Commems Collection Modern: What If? 2008/2011 "Robert M. LA Follette"

This is the story of a State-focused coin proposal that was intended to financially help at a national level...I give you the Robert M. Follette Silver Dollar proposal.

The Robert Marion Follette Silver Dollar commemorative coin proposal was an example of perseverance, albeit unsuccessful.. The first bill to propose the coin was introduced in the Senate in June 2005, Follow-up bills were introduced in 2007 and 2009 - three in the Senate, two in the House of Representatives. Including the 2005 bill, seven different proposals were introduced in three different Congresses across an overall period of approximately four years in an attempt to honor Wisconsin's Robert Follette, Sr.

Each of the bills called for "coins in commemoration of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., in recognition of his important contributions to the Progressive movement, the State of Wisconsin, and the United States."

Robert Marion La Folette - Circa 1891-1894

(Image Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public Domain.)

Each bill included an extensive "Findings" section:

"The Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Robert M. La Follette, Sr., better known as "Fighting Bob" La Follette, was born more than 150 years ago, on June 14, 1855, in Primrose, Wisconsin.

(2) Fighting Bob was elected to 3 terms in the United States House of Representatives, 3 terms as Governor of Wisconsin, and 4 terms as a United States Senator.

(3) Fighting Bob founded the Progressive wing of the Republican Party.

(4) Fighting Bob was a lifelong supporter of civil rights and women's suffrage, earning respect and support from such distinguished Americans as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman Upton.

(5) Fighting Bob helped to make the "Wisconsin Idea" a reality at the Federal and State level, instituting election reforms, environmental conservation, railroad rate regulation, increased education funding, and business regulation.

(6) Fighting Bob was a principal advocate for the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which calls for the election of United States Senators by popular vote.

(7) Fighting Bob delivered an historic speech, "Free Speech in Wartime", opposing the public persecution of those who sought to hold their Government accountable.

(8) Fighting Bob played a key role in exposing the corruption during the Teapot Dome Scandal.

(9) Fighting Bob and his wife, Belle Case La Follette, founded La Follette's Weekly, now renamed The Progressive, a monthly magazine for the Progressive community.

(10) Fighting Bob ran for the presidency on the Progressive ticket in 1924, winning more than 17 percent of the popular vote.

(11) The Library of Congress recognized Fighting Bob in 1985 by naming the Congressional Research Service reading room in the Madison Building in honor of both Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and his son, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., for their shared commitment to the development of a legislative research service to support the United States Congress.

(12) Fighting Bob was honored in 1929 with 1 of 2 statues representing the State of Wisconsin in National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol.

(13) Fighting Bob was chosen as 1 of "Five Outstanding Senators" by the Special Committee on the Senate Reception Room in 1957.

(14) A portrait of Fighting Bob was unveiled in the Senate Reception Room in March 1959.

(15) Fighting Bob was revered by his supporters for his unwavering support of his ideals, and for his tenacious pursuit of a more just and accountable Government."

To add some details to Finding (2) above: Robert La Follette, Sr. served in the House of Representatives from 1885 to 1891; was the Wisconsin Governor from 1891 to 1896 and served in the Senate from 1906 until his death in 1925.

Senator Russell Dana Feingold (D-WI) introduced a Follette coin bill four times, in the 109th, 110th (twice) and 111th Congresses. Each time, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced Folette coin bills in the 110th and 111th Congresses. Baldwin's bills were referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology.

Each of the bills called for the striking of up to 500,000 Silver Dollars of standard specifications, with a design "emblematic of the life and accomplishments of Robert M. La Follette, Sr."

None of the bills specified an outside sponsor/beneficiary. Instead, the $10 surcharge to be collected on each coin sold was to be deposited in the US Mint Public Enterprise Fund. (Note: Congress established the Fund in 1996, and it was designed to receive funds collected by the Mint and to pay the expenses of the Mint.) As such, these "local flavor" bills were designed to support a nationally-focused enterprise - the US Mint - vs. a private organization.

None of the bills was reported out of Committee and so never became a reality. Robert Follette, Sr. was most definitely not "just another Senator," but I wonder if his progressive legacy actually worked against him being honored with a commemorative coin. Makes me wonder how many Conservatives were on the Committee at the times the bills were referred?


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other What If? stories from the classic and modern US commemorative series, see: Commems Collection.