Robert M. La Follette, Sr. Quotes

• Men must be aggressive for what is right if government is to be saved from men who are aggressive for what is wrong.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Men, Evil, Politician

  "The Perils of Passive Citizenship". Robert M. La Follette, Sr.'s speech in Washington, D.C., August 11, 1924.

  245 Copy quote

• Let no man think we can deny civil liberty to others and retain it for ourselves.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Men, Thinking, Liberty

  164 Copy quote

• The will of the people shall be the law of the land

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Law, Land, People

  126 Copy quote

• God, how patient are Thy poor! These corporations and masters of manipulation in finance heaping up great fortunes by a system of legalized extortion, and then exacting from the contributors-to whom a little means so much-a double share to guard the treasure!

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Mean, Economic Inequality, Manipulation

  "American Political Rhetoric: Essential Speeches and Writings on Founding Principles and Contemporary Controversies" by Peter Augustine Lawler, The Danger Threatening Representative Government (1897), August 16, 2010.

  127 Copy quote

• Democracy is a life, and involves continual struggle.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Struggle, Democracy

  "Bill Moyers’ farewell message to young activists: ‘Over to you. Welcome to the fight’". www.rawstory.com. January 2, 2015.

  38 Copy quote

• Wealth has never yet sacrificed itself on the altar of patriotism.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Wealth, Altars

  "La Follette Fights for Higher War Tax". New York Times, August 22, 1917.

  69 Copy quote

• Publicity, discussion, and agitation are necessary to accomplish any work of lasting benefit.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Agitation, Benefits, Publicity

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.'s speech in Evansville, Indiana (July 7, 1906), as quoted in Michael Wolraich "Unreasonable Men: Theodore Roosevelt and the Republican Rebels Who Created Progressive Politics", July 22, 2014.

  58 Copy quote

• Let no man think we can deny civil liberty to others and retain it for ourselves. When zealous agents of the Government arrest suspected "radicals" without warrant, hold them without prompt trial, deny them access to counsel and admission of bail....we have shorn the Bill of Rights of its sanctity.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Men, Thinking, Rights

  88 Copy quote

• In times of peace, the war party insists on making preparation for war. As soon as prepared for, it insists on making war.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Peace, War, Party

  61 Copy quote

• Every nation has its war party. It is not the party of democracy. It is the party of autocracy. It seeks to dominate absolutely.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Peace, War, Party

  57 Copy quote

• If there is no sufficient reason for war, the war party will make war on one pretext, then invent another.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Peace, War, Party

  36 Copy quote

• The principle of free speech is no new doctrine born of the Constitution of the United States. It is a heritage of English-speaking peoples, which has been won by incalculable sacrifice, and which they must preserve so long as they hope to live as free men.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Freedom, Responsibility, Sacrifice

  48 Copy quote

• Every nation has its war party... It is commercial, imperialistic, ruthless. It tolerates no opposition.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  War, Party, Ruthless

  40 Copy quote

• Before the war is ended, the war party assumes the divine right to denounce and silence all opposition to war as unpatriotic and cowardly.

  Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

  Peace, War, Party

  34 Copy quote

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