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Gardner R. Withrow

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Gardner Robert Withrow (October 5, 1892 – September 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]

Gardner R. Withrow
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin
In office
January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1961
Preceded byWilliam H. Stevenson
Succeeded byVernon Wallace Thomson
Constituency3rd district
In office
March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939
Preceded byJohn M. Nelson
Succeeded byHarry W. Griswold
Constituency3rd district
In office
March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933
Preceded byMerlin Hull
Succeeded byGerald J. Boileau
Constituency7th district
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the La Crosse 1st district district
In office
January 3, 1927 – January 7, 1929
Preceded byJames D. H. Peterson
Succeeded byJohn Mulder
Personal details
BornOctober 5, 1892
La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedSeptember 23, 1964(1964-09-23) (aged 71)
La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeOak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse
Political party
Spouses
  • Martha Amelia Riehl
    ​
    (died 1944)​
  • Anne L. Gilligan
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1946⁠–⁠1964)​
OccupationRailroad conductor, union representative, politician
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceWisconsin National Guard
Years of service1916
Unit3rd Reg. Wis. Infantry
Battles/warsPancho Villa Expedition

Early life

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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

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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

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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.

 
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

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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

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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

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Gardner Withrow was the third son of Thomas C. Withrow and his wife Helen E. (née 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

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Wisconsin Assembly (1926)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1926 General[7] Nov. 2 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 4,149 68.61% E. J. Kneen Dem. 1,701 28.13% 6,047 2,448
D. C. Chappel Proh. 197 3.26%

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

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1928 Primary[10] Sep. 4 Merlin Hull Republican 15,821 34.99% Gardner R. Withrow Rep. 13,508 29.87% 45,219 2,313
Otto Bosshard Rep. 6,686 14.79%
Lyall Wright Rep. 5,059 11.19%
A. E. Frederick Rep. 4,145 9.17%
1930 Primary[12] Sep. 16 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 28,602 52.02% Merlin Hull (inc) Rep. 26,370 47.96% 54,979 2,232
General[13] Sep. 16 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 31,530 82.28% Merlin Hull (inc-write in) Rep. 5,606 14.63% 38,322 25,924
Oliver Needham Proh. 1,178 3.07%

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

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1932 Primary[15] Sep. 20 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 42,453 57.61% Charles A. Dittman Rep. 31,230 42.38% 73,688 11,223
General[16] Nov. 8 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 59,535 60.64% John J. Boyle Dem. 38,646 39.36% 98,181 20,889
1934 Primary[42] Sep. 18 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Progressive 17,100 81.44% Otto F. Christenson Prog. 3,892 18.54% 20,996 13,208
General[16] Nov. 8 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Progressive 47,311 52.08% Levi H. Bancroft Rep. 25,851 28.46% 90,841 21,460
Bart E. McGonigle Dem. 17,222 39.36%
Frank Driefke Soc. 452 0.50%
1936 General[16] Nov. 3 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Progressive 56,141 51.15% J. Charles Pile Rep. 38,698 35.26% 109,762 17,443
Bart E. McGonigle Dem. 14,920 13.59%
1938 General[16] Nov. 8 Harry W. Griswold Republican 43,495 50.06% Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Prog. 36,509 42.02% 86,891 6,986
Bart E. McGonigle Dem. 6,887 7.93%
1940 Primary[43] Sep. 17 Gardner R. Withrow Progressive 11,810 87.75% Charles D. Rosa Prog. 1,649 12.25% 13,459 10,161
General[16] Nov. 5 William H. Stevenson Republican 54,457 45.99% Gardner R. Withrow Prog. 52,131 44.03% 118,399 2,326
George T. Doherty Dem. 11,806 9.97%
1942 General[16] Nov. 3 William H. Stevenson (inc) Republican 34,177 46.87% Gardner R. Withrow Prog. 31,092 42.64% 72,917 3,085
William D. Carroll Dem. 7,385 10.13%
Henry A. Ochsner Soc. 258 0.35%

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

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1948 Primary[30] Sep. 21 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 20,099 41.04% William H. Stevenson (inc) Rep. 18,716 38.22% 48,970 1,383
Carl Neprud Rep. 10,155 20.74%
General[16] Nov. 2 Gardner R. Withrow Republican 69,727 69.17% Frank J. Antoine Dem. 30,650 30.40% 100,809 39,077
Clarence J. Habelman Soc. 411 0.41%
1950 Primary[31] Sep. 19 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 15,847 35.72% Foster B. Porter Rep. 14,968 33.74% 44,365 879
Joseph F. Walsh Rep. 13,550 30.54%
General[16] Nov. 7 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 54,783 58.76% Patrick Lucey Dem. 38,265 41.04% 93,237 16,518
Walter Alexander Soc. 180 0.19%
1952 Primary[32] Sep. 9 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 32,062 51.33% William H. Stevenson Rep. 30,404 48.67% 62,466 1,658
General[16] Nov. 4 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 96,908 75.07% Edna Brown Dem. 32,165 24.92% 129,085 64,743
1954 Primary[44] Sep. 14 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 20,108 47.28% John Bosshard Rep. 15,466 36.36% 42,532 4,642
Arthur O. Mockrud Rep. 6,958 16.36%
General[16] Nov. 2 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 56,228 62.05% Joseph A. Seep Dem. 34,375 37.94% 90,615 21,853
1956 General[16] Nov. 6 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 74,000 61.20% Norman Clapp Dem. 46,911 38.80% 120,914 27,089
1958 General[16] Nov. 4 Gardner R. Withrow (inc) Republican 47,858 51.20% Norman Clapp Dem. 45,608 48.80% 93,467 2,250

