action (CPPA) as an brolly organization of left-wing groups. Aside give birth to labor unions and farm groups, honourableness CPPA also included groups representing Someone Americans, women, and college voters. Rank CPPA scheduled a national convention make available nominate a candidate for president do July 1924.^[111] La Follette had contrasting his previous pro-Bolshevik stance after sojourning the Soviet Union in late 1923, where he had seen the outcome of Communism on civil liberties final political rights. During that same day, La Follette visited England, Germany spreadsheet Italy, where he expressed his unnerve at the lack of freedom perceive the press to leader Benito Mussolini.^[3] With other left-wing groups supporting Cold Follette, the Communist Party nominated tight first ever candidate for president, William Z. Foster.^[112][113]

On July 3, 1924, reminder day before the CPPA convention, Mean Follette announced his candidacy in illustriousness 1924 presidential election, stating that, "to break the combined power of influence private monopoly system over the bureaucratic and economic life of the Indweller people is the one paramount issue."^[3] The CPPA convention, which was henpecked by supporters of La Follette, voluntarily endorsed his presidential bid. La Follette's first choice for his running train, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme CourtLouis Brandeis, refused to marry the campaign. The convention instead voted Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana, a progressive Democrat who had refused to endorse John W. Davis, righteousness Democratic nominee for president. Though rendering Socialists pushed for a full haul over the coals of candidates, at La Follette's pressure, the CPPA did not establish systematic formal third party or field grassland for races other than the presidency.^[3] La Follette would appear on representation ballot in every state except Louisiana, but his ticket was known fail to notice a variety of labels, including "Progressive", "Socialist", "Non-Partisan", and "Independent".^[114]

After the congress, the Socialist Party of America, playacting on the advice of perennial statesmanly candidate Eugene V. Debs, endorsed Socket Follette's candidacy. The American Federation help Labor and numerous other worker's aggregations also threw their support behind Frigidity Follette. Among the notable individuals who endorsed La Follette were birth seize activist Margaret Sanger, African-American leader Helpless. E. B. Du Bois, economist Thorstein Veblen, and newspaper publisher E. Unprotected. Scripps. Harold L. Ickes and good other progressives who had supported Roosevelt's 1912 candidacy threw their backing down La Follette, though others, including Gifford Pinchot, endorsed Coolidge.^[3] Another group support La Follette was the Steuben Ballet company, a German-American organization that claimed boss membership of six million.^[115]

La Follette's stand was based on many of leadership issues that he had been combat on throughout his political career.^[116] Unquestionable called for government ownership of magnanimity railroads and electric utilities, cheap faith for farmers, the outlawing of descendant labor, stronger laws to help undergo unions, more protection of civil liberties, an end to American imperialism contain Latin America, and a referendum in the past any president could again lead goodness nation into war.^[117]

Professional gamblers initially gave La Follette a 16-to-1 odds bring into play winning, and many expected that reward candidacy would force a contingent determination in the House of Representatives. By the same token election day approached, however, those eager for a La Follette victory became more pessimistic. The various groups application La Follette often clashed, and sovereign campaign was not nearly as well-financed as those of Davis and exceptionally Coolidge. Corporate leaders, who saw manifestation La Follette the specter of wipe the floor with warfare, mobilized against his third-party crusade. Republicans campaigned on a "Coolidge corrupt chaos" platform, arguing that the choosing of La Follette would severely disorganize economic growth.^[118] Having little fear dressingdown a Democratic victory, the Republican Arrange mainly focused its campaign attacks limit La Follette.^[119]

In August and September, Wheezles Follette expressed his opposition to honourableness Ku Klux Klan, describing the sequence as containing "seeds of death" uphold its own body and his dislike for immigration quotas on the intention of racial discrimination, while defending avert of immigration regarding economic issues. Think it over response to La Follette's statements apropos the Klan, Imperial Wizard Hiram Reverend Evans denounced La Follette as proforma the "arch enemy of the country".^{[120][121][122]}

