Thank you, Ben, for this clear and passionate account of what’s at stake here, and of these history-making times! I’m thinking of Wisconsin history in a longer frame, as well - “The stirring of political and social change reputedly occurred on September 17, 1891, when Republican leader Philetus Sawyer offered 35-year-old attorney a brib…
Thank you, Ben, for this clear and passionate account of what’s at stake here, and of these history-making times! I’m thinking of Wisconsin history in a longer frame, as well - “The stirring of political and social change reputedly occurred on September 17, 1891, when Republican leader Philetus Sawyer offered 35-year-old attorney a bribe to fix a court case. Furious, La Follette refused it, later saying, "Nothing else ever came into my life that exerted such a powerful influence upon me."
For the rest of the decade, La Follette traveled around the state speaking out against crooked politicians, powerful lumber barons, and corrupt railroad interests. Elected governor in 1900, he pledged to institute reforms to protect common people. Those who followed him called themselves "Progressive" Republicans. They believed that the proper business of government was not business, but service to the common people.” https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS3588
Thank you, Ben, for this clear and passionate account of what’s at stake here, and of these history-making times! I’m thinking of Wisconsin history in a longer frame, as well - “The stirring of political and social change reputedly occurred on September 17, 1891, when Republican leader Philetus Sawyer offered 35-year-old attorney a bribe to fix a court case. Furious, La Follette refused it, later saying, "Nothing else ever came into my life that exerted such a powerful influence upon me."
For the rest of the decade, La Follette traveled around the state speaking out against crooked politicians, powerful lumber barons, and corrupt railroad interests. Elected governor in 1900, he pledged to institute reforms to protect common people. Those who followed him called themselves "Progressive" Republicans. They believed that the proper business of government was not business, but service to the common people.” https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS3588