Robert M. La Follette

Robert M. La Follette
Harris & Ewing Collection · Public domain · source
Name	Robert M. La Follette
Caption	La Follette c. 1911
Office	United States Senator from Wisconsin
Term start	January 2, 1906
Term end	June 18, 1925
Predecessor	Joseph V. Quarles
Successor	Robert M. La Follette Jr.
Office1	20th Governor of Wisconsin
Term start1	January 7, 1901
Term end1	January 1, 1906
Predecessor1	Edward Scofield
Successor1	James O. Davidson
Office2	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd district
Term start2	March 4, 1885
Term end2	March 3, 1891
Predecessor2	Burr W. Jones
Successor2	Allen R. Bushnell
Birth date	14 June 1855
Birth place	Primrose, Wisconsin
Death date	18 June 1925
Death place	Washington, D.C.
Party	Republican (before 1924), Progressive (1924–1925)
Spouse	Belle Case La Follette, December 31, 1881
Children	4, including Robert M. La Follette Jr. and Philip La Follette
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin–Madison
Profession	Politician, Lawyer

Robert M. La Follette was a towering and transformative figure in American politics, renowned as the fiery leader of the Progressive Era. Serving as a U.S. Representative, the Governor of Wisconsin, and a long-tenured U.S. Senator, he pioneered a comprehensive reform movement known as the Wisconsin Idea. His relentless advocacy for direct primaries, corporate regulation, and anti-war principles cemented his legacy as "Fighting Bob," a fierce champion of populism and grassroots democracy.

Early life and education

Robert Marion La Follette was born in the rural town of Primrose, Wisconsin, and faced significant hardship following the death of his father. He worked to support his family before attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was deeply influenced by the university's president, John Bascom. After graduating in 1879, he studied law and was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar, quickly establishing a legal practice in Madison. His early career was marked by a notable stint as the District Attorney of Dane County, Wisconsin, where he built a reputation for integrity and opposition to political machines.

Political career

La Follette's political career began with his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1884, where he served three terms. After a defeat influenced by the Philetus Sawyer political machine, he spent a decade building a statewide reform movement. This culminated in his election as Governor of Wisconsin in 1900, a victory that broke the hold of the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party. In 1906, he was elected to the United States Senate, where he served until his death, becoming a national leader of the Progressive movement and often clashing with presidents like William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson.

Progressive reforms and ideology

As governor, La Follette implemented the Wisconsin Idea, leveraging expertise from the University of Wisconsin to craft pioneering legislation. His administration established a state civil service, created a railroad regulatory commission, and passed the first comprehensive workers' compensation law in the nation. In the Senate, he was a leading voice for the Sixteenth Amendment allowing an income tax, the Seventeenth Amendment providing for the direct election of Senators, and strong antitrust laws. His ideology, detailed in his autobiography, centered on empowering citizens through tools like the direct primary, initiative, referendum, and recall.

1924 presidential campaign

Disillusioned with the conservative turn of the Republican Party, La Follette launched an independent bid for the presidency in 1924 as the nominee of the new Progressive Party. His campaign, with running mate Burton K. Wheeler, a Democratic senator from Montana, fiercely criticized the pro-business policies of the Calvin Coolidge administration and the influence of entities like the Teapot Dome oil interests. He won nearly 17% of the popular vote, carrying his home state of Wisconsin, in what remains one of the strongest third-party performances in U.S. history.

Death and legacy

La Follette died of cardiovascular disease in Washington, D.C., in 1925. His Senate seat was succeeded by his son, Robert M. La Follette Jr., and his other son, Philip La Follette, also later served as Governor of Wisconsin. The political organization he built, often called the Wisconsin Progressive Party, remained a powerful force for decades. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and, in a 1982 survey by the Senate, was ranked among the greatest senators in American history. His legacy endures as a symbol of principled, insurgent progressivism.

Category:1855 births Category:1925 deaths Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin Category:Governors of Wisconsin Category:United States senators from Wisconsin Category:Progressive Era in the United States