Gardner R. Withrow

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Gardner Robert Withrow (October 5, 1892Template:SpndSeptember 23, 1964) was an American union representative and Progressive Republican politician from La Crosse, Wisconsin. He served ten terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing western Wisconsin from 1931 to 1939, then again from 1949 to 1961. During his first term, he represented Wisconsin's 7th congressional district, for the other nine terms he represented Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. Before being elected to congress, he served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1927). He was a fourth cousin of Abraham Lincoln.[1]

Early life

Gardner Withrow was born, raised, and lived most of his life in La Crosse, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, he briefly studied law under his brother, Frank E. Withrow, but ultimately went to work for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad as a fireman and conductor.[2] Through his employment, he became a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen labor union. During World War I, he served eight months on active duty with the Wisconsin National Guard in the 3rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and supported the Pancho Villa Expedition on the Mexico border.[3]

In early 1926, Withrow was charged with assault for allegedly punching the operator of a streetcar which collided with his car. His brother, Frank, served as his defense attorney and the jury acquitted him after 12 minutes of deliberation.[4]

Political career

By 1925, Withrow was selected by his union to serve as one of their lobbyists to the state legislature.[5] Through his political activities, he also became a member of the La Follette Progressive Republican Committee of La Crosse County. In 1926, he won the Republican nomination for Wisconsin State Assembly in La Crosse County's 1st district (comprising most of the city of La Crosse).[6] Withrow easily prevailed in the general election with 68% of the vote.[7] During the 1927 legislative term, Governor Fred R. Zimmerman, a stalwart Republican, sought to lower the income tax and offset the revenue by raising the property tax. Withrow was a leader of the progressive resistance to those measures, describing it as an attempt to raise taxes on farmers to reduce taxes on wealthy business owners.[8]

First election to congress

File:1912 WI Cong 07.svg
Wisconsin's 7th congressional district 1912–1931

In 1928, U.S. representative Joseph D. Beck announced he would run for Governor of Wisconsin rather than seeking another term in Congress. Withrow chose to abandon his Assembly re-election to enter the Republican primary to succeed Beck as representative of Wisconsin's 7th congressional district. The progressive Republicans of the district quickly rallied around Withrow, but several other prominent politicians joined the race anyway, including Merlin Hull, a former secretary of state who ran in the primary two previous times, and Otto Bosshard and Alexander Frederick, who had both served several terms in the Assembly.[9] Withrow ultimately fell 2,300 votes short of Merlin Hull, who won the primary with 35% of the vote.[10]

Withrow ran again in 1930, launching a primary challenge against Hull. Withrow sought to emphasize his campaign as supporting farmers' interests against the business interests which he alleged were represented by his stalwart Republican opponent.[11] This time there were no other candidates in the race; Withrow won the head-to-head primary against Hull with 52% of the vote.[12] He faced only a Prohibition Party opponent in the general election, but Hull received a large number of write-in votes. Withrow prevailed with 82% of the vote.[13]

The 72nd Congress was one of the most closely divided in American history. Withrow and seven other Wisconsin progressive Republicans led a faction of holdouts which refused to help organize the House until Republican leadership agreed to several of their policy prescriptions for the Great Depression. Their demands included support for unemployment and agricultural relief programs.[14] However, the issue became moot as Democrats took the majority before Republicans could pass an organizing resolution.

File:1931 WI Cong 03.svg
Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district 1932–1963

Due to the Reapportionment Act of 1929, Wisconsin lost a congressional seat in reapportionment following the 1930 United States census. This resulted in a significant redrawing of Wisconsin's congressional districts. Under the new plan, passed during a special session of the 1931 legislature, Withrow resided in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district—roughly the southwest quadrant of the state. In the new district, Withrow faced another difficult primary against a stalwart Republican opponent, Charles A. Dittman. Withrow prevailed with 58% of the vote.[15] In the 1932 general election, a Democratic wave saw Republicans lose 101 seats, but Withrow easily defeated his Democratic opponent, attorney John J. Boyle.[16]

During the 73rd Congress, Withrow supported several of the new initiatives of Democratic president Franklin D. Roosevelt.[17][18] In the midst of the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike, Withrow led a successful bipartisan effort to bring a vote on a 30-hour work week for railroad employees, gathering enough signatures on a discharge petition to force a vote on his bill. But the House Committee with jurisdiction then voted to report the bill without their recommendation, which effectively killed it.[19]

