Title: Clifford W. Krueger Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1968-1983

Creator:

• Krueger, Clifford W., 1918-1988

Call Number: Stevens Point Mss AL; Stevens Point Micro 22; Micro 1002; Audio 1092A

Quantity: 14.0 c.f. (14 record center cartons), 1 reel of microfilm (35 mm), and 2 tape recordings

Repository:

Housed at the Nelis R. Kampenga University Archives & Area Research Center, Learning Resources Center, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

UW-Stevens Point Library / Stevens Point Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Legislative papers of Clifford Krueger, a former Senate Republican minority leader, 1975-1980, who served in the Wisconsin Legislature from 1946 to 1955 and from 1957 to 1982. Included are general and legislative correspondence, subject files, constituent problem files, and oral history interviews. During his long career in the Senate Krueger was well known for the moderate influence which he brought to the Republican Party because of his Progressive roots and for his advocacy of the interests of the northern part of the state. Unfortunately the collection includes no paper documentation which is earlier than 1968, and only the 1975-1982 period is covered well. Even for this period, the documentation is disappointing on many of the areas for which he is best known. This is compensated for in part by an extensive, separately-catalogued oral history interview. Topics which are well covered in the collection include aging, environmental issues, forestry, mining, the Bethesda Lutheran Home, the Lincoln Hills School, reapportionment, and UW-Medford.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-stpt00al

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Progressive Republican Clifford W. Krueger was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on June 24, 1918 but was raised and educated in Merrill. Even as a boy Krueger was very heavy and that condition was responsible both for the nickname “Tiny” by which he was generally known and for much of the character and success of his political career. In 1937 when Krueger was only a junior at Merrill High School, he was invited to join the Serls and Sterling Circus as a fatman. During that summer and the following year Krueger traveled with the circus. He later recalled that the experience had a profound influence on him, for it broadened his perspective, sensitized him to people's problems and concerns, and helped him to overcome his shyness. After graduation from high school Krueger attended Merrill Commercial College and with the assistance of his father became established in the tavern business.

Due to the influence of his grandparents and his father, who was elected elected sheriff on the Progressive ticket, Krueger was active in politics at an early age. Political columnist John Wyngaard, who first met him in 1939, described Krueger was a “mover and shaker” in the Young Progressives. Nevertheless, Krueger's first attempts at elective office were unsuccessful; in 1940 he was defeated in a try for county treasurer and in 1942 he made an unsuccessful run for the state Senate. Then in 1945 he was elected to the Merrill city council. In 1946, the year in which the district senate seat was again up for election, the Progressive Party disbanded and like many of the leaders of that organization, Krueger determined to make his next try for the Senate in the Republican Party. After defeating his opponent in the primary he had to face a strong independent write-in campaign in the general election from Republicans who were anxious to keep him out of the party. After his victory, Krueger held his seat until 1955 when he was redistricted out of the Senate; he returned in 1957 and remained in the Legislature without interruption until his resignation in 1982.

Krueger's election at age 28 was unusual because of the limited number of young men then serving in the Legislature. His election also attracted nationwide publicity because of the special chair which had to be constructed for him for use in the Senate chamber. Throughout his career Krueger continued to receive a great deal of press coverage because of his size, and this attention partly obscured his record of legislative accomplishment and the moderating influence which he exerted within the Republican ranks in the Legislature. Often referred to as the “Voice of the North” Krueger was a strong advocate of the interests of that part of the state. He was also well known for his support of conservation and agricultural interests, and he served on numerous standing and special committees on these topics. (A full record of his committee assignments is included in the biennial editions of theBlue Book.) After the Watergate-inspired election losses of 1974 the Republicans in the Senate turned to Krueger for leadership, and he served as minority leader for three sessions until his resignation in 1982. In 1978 Krueger greeted the election of independent Republican Lee S. Dreyfus as governor with pleasure, but his resignation was rumored to have been caused by poor relations with the governor's office.

After he left the Senate, Krueger resided in Merrill, Wisconsin. He died on October 15, 1988.

