Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-07-27

of Destiny" to His EoIlowers-No Joker
but Rich In Deathiess Loyalty-3eauti-
full Home Life of the LaFoilcttes.
Madison. July 2o.-Robert Marion La
Toilette has the physical outfit for
greatness. He has a strong, smooth
face, with chin Indicative OF determina-
ton and a. classical brow that is truly
handsome. The face would attract at
tention in crowd. Bryan and Fay
Mills the evangelist, have the same cast
Of face. but Bryan has a hooked nose
and Mills face is not so fine lined. Mr..
LaFollette is thick set, positively
chunky, in fact. For this he is called
the Little Giant" by his admirers. 1t
is an inheritance from the gentle. ac-
tive. little mother who is well remem-
bered in Madison. and from whom. too,
he inherited force of character. will
power. and an outfit of sterling man.
hood
Mr.. Blaine once said he had known
q good many inferior sons of forceful
women, but he had never known q
strong, masteIful, successful man who
did not have behind him a remarka-
BILE mother. by this he did not neces-
sarily mean a highly cultivated, pol
ished woman; but he did mean seri-
Gus minded, earnest, diligent, forceful
mother-in Short, what they call down
in New England "a smart woman" am
bilious for her boys and herself a reser-
voir Of character. Dawdlers and
dIeamers do not breed sons to rule.
Not an Accessible Statesman.
a nliafto q hI nd ~
black hair. which he wears pompadour
fashion. He has a pleasing voice. well
modulated In conversation and capable
of remarkable rhetorical effects in pub
lie address. He speaks with decision
and has q good deal Of genuine dignity.
He is not what is called good fell
low" among men. being quite devoid
of humor and seemingly never forget
full Of what is expected of a statesman.
He is Familiarity known as Bob" but
those who address him thus are few.
One can see him. however, occasionally,
in a hotel corridor with a cigar In his
mouth. usually unlighted; and there is
no awkward reticence on his part; but
the rollicking familiarity that some pol
iticians affect Is wholly absent. There
is usually a row OF bystanders rever-
emily looking on what they regard as q
man of destiny. The explanation of Mr..
LaFollett6 Is probably his great ambi-
ton He takes life seriously and his
thoughts and aims are concentrated on
something. some public Policy. perhaps,
or some new honor: and the trifies and
jocositie3 that interest most men have
no part in his theory of a career.
that Mr.. LaFollette does. He rarely
shows himself in public, and Madison
sees little of him. 1t is next to inIpossi-
BILE to get q speech out of him, even on
a state occasion. He is never seen at
the round of banquets and speechmak.
ing functions, though always invited.
The semi centennial management
sought In every way to get him to make
a public appearance, but in vain. This
mystery that envelopes the public man
even extends to his office. 1t Is only
by a long wait III the ante-room that
one can see him. and telephone call
for an interview is apt to be met by a
plea Of pressing duties. and the petit
toner sidetracked. This sort of thing,
no doubt. impresses many. but it Is not
the traditional way to get popular with
the masses. Only genuine merit and
commanding qualities can command ad-
herence from the rank and file Of us
Americans who want to feel near" our
idols.
1t should be said that the stranger in
town. after being thus chilled on his
approach, is often appointed to an in
terview later or to dinner; and the re-
suit is an enthusiastic loyalty to MIR.
LaFollette. Moreover. many of those
who are most devoted, these young
Madison lawyers and others. who work
most slavishly and disinterestedly out
of pure admiration, have known him
for many years.
Log Cabin and Hard Work.
Mr.. LaFollette's career reflects great
credit for he has earned his way. 1t is
not strange that he takes life serious
ly, for until he was well out of college
the bread and butter issue was seri-
Gus one with him. He is q pure Wis
consin product. He was born in the
town of Primrose in Dane county, in a
log cabin. The date was June ia. 1855
so he has just turned his ADD milestone.
When he was years old the family
IlONCQ pFGt iIto al SJIG, dCIpSS Tic
county line From then until he was
II he was busted with the country
school and farm duties. The name La
Toilette" is French canadian In its ex-
traction. While his boyhood home was
among the Norwegian Americans, and
he learned thoroughly to understand
them. the impression that he carries
their blood is, / believe, an error. He
Is, however. great fayorte among
them. Robert lost his own father when
an infant of l year. Older residents
remember him as a man Of character.
He was / believe. chairman Of the town
and a man of some local prominence,
The mother, too, richly endowed him.
She was an Indiana-born woman. and
OF southern extraction, her father being
q North Carolinian. and Of a Maryland
mother. She was thrice married, first
to q Buchanan, and some years after
Roberts father died to a Sexton. When
Robert was a colleGian she was O third
time widowed The relation between
the mother and this son. of whom she
prophesied great things, was close and
tender. Robert excelled as a boy In
declamations and in the spelling school,.
even as a college boy he was discovered
In tears one day. A lady now residing
in Madison relates the story. She was
teacher at the time and "Bobs' reci-
tation was below the average. She
spoke sharply to him and passed on.
Later she noticed the young man trying
10 keep back tears.
Surprised, she babe him tarry after
recitation, and being forced TO an eK-
PLANTATION. the student admitted he had
been working practically all Of the pre-
vious night, with no time left to pre-
pare his recitation.
After a term in a private academy
young LaF'oiiette entered the state uni
versity In the fall of 1873 He was ac-
tive in debating and literary societies
and spent much time on the college pa
pers, which were source OK revenue.
But he cut little figure az student by
reason of these distractions. Neverthe-
less, he was regarded as an interesting
and potential young man and in his
senior year these prophecies were part
ly fulfilled in an Grafton that
won for him and the univer-
sity much renown at the time.
National Greatness" Wendell
Phillips" etc.-young LaFollette. Sc
iectcd as his subject "Iago." 1t was
an analysis OF the Shakesperlan char
acter-ahout as difficult a subject for a
youth OF "a to say anything of merit
about as can ha conceived But the