Progressive party

In May 1934, the Wisconsin Progressive Party officially split from the Republican Party of Wisconsin after three decades of bitter primary battles and intra-party feuding. Withrow did not attend the Progressive Party's organizing convention, but said he would poll his constituents and abide by their sentiment as to the split.[20] Withrow formally announced in July 1934 that he would run for re-election on the Progressive Party ticket.[21] In the 1934 election, Withrow easily won his third term in Congress, defeating Republican Levi H. Bancroft and Democrat Bart E. McGonigle.[16] During the 74th Congress, Withrow continued to vote in support of New Deal programs, and also supported the Democratic attempts to curb the power of the Supreme Court in response to their striking down several New Deal programs.[22] He won re-election again in 1936 with 51% of the vote.[16] He also pushed for benefits and compensation for the Bonus Army. The Recession of 1937–1938 and backlash against Roosevelt led to a Republican resurgence in 1938; Withrow lost re-election, along with five of the seven other progressives in Congress.[16]

He was succeeded by Republican Harry W. Griswold, who died of a heart attack less than a year later. Despite the vacancy, there was no special election called by Governor Julius P. Heil and the seat remained empty for three quarters of the 76th Congress.[23] Withrow chose to run again for the seat in 1940, but lost a close election to Republican William H. Stevenson.[16] In 1940, Withrow was opposed to the United States entering World War II, but in announcing his campaign in 1942, he made it clear that he then supported prosecuting the war to victory.[24] Throughout the 1942 campaign, he made significant efforts to distance himself from past isolationist positions and criticized his Republican rival for his votes against pre-war preparedness policies.[25] Withrow fell short again in another close election; Stevenson winning the election with 47% of the vote.[16]

While out of office, Withrow returned to lobbying on behalf of the railroad brotherhood in Madison, Wisconsin.[26] He also served as a mediator in labor disputes.[27] In 1946, the Progressive Party disbanded with the majority of delegates voting to return to the Republican Party. Withrow followed that move and rejoined the Republican Party. He ran for sheriff of La Crosse County that fall,[28] but lost the primary to Vernon H. Lamp.

Return to congress

Undeterred by four straight election losses, Withrow announced in 1948 that he would launch a primary challenge against William H. Stevenson to reclaim the 3rd congressional district seat he had previously represented. His campaign announcement listed a number of political grievances against Stevenson, saying he had been silent on the economic pain of his constituents and the problems faced by organized labor, and again criticized Stevenson for isolationist votes and their potential economic impact in Wisconsin.[29] Withrow prevailed by about 1400 votes in the Republican primary, and went on to an easy victory in the general election.[16][30]

He faced another difficult primary in 1950, against state senator Foster B. Porter and businessman Joseph F. Walsh. Withrow survived by just 879 votes, receiving 36% in the primary. Nevertheless, Withrow still won a substantial victory in the general election over Democratic nominee Patrick Lucey.[16][31] William H. Stevenson returned for a rematch in the 1952 Republican primary, but Withrow prevailed again in another close election.[32]

In 1958, Withrow was involved in a controversy due to his association with Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. Withrow was counted among Trujillo's defenders in Congress at a time when he was receiving American aide and his political enemies were dying mysterious deaths in the United States, but no illicit relationship was ever alleged or proved.[3][33][34]

Throughout his career, he remained a progressive Republican; he voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960.[35][36]

In October 1959, Withrow announced that he would retire at the end of the 81st Congress.[37]

Personal life and family

Gardner Withrow was the third son of Thomas C. Withrow and his wife Helen E. (Template:Nee Baxter). Gardner's elder brother, Frank Edwin Withrow, was a prominent lawyer in La Crosse for 59 years; at the time of his death he was described as the dean of the La Crosse bar.[38] Withrow was a fourth cousin of Abraham Lincoln; his paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Hanks, was a descendant of Lincoln's great-great-great-grandfather, William Hanks Sr.