The Clifford W. Krueger papers consist of general and legislative correspondence, subject files, constituent problem files, and biographical information. Unfortunately the papers, although received in an unusually well organized condition, contain no paper documentation prior to 1967 and cover well only the 1975-1982 period. Even for this period the papers are disappointing both as to his leadership on conservation and agricultural issues and to his work as floor leader in the Senate. This weakness is compensated for in part, however, by a very extensive, separately-catalogued oral history interview which covers both his early life, his career in the circus, and his political career. Two additional interviews were held with Krueger in 1980 and 1981 as part of the Former Members of the Progressive Party Oral History Project.

The GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE is divided by legislative session and then alphabetically by name. Included are letters from both constituents and legislative colleagues. Unfortunately there is no index to this section. The alphabetical SUBJECT FILES, which chiefly relate to the period 1975-1982 document a wide variety of topics before the Legislature such as aging, the environment, forestry, mining development in Northern Wisconsin, the Bethesda Lutheran Home, the Lincoln Hills School, reapportionment, the closing of the UW-Medford, railroad abandonment, and general district relations. This section also includes files of press releases, speeches, and a tape recording of Krueger's 1979 radio statements. For the 1977-1978 and 1980-1982 sessions there are files of constituent correspondence about specific bills. These letters are filed first by session and then numerically within Assembly and Senate categories. The CONSTITUENT PROBLEM files have been extensively weeded because of their confidential, routine, and often duplicative nature. Retained, mainly from 1977-1978, are files concerning general issues or letters in which Krueger's comments were of particular interest.

The biographical information file includes an assortment of microfilmed clippings removed from the papers and miscellaneous voting analyses.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Clifford W. Krueger, Merrill, Wisconsin, 1983. Accession Number: M83-38

Processing Information

Processed by Carolyn J. Mattern, 1984.

