Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-06-27

KCI6EA 4 MANI
were John ]. La Toilette and his wife,
who landed in New Jersey in 1745
Each of their four sons was soldier
in the Revolution. The west beck
oned to them at the end of the war.
They drove horses into Wisconsin
and sold them In the state. Three
went further west, but Joshua bought
land near Primrose. 20 miles south
west of Madison. Primrose was the
birthplace of Senator La Toilette.
Gets First Office at rs
Mr.. La Toilette, brilliant student
at the University Of Wisconsin, took
to politics as a young man. AT the
age of 25 and in the summer of 1880
he decided to run for district attor-
ney Of Dane county. lie was elected
by a majority Of 90 votes over the
opposition of the political powers Of
that county Two years later he was
the only republican county candidate
in Dane to be reelected.
Then Mr.. La Toilette won out in
spirited campaign for congress, serv-
ing in the house of representatives
from 1885 to 1891. He was defeated
for fourth term in wave Of re
action against the Bennett law. He
was first elected governor Of Wiscon-
sin in 1900 and twice reelected. This
period marked the fullest development
of the La Toilette progressive move
ment in the state, with the conserva-
tives fighting for every inch Of ground
as Mr.. La Toilette won notable vic
tories In the legislature.
In Senate 10 Years
Mr.. La Toilette was elected United
States senator by the legislature Jan.
rs. 1905, resigning the goVernorship
II months later to 60 to Washington
He continued in the senatorsmp up
to the time of his death.
The senior senator seemed to have
reached the peak of his political pow
err ia 1912 when the progressiyes
turned 70 him as their candidate for
president, only to change front in q
rally to Theodore Roosevelt. For a
time he fell back IN national politics,
but came forward again soon after the
World war.
once more in 1924 the progressiyes
and liberals looked 10 him as their
leader in the presidential contest. he
became an independent candidate
against President Coolidge, carrying
Wisconsin by $4,000 votes, but fail
ing to carry any other state. with
Mr.. La Follette's defeat the new party
movement faded out
Showed Insurgency Early
Mr.. La Toilette went to the house
Of representatives when he was 20
after he had been district attorney
of Dane county for two terms Speak
or Reed, the celebrated "czar," put
him on the ways and means commit
tee, when he helped William McKin-
ley frame his tariff bill Even that
far back, when he was the youngest
member of the house, Mr. La Toilette
showed signs of becoming the insur-
gent generalissimo Of late years by
speaking against administration river
and harbor bills and by otherwise try
ing to circumveut ttt old Guard
Career Aided BY Wife
Mr. La Toilette acknowledged that
much Of lis success in public life was
due to tile wise counsel Of lis wife
She studied law so SIS ID be able to
give hIn sill more assistance. she
was his secretary when lie was a
member If the house For years she
occupied q prominent place i'm ALL the
councils o. La Toilette aud his lieu
tenants III his last campaign for tie
senate in 1922 she toured The state.
making speeches for her husband and
his associates on the ticket Her
maiden name was Belle Case and hpr
home was ln Baraboo. The La Fol
Iettes being essentially home people.
the world IF society las little attrac-
ton for them
Sons 10 Politics
Philip. tie oldest son, Is a member
Of the Madison law firm headed by
his father and district attorney Of
Dane county, as was his father. Rob
ert Ia Toilette jr, is chairman of the
republican state central committees
fola, a leader ia tie femininisr move
nent, is the wife of George Middle
ton, playwright Of New York "A