Gardner Withrow married twice. His first wife was Martha Amelia Riehl, who died in 1944.[39] Two years later, he remarried with Anne L. Gilligan.[40] He had no children from either marriage.[41]

Gardner Withrow died at a La Crosse hospital after a long illness. He was interred at La Crosse's Oak Grove Cemetery.[3]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1926)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1926 General[7] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 4,149 68.61% E. J. Kneen valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 1,701 28.13% 6,047 2,448
D. C. Chappel valign="top" Template:Party shading/Prohibition | Proh. 197 3.26%

U.S. House, Wisconsin 7th district (1928, 1930)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1928 Primary[10] Template:Nobreak Merlin Hull rowspan="4" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 15,821 34.99% Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 13,508 29.87% 45,219 2,313
Otto Bosshard valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 6,686 14.79%
Lyall Wright valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 5,059 11.19%
A. E. Frederick valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 4,145 9.17%
1930 Primary[12] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 28,602 52.02% Merlin Hull (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 26,370 47.96% 54,979 2,232
General[13] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 31,530 82.28% Merlin Hull (inc-write in) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 5,606 14.63% 38,322 25,924
Oliver Needham valign="top" Template:Party shading/Prohibition | Proh. 1,178 3.07%

U.S. House, Wisconsin 3rd district (1932–1942)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1932 Primary[15] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 42,453 57.61% Charles A. Dittman valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 31,230 42.38% 73,688 11,223
General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 59,535 60.64% John J. Boyle valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 38,646 39.36% 98,181 20,889
1934 Primary[42] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Progressive 17,100 81.44% Otto F. Christenson valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Prog. 3,892 18.54% 20,996 13,208
General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) rowspan="3" valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Progressive 47,311 52.08% Levi H. Bancroft valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 25,851 28.46% 90,841 21,460
Bart E. McGonigle valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 17,222 39.36%
Frank Driefke valign="top" Template:Party shading/Socialist | Soc. 452 0.50%
1936 General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) rowspan="2" valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Progressive 56,141 51.15% J. Charles Pile valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 38,698 35.26% 109,762 17,443
Bart E. McGonigle valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 14,920 13.59%
1938 General[16] Template:Nobreak Harry W. Griswold rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 43,495 50.06% Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Prog. 36,509 42.02% 86,891 6,986
Bart E. McGonigle valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 6,887 7.93%
1940 Primary[43] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Progressive 11,810 87.75% Charles D. Rosa valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Prog. 1,649 12.25% 13,459 10,161
General[16] Template:Nobreak William H. Stevenson rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 54,457 45.99% Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Prog. 52,131 44.03% 118,399 2,326
George T. Doherty valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 11,806 9.97%
1942 General[16] Template:Nobreak William H. Stevenson (inc) rowspan="3" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 34,177 46.87% Gardner R. Withrow valign="top" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) | Prog. 31,092 42.64% 72,917 3,085
William D. Carroll valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 7,385 10.13%
Henry A. Ochsner valign="top" Template:Party shading/Socialist | Soc. 258 0.35%

U.S. House, Wisconsin 3rd district (1948–1958)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1948 Primary[30] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 20,099 41.04% William H. Stevenson (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 18,716 38.22% 48,970 1,383
Carl Neprud valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 10,155 20.74%
General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 69,727 69.17% Frank J. Antoine valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 30,650 30.40% 100,809 39,077
Clarence J. Habelman valign="top" Template:Party shading/Socialist | Soc. 411 0.41%
1950 Primary[31] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 15,847 35.72% Foster B. Porter valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 14,968 33.74% 44,365 879
Joseph F. Walsh valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 13,550 30.54%
General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 54,783 58.76% Patrick Lucey valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 38,265 41.04% 93,237 16,518
Walter Alexander valign="top" Template:Party shading/Socialist | Soc. 180 0.19%
1952 Primary[32] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 32,062 51.33% William H. Stevenson valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 30,404 48.67% 62,466 1,658
General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 96,908 75.07% Edna Brown valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 32,165 24.92% 129,085 64,743
1954 Primary[44] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) rowspan="2" valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 20,108 47.28% John Bosshard valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 15,466 36.36% 42,532 4,642
Arthur O. Mockrud valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Rep. 6,958 16.36%
General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 56,228 62.05% Joseph A. Seep valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 34,375 37.94% 90,615 21,853
1956 General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 74,000 61.20% Norman Clapp valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 46,911 38.80% 120,914 27,089
1958 General[16] Template:Nobreak Gardner R. Withrow (inc) valign="top" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican 47,858 51.20% Norman Clapp valign="top" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dem. 45,608 48.80% 93,467 2,250

References

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External links

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Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the La Crosse 1st district
January 3, 1927Template:SpndJanuary 7, 1929 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
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Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Template:US State Abbrev|U.S. House of Representatives]]
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1931-1933 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Template:US State Abbrev|U.S. House of Representatives]]
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1933-1939 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Template:US State Abbrev|U.S. House of Representatives]]
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1949-1961 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
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