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33-669: The Party was the brainchild of Philip La Follette and Robert M. La Follette, Jr. , the sons of the famous Wisconsin Governor and Senator Robert M. La Follette, Sr. The party was established in 1934 as an alliance between the longstanding "Progressive" faction of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, led by the La Follette family and their political allies, and certain radical farm and labor groups active in Wisconsin at

66-427: A domestic life, writing in his journal, "Oh hasten [the] time when I can see her the center of a home." Belle remained an activist throughout her life, but did note that "the supreme experience in life is motherhood," and enjoyed taking care of their children. Belle and Robert La Follette were the parents of four children (two daughters and two sons). Their first child, Flora Dodge La Follette , always called "Fola,"

99-667: A fact which perplexed many of his contemporaries. From 1955 to 1959, La Follette served as president of Hazeltine Electronics , and made his home in Douglaston , New York. He later returned to Wisconsin, wrote his autobiography, and was active in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin . He died in Madison, Wisconsin, and was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery . Belle Case La Follette Isabelle Case La Follette (April 21, 1859 – August 18, 1931)

132-543: A national campaign for a women's suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution. On April 26, 1913, La Follette was among the members of the public who spoke before the U.S. Senate Committee on Women's Suffrage, delivering what the National Magazine described as "a remarkable and forcible address" at the gathering. She was among the 94 suffragists who met with President Woodrow Wilson in the White House during

165-440: A potential courtship. Belle, however, only wished their bond to remain "free from sentiment," at least until they had left college. While Belle excelled in her studies, Bob became notorious for poor grades but a clear, charismatic intelligence. While Bob helped Belle in her own speech-giving, Belle assisted Bob in his school work and other written projects (Bob would later only barely graduate, John Bascom himself having to provide

198-513: A professional life. In 1885 she became the first woman to graduate from University of Wisconsin Law School . She never practiced law formally, but would assist her husband Bob in numerous cases and later political queries. Belle's role was anything but passive, even behind the scenes. In the 1890s, she penned a brief that broke new legal ground and won a case before the state's Supreme Court. Bob would later remark in his autobiography that she

231-692: A referendum on women's suffrage in Wisconsin was to be decided in a general election in November 1912, she resigned from the NAWSA to devote her efforts to secure its passage. Suffragists made appearances at more than 70 county fairs in 1912, including La Follette, who visited seven of them in ten days. Despite their efforts, the referendum was defeated by a vote of 227,024 to 135,546. When subsequent referendums to gain voting rights for women in Wisconsin were defeated in 1913 and 1915, La Follette, like other suffragists at that time, decided to devote her efforts to

264-734: Is perhaps her most memorable. "Learning to See" highlighted natural curiosity and the danger of forcing children to conform to convention. It won her the Lewis Prize for best essay or oration produced by the graduating class. Belle Case La Follette later returned to the University of Wisconsin and in 1885 became the University of Wisconsin Law School 's first female graduate. Belle Case and Robert "Bob" La Follette developed an early friendship at University of Wisconsin, their love of reform and rural backgrounds providing common ground for

297-410: The University of Wisconsin-Madison , with the financial support of her farming parents. She excelled as a student, never missing a class or arriving late while at the university. Even early in life, Belle did not shy away from protesting what she perceived as injustices, particularly those targeted at women. In regard to one of her speeches, local paper Madison Democrat wrote, "...   she portrayed

330-923: The National Progressive Party of America in an attempt to create a national third party (as the La Follettes had helped create in Wisconsin). This party was named the National Progressives of America upon its formation. The goals of the party were to lead a realignment of American politics along more concrete liberal and conservative lines. Despite his efforts, the NPA was unsuccessful and La Follette never held public office after 1939. Much as his father opposed U.S. entry into World War I, Phil La Follette strongly opposed, like most other Americans, U.S. entry into World War II. Once war

363-692: The Socialist bill and against the Progressive substitute, stating that a Progressive was "a Socialist with the brains knocked out"), when both faced opposition from the conservative major parties. During the period from 1939 on, the Progressives and the Socialists of Milwaukee sometimes made common cause, with Socialist legislators caucusing with the minority Progressives. In 1942, Socialist Frank P. Zeidler , later to be elected mayor of Milwaukee,

