lawyer, businessman, politician, b. Darlington. He attended high school in Darlington, read law, and in 1876 joined his father's law firm. Rose was twice mayor of Darlington (1883, 1884) and also served as county judge of Lafayette County. In 1886 he moved to Milwaukee, where he built up an extensive law practice. A Democrat, Rose's political career in Milwaukee was both colorful and controversial. He served five terms as mayor of Milwaukee (1898, 1900, 1902, 1904, and 1908), was an eloquent campaign speaker, an anti-prohibitionist, and opposed civil service reform, which he labeled "hypothetical pretense." Often criticized for alleged corruption and particularly for forcing through an ordinance granting a 34-year franchise to the streetcar company, Rose's chameleon-like ability to change his political slogans, combined with his advocacy of an "open town" and utilization of the fear of socialism won him successive elections and the nickname "All-the-time Rosy." Eventually, the growing spirit of reform worked against Rose, and he was almost defeated by W. G. Bruce (q.v.) in the Democratic primary of 1906, and was defeated in the regular mayoralty election of that year. Although again successful in the mayoralty race of 1908, Rose's political popularity waned. He was not a candidate in 1910, and the Socialist victory of that year virtually ended his political career. In 1924 he ran as an independent candidate against Socialist Mayor Daniel W. Hoan, but was easily defeated and returned to his private law practice and to his Milwaukee business interests. B. Still, Milwaukee (Madison, 1948); P. M. Reed, Bench and Bar of Wis. (Milwaukee, 1882); E. B. Usher, Wis. (8 vols., Chicago, 1914); Milwaukee Journal, Aug. 8, 1932.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.

Learn More

Dictionary of Wisconsin History

Explore more than 1,600 people, places and events in Wisconsin history.

[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]