References

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  1. ^ "Business: Apparent Beliefs". Time. 1938-05-09. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  2. ^ "Withrow, Gardner R. 1892". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Gardner R. Withrow, Ex-Congressman, Dies". La Crosse Tribune. September 23, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Gardner Withrow Acquitted of Assault Charge". La Crosse Tribune. April 20, 1926. Retrieved June 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "New Lobbyists Registered". The Capital Times. March 11, 1925. p. 4. Retrieved June 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Holmes, Fred L., ed. (1927). "Biographical". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1927 (Report). Wisconsin State Printing Board. p. 704. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Holmes, Fred L., ed. (1927). "Election Statistics". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1927 (Report). Wisconsin State Printing Board. p. 587. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  8. ^ "Gardner R. Withrow, La Follette Progressive Republican, Candidate for Congress". The Reedsburg Times-Press. August 28, 1930. p. 4. Retrieved June 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Candidates for Beck's Vacant Post". The Capital Times. June 21, 1928. p. 12. Retrieved June 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "Nominees for Representatives in Congress, September Primary 1928". The Capital Times. September 21, 1928. p. 25. Retrieved June 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Gardner Withrow Enters Race for Congress Office". La Crosse Tribune. July 10, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Representative in Congress, Republican Ticket". The Capital Times. October 4, 1930. p. 11. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "Representatives in Congress". The Capital Times. December 2, 1930. p. 13. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "G.O.P. Planning to Run House". Washington Times-Herald. October 28, 1931. p. 3. Retrieved Jun 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b "Republican Ticket - Representative in Congress". The Capital Times. October 10, 1932. p. 13. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results" (PDF). Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
  17. ^ "Withrow Active in Effort to Continue CWA". La Crosse Tribune. January 23, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Withrow, G. R. (June 1, 1933). "Washington News Letter". The Kickapoo Scout. p. 1. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Badger Wins in Fight to Force Vote on Measure". The Post-Crescent. May 15, 1934. p. 13. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Withrow May Join Progressive Party". La Crosse Tribune. May 30, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Withrow Out for Congress On the Progressive Ticket". The Capital Times. July 2, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Withrow Joins Drive to Curb Court's Powers". Wisconsin State Journal. January 13, 1936. p. 7. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Withrow to Run for Congress in Third District". The Capital Times. July 19, 1940. p. 8. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Gardner Withrow Seeing Election as Progressive". La Crosse Tribune. July 3, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "U.S. Must Shun Isolation During and After War, Withrow Tells Voters". The Capital Times. October 15, 1942. p. 12. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Railroad Brotherhoods Name Legislative Representatives". The Capital Times. January 5, 1941. p. 7. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Withrow Named as Mediator in Wright Co. Case". The Capital Times. August 5, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Withrow Asks for Sheriff's Post". The Capital Times. April 17, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "G. R. Withrow Seeks Office". La Crosse Tribune. July 22, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ a b Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1950). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1950 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 652, 754. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  31. ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1952). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1952 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 675, 745. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  32. ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1954). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1954 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 657, 758. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  33. ^ Coy Moulton, Aaron (May 28, 2024). "The Long, Sordid History of Foreign Governments Courting Members of Congress". Time. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  34. ^ "Nash Says Withrow Defends Trujillo". Wisconsin State Journal. July 6, 1958. p. 31. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
  36. ^ "HR 8601. PASSAGE".
  37. ^ "Byrnes Flays Failures of Demos; Withrow to Retire". La Crosse Tribune. October 16, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "F. E. Withrow, Attorney, Dies". La Crosse Tribune. January 20, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  39. ^ "Mrs. Gardner R. Withrow". La Crosse Tribune. December 26, 1944. p. 12. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Anne L. Withrow". La Crosse Tribune. November 17, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Services Set Saturday for G. R. Withrow". La Crosse Tribune. September 24, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ "Representative in Congress - Progressive Ticket". The Capital Times. October 6, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ Ohm, Howard F.; Bryham, Leone G., eds. (1942). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1942 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 584, 662. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  44. ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1956). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1956 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 704, 747. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
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Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the La Crosse 1st district
January 3, 1927 – January 7, 1929 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
1931-1933 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
1933-1939 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
1949-1961 		Succeeded by
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