Stevens Point Mss AL	Series: General Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1-18	1969-1972, A-M
	1975-1976
Box   1 Folder   19-22	A-B
Box   2	C-T
Box   3 Folder   1-11	T (continued)-Z
	1977-1978
Box   3 Folder   12-20	A-R
Box   4 Folder   1-8	S-Z
	1979-1980
Box   4 Folder   8-25	A-M
Box   5 Folder   1-12	M (continued)-Z
	1981-1982
Box   5 Folder   13-25	A-J
Box   6 Folder   1-18	K-Z
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   6 Folder   19	Abortion, 1981
Box   6 Folder   20	Administration, Department of, 1977-1980
Box   6 Folder   21	Administrative rules, 1979-1982
Box   6 Folder   22-24	Age discrimination, 1980-1982
Box   6 Folder   25-26	Aging, 1975-1982
Box   6 Folder   27	Aging, Governor's Conference on, 1980
Box   6 Folder   28	Aging, Reverse mortgage project, 1979-1980
Box   6 Folder   29	Agriculture, Department of, 1977-1982
Box   6 Folder   30	Alcoholism, 1980
Box   6 Folder   31	Alvin (Town of), School problems, 1982
Box   7 Folder   1	American Legislative Exchange Council, 1976-1978
Box   7 Folder   2	Applications, 1977-1978
Box   7 Folder   3-6	Appointments, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   7	Arbor Vitae post office, 1980
Box   7 Folder   8	Assembly leadership, 1978-1979
Box   7 Folder   9	Attorney General, 1979-1980
Box   7 Folder   10	Audit Bureau, 1978-1980
Box   7 Folder   11	Bail procedures, 1979-1980
Box   7 Folder   12	Banking, 1982
Box   7 Folder   13	Bethesda Lutheran Home, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   14	Budget, 1982
Box   7 Folder   15-17	Campaign correspondence, 1976-1980
Box   7 Folder   18	Candidates, Potential, 1978-1980
Box   7 Folder   19	Capitol tours, 1978
Box   7 Folder   20	Census, 1980
Box   7 Folder   21	Chiropractice medicine, 1979-1980
Box   7 Folder   22	Circus, 1974-1980
Box   7 Folder   23	Citizens Utility Board, 1979-1982
Box   7 Folder   24-25	Commendations, 1973-1980
Box   7 Folder   26	Cost controls, 1980
Box   7 Folder   27	Corning (Town of), 1980
Box   7 Folder   28	Council Grounds State Park, 1980
	Counties
Box   7 Folder   29	Clark, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   30	Florence, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   31-32	Forest, 1978-1982
Box   7 Folder   33	Langlade, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   34	Lincoln, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   35	Marinette, 1977-1982
Box   7 Folder   36	Marathon, 1982
Box   7 Folder   37	Menominee, 1982
Box   8 Folder   1	Oconto, 1977-1982
Box   8 Folder   2	Oneida, 1977-1982
Box   8 Folder   3	Price, 1977-1982
Box   8 Folder   3a	Rusk, 1977-1982
Box   8 Folder   4	Shawano, 1982
Box   8 Folder   5	Taylor, 1977-1982
Box   8 Folder   6	Vilas, 1977-1982
Box   8 Folder   7	County officials, Miscellaneous, 1977-1978
Box   8 Folder   8	Crime, Special Republican Committee on, 1977-1980
Box   8 Folder   9	Development, Department of, 1980-1982
Box   8 Folder   10	Disaster (July 4, 1977 storm)
Box   8 Folder   11	District of Columbia, 1977-1978
Box   8 Folder   12-13	Dreyfus, Lee S., 1978-1982
Box   8 Folder   14	Dwelling code, 1979-1980
Box   8 Folder   15	Education, 1981
Box   8 Folder   16	Educational television, 1979
Box   8 Folder   17	Emergency medical treatment, 1978-1979
Box   8 Folder   18	Employment Relations, Department of, 1981
Box   8 Folder   19-20	Employment Relations, Joint Committee on, 1978-1982
Box   8 Folder   21	Energy, Senate Select Committee on, 1979
Box   8 Folder   22	Energy crisis, 1973-1982
Box   8 Folder   23	Environmental protection, 1970
Box   8 Folder   24	Equal Rights Amendment, 1979-1980
Box   8 Folder   25	Family planning, 1977-1979
Box   8 Folder   26	Farmers Forum for Property Tax Reform, 1978
Box   8 Folder   27	Farmland Preservation, 1981-1982
Box   8 Folder   28	Forest croplands, 1977-1978
Box   8 Folder   29	Forest Productivity, Governor's Council on, 1981
Box   8 Folder   30-31	Forest purchase by DNR, 1981
Box   8 Folder   32	Forestry, 1981
Box   8 Folder   33	Form letters, 1979-1980
Box   8 Folder   34	Gasahol, 1980
Box   8 Folder   34	Gaylor, Anne, 1978
Box   8 Folder   35	General Telephone, 1977
