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

livery and posing are all right but you
haven't got stomach enough tpresuma.
bly, referring to his small stature} You
may get to congress on the strength of
your dramatic powers"
LaFcliette was admitted 10 the bar a
year after issgraduation. having taken
year in the law school and studied in
an Office. 1t does not appear that he
shone here in scholarship but he was
conspicuous in the country and was
promptly elected district attorney
rather an unusual sequence at a count,
seat so crammed with excellent law
yers as Madison. He was reelected
and so served four years. Then he
went to congress. at the age OF 20. the
youngest member. and served six years.
All these years he has had a law con-
nection and a good income. He has
ever been a worker to a tremendous
extent, and although he has very
tough frame, his encroachments on the
night and his aversion to vacations
lead TO periodical break-downs.
His Standing at the Bar.
But these political Interruptions are
foreign to the highest achievements in
the legal professions. There is all the
work Mr.. LaFollete wants, if he will
take 1t. Until this latest eruption Sam
Harper told me his friend had $40 600
practice. But when a campaign is on
the offices become the storm center of
tremendous political activity, and no
man can serve two masters Mean
While the years are slipping by and the
brilliant LaFol!ette's spurs as an adj
vocate must be won soon, if ever.
Mr. LaFollette's first opponent was
Senator r. NJ. Bashford of Madison,
who was Governor Taylor's private sec
rotary and son-in-law. That was he
first run for the district attorneyship,
and in the Garfield campaign. Two
years later he defeated Attorney Hayes
(now Of Ashland) by an increased ma
jority, feud in the party having been
healed up. and this prestige made him
: available as congressional candidate.
The anti Toilette man says that La
Toilette has never cast a large vote
and an admirer retorts that the cold
liners" have always had it In for HIM"
at the polls. He is certainly an indie
pendent and was never put together 10
be amenable to anyone but himself.
MIR. LaFollette's home life is unusual
ly beautiful. The wife in her way is as
remarkable as he She was a Miss
Case and spent her childhood In. Bara-
boo, though born in Summit, Juneau
county. She graduated from the state
university in 1879, taking the Lewis
prize for the best commencement ora
ton and looking back on eight sue
cessive school years without losing one
recitation. They were married in 1881.
and a little later she took the law
course fanother Bryan paraleD, though
the demands of Washington social life
soon put an end to any aspirations for
practical work. There are two chill
dren- Flora, a daughter just budding
into womanhood, and sweet baby boy
who bears his fathers full name. The
LaFollettes have modest home over
looking one of Madison's lakes, ad1oi..-
ing the home of Judge Siebecker of the
circuit court. brother-in law
A Handsome Pair on Horseback.
They attend the Unitarian church.
and may sometimes be seen riding
horseback, and handsome couple they
make Mrs. LaFOllette is much inter-
ested In the physical culture of women
and has done much 20 promote classes
In exercise az well as to aid in all move
ments that make for good
Mr.. LaFollette has his quota of the
grand stand" element, and he is a con-
sumate political organizer. He knows
men; moreover, his judgment in public
affairs is good, and it is significant that
no one questions he is capable of max
ing a governor or q federal senator
Next to the enthusiastic loyalty of his
friends the most attractive feature of
Mr.. LaFoliette is his integrity in pri-
yate and public life. If he could enjoy
a good story and forgive his enemies
the tree OF fate might shake large, red
apples in his lap. But to cherish
wrongs and to respect no ones good
judgment but his own, is to mar the
content of ones own soul and to in
crease the hosts of ones enemies. Ros-
coe Conklin did it for a season, and IT
was majestic to watch, but he was a
very large edition of human greatness
Even he, when the blizzard of 'S3 buried
his body in the streets of New York
ushered in AN eclipse of his fame. Mr.
LaFollette should cultivate the genial
large-hearted. ail-embracing character
of Blaine. or his own personal friend
Mckinley, whose stars shine brighter
as they recede in the empyrean OF rec
objection.
Why lead faction. when one might
head a party. or even a people?
ORLANDO BURNETT.