Robert M. La Follette

Bob La Follette lived in Wisconsin.

He was a lawyer and a leader. He wanted to help people.

He wanted to make things fair for workers. He helped make new rules for banks and trains. He also wanted people to vote for their leaders. This helped more people have a say. He even ran for president of the country. He worked hard for his ideas. He was a very important leader in his home state.

Robert M. La Follette was a famous leader from Wisconsin.

He was born on a farm in 1855. He grew up to be a lawyer. People called him "Fighting Bob." This was because he fought for his ideas.

La Follette wanted to make life fairer. He served as the governor of Wisconsin. As governor, he made many new rules. He helped protect workers. He also made rules for banks and railroads. He wanted voters to choose their leaders directly. This was called a primary election. Before this, small groups chose the leaders.

Later, he served in the U.S. Senate. He was a leader for the Progressive Party. This was a group that wanted big changes. In 1924, he ran for president. He had support from farmers and labor unions. He wanted to stop big companies from having too much power. He also wanted to stop child labor. He won a lot of votes for a third party.

He died in 1925. His sons also became leaders in Wisconsin.

Robert Marion La Follette Sr. was a famous leader from Wisconsin.

He was born on a farm in Primrose in 1855. His father, Josiah, died when Robert was only eight months old. His mother, Mary, later married a merchant named John Saxton. Life was not always easy for young Robert during this time. He attended school at age four and worked on the family farm. He eventually went to the University of Wisconsin. He graduated in 1879 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

La Follette began his work in law and politics very early. He became the district attorney for Dane County in 1880. In 1884, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the youngest member of that Congress. During this time, he worked with leaders like William McKinley. He also spoke out against racial discrimination in the South. However, he lost his seat in the election of 1890. This loss led him to change his political path. He became a leader for people who wanted new ideas. This movement was called progressivism.

After losing his seat, La Follette worked hard to build a new group. He gathered Republicans who were unhappy with the current leaders. He wanted to stop big companies from having too much power. He also wanted to change how people chose their leaders. He pushed for primary elections so voters could choose nominees directly. In 1900, he won the election to be the governor of Wisconsin. He served as governor from 1901 until 1906. As governor, he made rules for banks and railroads. He also created protections for workers and sanitation.

In 1905, the state legislature chose La Follette to serve in the U.S. Senate. He became a very strong voice for progressives in Washington. He often argued with conservative leaders like Nelson Aldrich. He even broke with President William Howard Taft over tax rates. In 1912, he tried to become the Republican nominee for president. His run was overshadowed by Theodore Roosevelt. Later, he spoke out against the policies of President Woodrow Wilson. He was one of the strongest voices against entering World War I.

La Follette ran for president one last time in 1924. He ran with his own Progressive Party. He had support from farmers, labor unions, and the Socialist Party. He wanted to stop child labor and help farmers with credit. He also wanted the government to own railroads and electric utilities. He won 16.6 percent of the popular vote. This was a very large amount for a third party.

He died in 1925, shortly after that election. His sons, Robert Jr. and Philip, also became important leaders in Wisconsin.

Robert Marion La Follette Sr. was a major figure in American politics.

He was a leading progressive leader in Wisconsin for many decades. Progressivism was a political movement that sought to fix problems in society. These problems often involved the power of large corporations. La Follette worked to give more power back to ordinary citizens. He earned the nickname "Fighting Bob" because of his energetic personality. He spent much of his career fighting for fairness and reform.

La Follette's early life shaped his views on justice. He was born on a farm in Primrose, Wisconsin, in 1855. His father, Josiah, died when Robert was only eight months old. His mother, Mary, later married a merchant named John Saxton. This period of his childhood was quite difficult. After Saxton died in 1872, La Follette moved to Madison. He attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated in 1879.

During college, he was influenced by President John Bascom. Bascom taught him about morality and social justice.

His political career began in local law and national service. In 1880, he became the district attorney for Dane County. He was then elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1884. As a young congressman, he worked with leaders like William McKinley. He supported the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman Antitrust Act. These laws were meant to regulate business and prevent monopolies. He also spoke out against racial discrimination in the South. However, he lost his seat in the 1890 election.

After his defeat, La Follette changed his political strategy. He experienced a political epiphany after a bribery attempt by a senator. This event led him to build a new coalition. He gathered Republicans who were unhappy with conservative leaders. This group focused on winning the governorship of Wisconsin. La Follette ran for governor several times before winning in 1900.

He won the election with nearly 60 percent of the vote. This victory allowed him to start a bold progressive agenda.

As governor, La Follette implemented many specific reforms. He enacted progressive taxation to change how the state collected money. He also created new regulations for banks and railroads. His administration pushed for labor and sanitation protections. One of his biggest achievements was reforming the nomination process. He replaced party conventions with primary elections. This allowed voters to choose their party nominees directly. In 1905, the legislature elected him to the U.S. Senate. He chose to stay governor for one more year before joining the Senate.

In the Senate, La Follette became a national leader. He often clashed with conservative senators like Nelson Aldrich. He broke with President William Howard Taft over tariff rates. In 1912, he ran for the Republican presidential nomination. His campaign was overshadowed by former President Theodore Roosevelt. Later, he became a vocal opponent of President Woodrow Wilson. He was especially outspoken against the policies surrounding World War I.

His refusal to support the war showed his strong convictions.

La Follette's final major political act was a presidential run. In 1924, he ran as the nominee for the Progressive Party. He sought to break the power of private monopolies. His platform included government ownership of railroads and electric utilities. He also called for outlawing child labor and helping farmers with credit. He gained support from labor unions and the Socialist Party.

He won 16.6 percent of the popular vote. This was one of the best performances for a third party in history.

He died in 1925, shortly after the election. His sons, Robert Jr. and Philip, continued his progressive legacy in Wisconsin.