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396-542: The colored Young Men's Christian Association, raising an argument that segregation of colored people on street cars, public conveyances, and government departments was wrong. La Follette added that there would be no constitution of peace until the question is "settled right". In 1915 La Follette helped found the Woman's Peace Party, which later became the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. After World War I , she

429-632: The day, she wrote and edited a weekly "Home and Education" column for La Follette's Weekly Magazine , a magazine started by her husband and later became The Progressive . In 1911 and 1912 she wrote a syndicated column for the North American Press Syndicate. La Follette's interest in women's suffrage led to her membership in the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1910, and joined its national board in 1911. However, when

462-582: The early days of his administration. Determined to gather public support for the constitutional amendment on women's suffrage, La Follette joined the lecture circuit to address audiences in the Midwest . In addition, she gave numerous speeches in her home state in 1919 to assure that Wisconsin voters would support ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment . La Follette also opposed the ongoing oppression of African Americans. In 1914 she addressed

495-420: The final say-so.) Their companionship eventually did blossom into an engagement. Bob would later say that, "Mamma laughed when I proposed to her." Case and La Follette were married on December 31, 1881, in a ceremony performed by a Unitarian minister. By mutual agreement, the word "obey" was omitted from their marriage vows. While Bob respected Belle's independence, intelligence, and beliefs, he still hoped for

528-408: The governor at the time, Julius P. Heil . Orland Steen Loomis was the last Progressive to be elected Governor of Wisconsin, in the 1942 election. He died, however, before his inauguration as governor. Robert La Follette Jr. held on to his Senate seat until 1946, when the party decided to disband itself. Robert La Follette ran for re-election that year as a Republican rather than a Progressive, but

561-703: The national scene—and as co-editor with her husband of La Follette's Weekly Magazine . Isabelle Case was born on April 21, 1859, in Summit, Juneau County, Wisconsin , and grew up on her family's farm in Baraboo . Her parents were Unitarians of English and Scottish descent. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1875 to 1879 and, upon graduation, taught high school in Spring Green and junior high school in Baraboo. One of her students in Baraboo

594-567: The reelection of President Franklin Roosevelt . Their grip on power proved short-lived: they succumbed to a united Democratic and Republican front in 1938 which swept most of them out of office, including Philip La Follette. The party effectively collapsed when Philip went off to serve in the Pacific War during World War II . During La Follette's absence, the party failed to formulate a coherent party platform and instead opted to criticize

627-619: The time. Buoying off of popular discontent with both major parties, the La Follette brothers were both successful in their bids, and the party saw a number of other victories as well in the 1934 and 1936 elections, notably winning several U.S. House seats and a majority of the Wisconsin State Senate and Wisconsin State Assembly in 1936. In 1936 it was informally allied with the New Deal coalition and supported

660-436: The vanity of many of us in trying to make an empty display and neglecting it for true stability and depth of sentiment." In another speech, "Children's Playthings," Belle conflated the convention of young girls playing with dolls with future expectations for womanhood, claiming these domestic "dreams" of girlhood would only lead to "impossible future happiness" and "dissatisfied, nervous, complaining [women]." Her senior oration

693-413: Was John Ringling , of whom she later wrote "...   when John read a long account -- interrupted with giggles from the school -- of the side shows he and other boys had been giving every night, I lectured him and drew the moral that if John would put his mind on his lessons as he did on side shows, he might yet become a scholar. Fortunately the scolding had no effect." In 1875, Belle Case left home for

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726-598: Was a women's suffrage , peace, and civil rights activist in Wisconsin , United States. She worked with the Woman's Peace Party during World War I . At the time of her death in 1931, The New York Times called her "probably the least known yet most influential of all American women who have had to do with public affairs in this country." She was the wife and helpmate of Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette —a prominent Progressive Republican politician both in Wisconsin and on