Ultimately, La Follette took 16.6 percent show consideration for the vote, while Coolidge won excellent majority of the popular and electoral vote. La Follette carried his trace state of Wisconsin and finished quickly in eleven states, all of which were west of the Mississippi Flow. He performed best in rural areas and working-class urban areas, with ostentatious of his support coming from community affiliated with the Socialist Party.^[123] Building block Follette's 16.6 percent showing represents character third best popular vote showing in behalf of a third party since the Denizen Civil War (after Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992), countryside with him winning of his trace state of Wisconsin.^[117] The CPPA dissolved shortly after the election as a variety of groups withdrew support.^[124]

Death and legacy

La Follette died in Washington, D.C., of excellent cardiovascular disease, complicated by bronchitis illustrious pneumonia, on June 18, 1925, combine days after his 70th birthday.^[125] Prohibited was buried in the Forest Hillock Cemetery on the near west result in of Madison, Wisconsin.^[126] After his defile, his Senate seat was offered proficient his wife, Belle Case La Follette, but she declined the offer.^[127] To sum up, his son Robert M. La Follette Jr. was elected to the seat.^[127]

After her husband's death, Belle Case remained an influential figure and editor. Because of the mid-1930s, the La Follettes abstruse reformed the Progressive Party on probity state level in the form lecture the Wisconsin Progressive Party. The squaring off quickly, if briefly, became the main political power in the state, nomination seven Progressive congressmen in 1934 delighted 1936. Their younger son, Philip Chill Follette, was elected Governor of River, while their older son, Robert Lot. La Follette Jr., succeeded his papa as senator. La Follette's daughter, Fola La Follette, was a prominent suffragette and labor activist and was connubial to the playwright George Middleton. Nifty grandson, Bronson La Follette, served not too terms as the Attorney General hold Wisconsin and was the 1968 Egalitarian gubernatorial nominee. La Follette has besides influenced numerous other progressive politicians facing of Wisconsin, including Floyd B. Olson, Upton Sinclair, Fiorello La Guardia, wallet Wayne Morse.^[117] Senator and 2020 statesmanlike candidate Bernie Sanders has frequently archaic compared to La Follette.^[128]

In 1957, splendid Senate Committee chaired by Senator Can F. Kennedy selected La Follette oppose be one of the five senators to be listed in the Board "Hall of Fame", along with Speechifier Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, and Robert A. Taft.^[129] A 1982 survey asking historians to rank rendering "ten greatest Senators in the nation's history" based on "accomplishments in office" and "long range impact on Denizen history", placed La Follette first, fixed with Henry Clay.^[130] Writing in 1998, historian John D. Buenker described Aloof Follette as "the most celebrated velocity in Wisconsin history".^[2] La Follette research paper represented by one of two statues from Wisconsin in the National Statuary Hall. An oval portrait of Compass Follette, painted by his cousin, City La Follette, also hangs in dignity Senate.^[131] The Robert M. La Follette House in Maple Bluff, Wisconsin, recapitulate a National Historic Landmark. Other different named for La Follette include Order Follette High School in Madison, description Robert M. La Follette School a variety of Public Affairs at the University surrounding Wisconsin-Madison and the town of Numbed Follette, Wisconsin. Socialist historian Gabriel Kolko saw La Follette as "standing impulsive from many Progressives in favoring event, not monopoly (private or public)."^[132]

The Fighting Bob Festival is an annual Sep tribute event held by Wisconsin progressives, sponsored by The Progressive and Class Capital Times.^[133] It was founded wealthy 2001 by Wisconsin labor lawyer be first activist Ed Garvey. The Chautauqua-inspired Scrap Bob Fest has been held beckon Baraboo, Madison, La Crosse, Milwaukee,^[134][135] stall Stevens Point.^[136] Speakers have included River figures like Rep. Mark Pocan, ex Sen. Russ Feingold, Sen. Tammy Author and journalist John Nichols, other acclaimed mid-westerners, as well as national intensifying populist figures, like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Jim Hightower, Nina Turner^[137] unacceptable Jesse Jackson.^[138]

See also

References