La Follette's autobiography; a personal narrative of political experiences, by Robert M. la Follette ...

By: Material type: TextTextPublication details: Madison, Wis., The Robert M. La Follette co., 1913.Description: xii, 807, [1] p. front., plates, ports., facsim. 21 cmSubject(s): LOC classification:
  • E664.L16 L16
Available additional physical forms:
  • Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.
Contents:
Political beginnings -- In the House of Representatives -- The Reed Congress and the new national issues -- The crucial period of my public life -- Six years struggle with the Wisconsin bosses -- My first term as Governor and the problems I had to meet -- How we passed the Railroad Taxation Laws -- Progressive government produces business prosperity : what was accomplished in Wisconsin -- Alon in the Senate : experiences with Roosevelt ; railroad rate regulation -- Reinforcements : a national progressive movement -- Why I became a candidate for the Presidency : Taft's unavailability ; a complete history of Roosevelt's course after his return from Africa ; Formation of the organized progressive movement ; pressure for a real progressive candidate -- The true history of the campaign of 1912 for the Republican nomination to the Presidency -- Why I continued as a candidate : Roosevelt never a progressive ; his record -- Address of Robert La Follette at the annual banquet of the Periodical Publishers' Association, Philadelphia, February 2, 1912, dealing with the history of the growth of the power represented in trusts, consolidated railroads and consolidated banking interests controlling money and credits and suggestions for meeting recognized evils.
Summary: The autobiography of Robert La Follette (1855-1925) traces the political life and accomplishments of this eminent Republican politician from his election as district attorney for Dane County, Wisconsin in 1880 to the presidential campaign of 1912, when his bid to dislodge President William Howard Taft was pushed aside by former president Theodore Roosevelt on the Progressive Party's national ticket. The book emphasizes tactics, strategies, and coalition-building as well as La Follette's assessments of various local and national public figures. We learn little about La Follette's childhood, education, legal training or family life, although he does pay tribute to his wife, a lawyer and civic reformer in her own right. La Follette served three terms in Congress (1885-1891); and after a decade of private law practice and grassroots activism, was elected Wisconsin's governor (1900-1904). From 1905 until his death, La Follette was a senator. He crusaded at state and national level against powerful, unregulated business interests--especially the railroads--which he felt exerted undue influence upon government. He also championed open primary elections, equitable taxation of corporations, and public management of public resources by highly qualified, non-partisan public servants. While many of these influential reforms were instituted at the state level during his governorship, his contribution in the Senate may have had less to do with his legislative record than with his ability to rally forces around well-articulated programs.
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Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode
Books (30-Day Checkout) Books (30-Day Checkout) Nash Library General Stacks E664.L16L16 1913 1 Available 33710001064588

The autobiography of Robert La Follette (1855-1925) traces the political life and accomplishments of this eminent Republican politician from his election as district attorney for Dane County, Wisconsin in 1880 to the presidential campaign of 1912, when his bid to dislodge President William Howard Taft was pushed aside by former president Theodore Roosevelt on the Progressive Party's national ticket. The book emphasizes tactics, strategies, and coalition-building as well as La Follette's assessments of various local and national public figures. We learn little about La Follette's childhood, education, legal training or family life, although he does pay tribute to his wife, a lawyer and civic reformer in her own right. La Follette served three terms in Congress (1885-1891); and after a decade of private law practice and grassroots activism, was elected Wisconsin's governor (1900-1904). From 1905 until his death, La Follette was a senator. He crusaded at state and national level against powerful, unregulated business interests--especially the railroads--which he felt exerted undue influence upon government. He also championed open primary elections, equitable taxation of corporations, and public management of public resources by highly qualified, non-partisan public servants. While many of these influential reforms were instituted at the state level during his governorship, his contribution in the Senate may have had less to do with his legislative record than with his ability to rally forces around well-articulated programs.

Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.

Political beginnings -- In the House of Representatives -- The Reed Congress and the new national issues -- The crucial period of my public life -- Six years struggle with the Wisconsin bosses -- My first term as Governor and the problems I had to meet -- How we passed the Railroad Taxation Laws -- Progressive government produces business prosperity : what was accomplished in Wisconsin -- Alon in the Senate : experiences with Roosevelt ; railroad rate regulation -- Reinforcements : a national progressive movement -- Why I became a candidate for the Presidency : Taft's unavailability ; a complete history of Roosevelt's course after his return from Africa ; Formation of the organized progressive movement ; pressure for a real progressive candidate -- The true history of the campaign of 1912 for the Republican nomination to the Presidency -- Why I continued as a candidate : Roosevelt never a progressive ; his record -- Address of Robert La Follette at the annual banquet of the Periodical Publishers' Association, Philadelphia, February 2, 1912, dealing with the history of the growth of the power represented in trusts, consolidated railroads and consolidated banking interests controlling money and credits and suggestions for meeting recognized evils.