759-656: Was active in the Women's Committee for World Disarmament, and helped found the National Council for the Prevention of War in 1921. La Follette and other women influenced governments to convene the Naval Arms Limitation Conference in 1922. After her husband's death on June 18, 1925, his seat in the U.S. Senate was offered to her, but she turned down the opportunity to become the first woman Senator, perhaps because it would have upset

792-688: Was an American politician. He was the 27th and 29th Governor of Wisconsin , as well as one of the founders of the Wisconsin Progressive Party . La Follette was born in Madison, Wisconsin , a member of the politically prominent La Follette family . He was the son of Wisconsin Congressman, Governor, and U.S. Senator Robert M. "Fighting Bob" La Follette Sr. , and Belle Case La Follette , brother of U.S. Senator Robert M. La Follette Jr. , brother of Fola La Follette , whose husband

825-404: Was as an assistant principal at Spring Green High School. During this time she didn't spend much time with her then fiancé, Bob, often to his chagrin. But Bob was equally busy serving as the new Dane County district attorney; so much so that he had to "remind" himself to attend their marriage ceremony. After the birth of their first child, Belle enjoyed motherhood but was also determined to retain

858-439: Was born on September 10, 1882. Fola married the playwright George Middleton on October 29, 1911. Robert Jr. , born in 1895, represented Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate from 1925 to 1947; Philip , born in 1897, served three terms as governor of Wisconsin; and Mary, born in 1899. Robert Jr. and Philip began the Wisconsin Progressive Party , which briefly held a dominant role in Wisconsin politics. Belle's first job upon graduating

891-482: Was declared, he abandoned his opposition and joined the U.S. Army , serving on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur . He would later spearhead a slate of delegates to the 1948 Republican National Convention supporting MacArthur's nomination for the presidency. Such a slate included many people La Follette had opposed during the Great Depression, but turned to out of a common interest to support MacArthur,

924-655: Was defeated in the Republican primary by Joe McCarthy . During its heyday, the Progressive Party usually did not run candidates in the Socialists (known as the " sewer socialists ") stronghold of Milwaukee . There were strong ideological differences between the two movements as the two aligned with differing national parties. (Socialist State Representative George L. Tews said during a 1932 debate on unemployment compensation and how to fund it argued for

957-476: Was his "wisest and best counselor", This is not partial judgement, the Progressive leaders of Wisconsin who welcomed her to our conferences would bear witness. Her grasp of the great problems, sociological and economic, is surpassed by any of the strong men who have been associated with me in my work. La Follette was active in the women's suffrage movement at the state and national levels. Beginning in 1909, to express her views on women's suffrage and other topics of

990-566: Was known as "Phil" on the streets of Madison during his governorship, much as his father had been known as simply "Bob". His governorship saw the implementation of many of the progressive measures of the New Deal , with La Follette being responsible for the implementation of some of them on the state level before the Roosevelt Administration could do so on the national level. La Follette was defeated seeking reelection as governor in 1938. That spring he had attempted to launch

1023-486: Was the district attorney for Dane County, Wisconsin , from 1925 to 1927. La Follette was Governor of Wisconsin from 1931 to 1933 and 1935 to 1939. He was first elected as a progressive member of the Republican Party in the 1930 election. After a defeat in the 1932 Republican Primary, however, La Follette, along with his brother, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., created the Wisconsin Progressive Party and both ran successfully under its ticket in 1934. The gregarious governor

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1056-591: Was the nominee on the Progressive party line for State Treasurer of Wisconsin . The last politician to hold office from the Wisconsin Progressive Party nationally was Merlin Hull , a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin, elected as a Progressive in 1944. (Hull continued to be re-elected on the Republican ticket, and served until his death in 1953.) Philip La Follette Philip Fox La Follette (May 8, 1897 – August 18, 1965)

1089-649: Was the playwright George Middleton , and uncle of Wisconsin Attorney General Bronson La Follette . La Follette served as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Infantry in 1918, during World War I. In 1919 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Wisconsin and in 1922 a Bachelor of Laws degree. He married Isabel Bacon (1898–1973) in 1923. They had three children: son Robert (c. 1927), and daughters Judith (c. 1929) and Sherry (1936). He

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