La Follette, Robert Marion, 1855-1925, American political leader, U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1906-25), b. Primrose, Wis.

Early Career

Admitted (1880) to the Wisconsin bar, he practiced in Madison, Wis., and was district attorney (1880-84) of Dane co. As U.S. Representative (1885-91), he generally followed the traditionally conservative policies of the Republican party. After a political conflict that led to his break with the state Republican leaders, La Follette began to formulate a detailed reform program and, appealing directly to the people, to build a broad constituency. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1896 and 1898 and finally won it in 1900. As governor of Wisconsin (1901-6) he secured a direct primary law, tax reform legislation, railroad rate control, and other measures that became collectively known as the Wisconsin Idea.

U.S. Senator

In 1906 La Follette entered the U.S. Senate and served until his death. At odds with the conservative leadership of President Taft, La Follette helped found (1911) the National Progressive Republican League; its aim was to wrest the Republican presidential nomination from Taft in 1912 and secure it for La Follette. When Theodore Roosevelt announced his candidacy for the nomination, however, many of La Follette's supporters switched to Roosevelt, who eventually ran on the Progressive party ticket.

In the Senate, La Follette generally supported the reform measures of President Wilson's administration, championing federal railroad regulation, sponsoring (1915) the act that elevated and regulated conditions of maritime employment, and advocating (1913) passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He broke with the Wilson administration, however, when he resisted the increasing tendency to side with the Allies; he led the resistance to arming merchant ships and voted against the U.S. declaration of war. He afterward supported war legislation, but made every effort to place the financial burden on the rich. From 1919 to 1925 he was one of the most powerful men in the Senate. He opposed the League of Nations and the Permanent Court of International Justice (the World Court) and fought the U.S. postwar deflation policy. In 1924 he ran for President on the Progressive ticket and polled 5 million votes. The strain of the campaign sapped his strength, and he died the following summer.

Other Family Members

Robert La Follete's wife, Belle Case La Follette, 1859-1931, b. Juneau co., Wis., obtained a law degree, worked for woman suffrage, engaged in journalism, and ably advised her husband throughout his life. Their older son, Robert Marion La Follette, Jr., 1895-1953, b. Madison, Wis., assisted (1919-25) his father as secretary, then succeeded him in the U.S. Senate and served there until 1947, when he was defeated in the Wisconsin primaries. "Young Bob," as he was known, also championed tax reform and backed New Deal legislation until the passage of the 1938 naval expansion bill. Another son, Philip Fox La Follette, 1897-1965, b. Madison, Wis., served (1931-33, 1935-39) as governor of Wisconsin.

La Follette is a city in Campbell County, Tennessee ,United States. Its population was 7,926 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the La Follette, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area which includes all of Campbell County and is a component of the Knoxville-Sevierville-La Follette Combined Statistical Area. The city is named after its founders.

Located in eastern Tennessee, it is near Norris Lake (a part of the Norris Highlands region) and northwest of Knoxville on the Cumberland Plateau. La Follette is a former coal mining center. It is also the birth place noted musician Howard "Louie Blueie" Armstrong. The southern gospel/bluegrass family singing group, The Isaacs, are from La Follette.

History

Harvey and Grant LaFollette purchased 37,000 acres where the present community lies around 1890. They founded the LaFollette Coal, Iron and Railway Company in order to exploit mineral resources they had observed. Although the business failed during the 1920s, the community continued to grow.

The City of La Follette was incorporated in 1897.

Geography

La Follette is located at (36.375006, -84.127623).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.6 km²), all of it land. The elevation varies around the city, around in the valley areas to on ridge tops. The average elevation is around .

US Route 25W and State highways 9 and 63 run conjointly through the community. Interstate 75 is located to the west.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,926 people, 3,422 households, and 2,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,624.7 people per square mile (627.1/km²). There were 3,779 housing units at an average density of 774.6/sq mi (299.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.89% White, 0.54% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 3,422 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $18,370, and the median income for a family was $24,235. Males had a median income of $25,541 versus $18,835 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,355. About 28.3% of families and 33.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.7% of those under age 18 and 21.1% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

• LaFollette Press newspaper
• Official web site