Box   8 Folder   36	Gubernatorial campaign for CWK, 1977-1978
Box   8 Folder   37	Hazardous waste, 1980-1982
Box   9 Folder   1	Health and Social Services, Department of, 1977-1982
Box   9 Folder   2	Highway 51, 1981-1982
Box   9 Folder   3	Highway 141 (Niagara), 1978-1979
Box   9 Folder   4	Highway 141 and 8, 1979
Box   9 Folder   5	Humor about Legislature, undated
Box   9 Folder   6	Indian affairs, 1977-1981
Box   9 Folder   7	Industry, Labor, and Human Relations, Department of, 1977-1982
Box   9 Folder   8	Initiative and referendum, 1976-1978
Box   9 Folder   9	Inland Lakes rehabilitation program, 1981-1982
Box   9 Folder   10	Insurance Commission, 1979-1980
Box   9 Folder   11	Jacobson, Pastor, 1979
Box   9 Folder   12	Knowles, Robert P., undated
Box   9 Folder   13	Labor, 1981-1982
Box   9 Folder   14-15	Lac du Flambeau, 1982
Box   9 Folder   16	La Follette, Robert M., Sr., 1975-1977
Box   9 Folder   17	Lake Nokomis, 1981-1982
Box   9 Folder   18	Lake Tomahawk lakefront ownership, 1980
Box   9 Folder   19	Legis-50, 1977
Box   9 Folder   20	Legislation, Pending, 1980
Box   9 Folder   21-23	Legislation, Proposed, 1977-1981
Box   9 Folder   24	Legislative Council, 1977-1982
Box   9 Folder   25	Mining committee, 1978-1980
Box   9 Folder   26	Native American Study Committee, 1982
Box   9 Folder   27	Nominating committee, 1979-1980
Box   9 Folder   28	Public members on study committees, 1977-1982
Box   9 Folder   29	Legislative Leaders foundation, 1977
Box   9 Folder   30	Legislative Organization, Joint Committee on, 1977-1980
Box   9 Folder   31	Legislative procedure, 1982
Box   9 Folder   32	Legislative Reference Bureau, 1977-1982
Box   9 Folder   33-34	Lincoln Hills School, 1975-1982
Box   9 Folder   34	Local Affairs and Development, 1979-1980
Box   9 Folder   35	Local government, 1981-1982
Box   9 Folder   36	McCallum, Scott, 1978-1979
Box   9 Folder   37	Medford, 1981-1982
Box   9 Folder   38	Medical assistance, 1982
Box   9 Folder   39	Merrill, City of, 1979-1982
Box   9 Folder   40	Mineral taxation, 1977-1982
Box   9 Folder   41-43	Mining, 1977-1982
Box   10 Folder   1	Exploration, 1981
Box   10 Folder   2	Environmental concerns, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   3	Mining Impact Board, 1979-1982
Box   10 Folder   4	Motion pictures, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   5	Municipal collective bargaining, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   6	National Conference of State Legislatures, 1978-1980
Box   10 Folder   7-9	Natural Resources, Department of, 1977-1978
Box   10 Folder   10	Budget, 1982
Box   10 Folder   11	Nicolet College and Technical Institute, 1969-1982
Box   10 Folder   12	Nicolet National Forest, 1973-1978
Box   10 Folder   13	“No fault” insurance, 1973
Box   10 Folder   14	Northern Lakes Transportation committee, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   15	Nuclear power plants, 1973-1980
Box   10 Folder   16	Nuclear waste disposal, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   17	Nursing homes, 1976-1982
Box   10 Folder   18-20	Office hours, 1977-1982
Box   10 Folder   21	Office records, 1982
Box   10 Folder   22-23	Personal correspondence, 1976-1980
Box   10 Folder   24	Personnel Board, 1981
Box   10 Folder   25	Pesticide rules, 1981
Box   10 Folder   26	Pollution control, 1977-1979
Box   10 Folder   27	Posse Comitatus, 1980
Box   10 Folder   28	Potential candidates, 1977-1978
Box   10 Folder   29	Prentice bypass, 1979-1980
Box   10 Folder   30-33	Press releases, 1978-1982
Box   10 Folder   34	Prison site, 1980
Box   10 Folder   35	Product liability, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   36	Public defender, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   37	Public Instruction, Department of, 1980
Box   10 Folder   38	Public Service Commission, 1979-1981
Box   10 Folder   39	Questionnaires from others, 1981-1982
Box   10 Folder   40	Radio beeper worksheets and master tape log, 1979
1092A/2	Radio master tape from Republican Senate Caucus, 1979
Stevens Point Mss AL Box   10 Folder   41-42	Railroad abandonment, 1974-1982
Box   10 Folder   43	Reapportionment, 1980-1982
Box   11 Folder   1	Legal notes, 1982
