In 1919 Former President Theodore Roosevelt died and left no obvious heir to the
Progressive Party.
In 1876 The year of this country's centennial, A man named Benjamin F. Weston was born in a small farmhouse in rural Minnesota.
This baby boy would change America forever.
Ben Weston's father was a poor Civil War veteran and his mother had died when he was 6.
When Ben was 13, a black woman came into town looking for work, his father was the only person whom accepted her and hired her immediately as a maid/housekeeper. Ben saw no difference between India, the black maid, and any other white woman. This was Ben's first experience with equal rights.
Ben quickly noticed chemistry between India and his father, and eventually he knew that they loved each other, but could not get married, This bothered him for the rest of his life.
In 1891, Ben's father died and he was left with India. Ben decided to leave to
find work on his own in Minneapolis, since the farm had been in greater and greater financial difficulty. Ben found work as an aide to, Robert Pherseon, a political boss of the Minneapolis Democratic Chapter, whom was known for getting people elected if you payed him well enough. Ben didn't see eye to eye to with Pherseon but influenced him on how to get elected.
In 1897 Ben ran for City Council as a Republican backed by Pherseon, whom ironically was a Democrat.
Ben's term showed no improvements, as this was just a stepping stone to run for Mayor, when he was mayor then things would change.
In 1900, Weston ran and won the Mayorship on a platform of keeping the economy stable, and better rights for workers and immigrants. Weston kept his promises, and became to be known as a Progressive Populist, both supporting poor farmers and supporting rights of workers.
In 1902, Pherseon was murdered by an unknown person, some suspected it was Weston, but no one knew, not even the police
In 1908, Weston ran and won as Governor of Minnesota, Again on his platform of Progressive Populism, with an outstanding popular vote
Weston was the Youngest Governor of Minnesota ever.
Back in Washington, Taft had been elected, and Weston had a bad feeling about him.
In 1910, Weston had faced an extreme challenge, Riots had broken out in St. Paul against a black man trying to kill a white business owner, but that's not what actually happened, what happened was that the black man had come to confront himself against the business owner whom was having an affair with the black man's wife and then the attempted murder happened. If Weston had put the police out, he would be considered a (Well urm I want to say something but it's a curse word which is not allowed here) pro black civil rights supporter which might help him lose votes in the next election, or just let them protest. Weston look backed at a picture of his father's lover India.