Box   11 Folder   2	Statistics, undated
Box   11 Folder   3	Recognition dinner, 1978-1979
Box   11 Folder   4	Recycling authority, 1979-1982
Box   11 Folder   5	Regional planning, 1977-1982
Box   11 Folder   6	Regulation and Licensing, Department of, 1979
Box   11 Folder   7-9	Republican Party of Wisconsin, 1979-1981
Box   11 Folder   10	District party, 1976-1982
Box   11 Folder   11	Retirement, 1981
Box   11 Folder   12	Revenue, Department of, 1978-1982
Box   11 Folder   13	Rhinelander, 1982
Box   11 Folder   14	Rhinelander Paper Company, 1981-1982
Box   11 Folder   15	Road hunting, 1977
Box   11 Folder   16	Rocky the Raccoon, 1981
Box   11 Folder   17	SSI, 1981-1982
Box   11 Folder   18	SWCD bill, 1981-1982
Box   11 Folder   19	St. Germain, Town of, 1980
Box   11 Folder   20	St. Mary's Hospital (Rhinelander), 1980
Box   11 Folder   21	School aids, 1979-1980
Box   11 Folder   22	Schreiber, Martin J., 1977-1978
Box   11 Folder   23	Senate, 1976-1982
Box   11 Folder   24-26	Senate Republican Caucus, 1976-1982
Box   11 Folder   27	Caucus director applications, 1978
Box   11 Folder   28-29	Senate Organization Committee, 1977-1980
Box   11 Folder   30	Senate reunion, 1975-1976
Box   11 Folder   31	Senate Select Committee on Mining, 1976-1977
Box   11 Folder   32	Septic systems, 1980-1981
Box   11 Folder   33	Sesame Street cancellation, 1977
Box   11 Folder   34	Ski hill insurance, 1979-1980
Box   11 Folder   35	Small business administration, 1981
Box   11 Folder   36	Snowmobiles, 1976-1982
Box   11 Folder   37	Solid waste management, 1979-1982
Box   11 Folder   38-39	Speeches and speech material, 1977-1982
Box   11 Folder   40	State Building Commission, 1980
Box   11 Folder   41	State Elections Board, 1979-1980
Box   11 Folder   42	State Ethics Board, 1975-1977
Box   11 Folder   43	State government-Other states, 1980
Box   11 Folder   44	Tax rebate, 1978
Box   11 Folder   45-46	Taxes, 1979-1982
Box   11 Folder   47	Timber wolf, 1981-1982
Box   11 Folder   48-49	Tourism, 1976-1982
Box   11 Folder   50-51	Transportation, Department of, 1977-1981
Box   11 Folder   51a	Budget, 1981
Box   11 Folder   52	Unemployment compensation, 1981-1982
Box   11 Folder   53	University of Wisconsin, 1979-1981
Box   11 Folder   54	Extension, 1981-1982
Box   11 Folder   55-56	Medford closing task force, 1980-1981
Box   12 Folder   1	Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission, 1979
Box   12 Folder   2	Veterans Affairs, Department of, 1976-1982
Box   12 Folder   3	Veterinary school, 1974-1981
Box   12 Folder   4-7	Veto sessions, 1978-1981
Box   12 Folder   8	Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, 1975-1982
Box   12 Folder   9	Voter registration, 1977
Box   12 Folder   10	Water quality, 1977-1982
Box   12 Folder   11	Welfare, 1975-1982
Box   12 Folder   12	Wetlands, 1980-1982
Box   12 Folder   13	Wild rivers, 1975-1980
Box   12 Folder   14	Wilderness areas (RARE II), 1978-1979
Box   12 Folder   15	Wildlife damage, 1980-1981
Box   12 Folder   16	Wisconsin Counties Mineral Resources Association, 1977
Box   12 Folder   17	Wisconsin County Forests Association, 1979
1092A/1	Wisconsin Legislative and Research Committee meeting, 1977 August 10
Stevens Point Mss AL Box   12 Folder   18	Wisconsin Northwoods Council, 1978-1981
	Series: Legislative Correspondence	⇧
	1977-1978
Box   12 Folder   19-23	Assembly bills, 2-951
Box   12 Folder   24	Assembly joint resolutions
	Senate bills
Box   12 Folder   25-33	2-107
Box   13 Folder   1-17	108-720
Box   13 Folder   18-19	Senate joint resolutions
Box   13 Folder   20	Special Session senate bills
Box   13 Folder   21	Correspondence for unidentified bills
	1981-1982
Box   13 Folder   22-26	Assembly bills
Box   14 Folder   1	Assembly joint resolutions
Box   14 Folder   2-7	Senate bills
Box   14 Folder   8	Senate joint resolutions and Special Session Senate bills
	Series: Constituent Problems	⇧
Box   14 Folder   9-27	1977-1978
Box   14 Folder   28	1979
Box   14 Folder   29-30	1980
Box   14 Folder   31-34	1981
	Series: Biographical Information	⇧
Box   14 Folder   35	Voting analyses, 1968
Stevens Point Micro 22/Micro 1002 Reel   1	Biographical clippings, 1968-1982