Changes

In the immediate postbellumm years, Howe's politics proved more Radical than his constituents and the state Republican Party, which rejected a black suffrage resolution and supported the policies of President [[Andrew Johnson]].<ref name=pp95-96/> His congressional power became the primary source of patronage and influence after he was shunned by the executive branch, in addition to the state Republican Party's temporary drift towards anti-Radicalism. Howe maintained caution and restrained his publicly spoken viewpoints, at one point denying associations with Radical Republican leader [[Charles Sumner]], who was viewed with bitter and scorn by anti-Radical state Republicans.<ref name=pp95-96/>

In the immediate postbellumm years, Howe's politics proved more Radical than his constituents and the state Republican Party, which rejected a black suffrage resolution and supported the policies of President [[Andrew Johnson]].<ref name=pp95-96/> His congressional power became the primary source of patronage and influence after he was shunned by the executive branch, in addition to the state Republican Party's temporary drift towards anti-Radicalism. Howe maintained caution and restrained his publicly spoken viewpoints, at one point denying associations with Radical Republican leader [[Charles Sumner]], who was viewed with bitter and scorn by anti-Radical state Republicans.<ref name=pp95-96/>

Notwithstanding civil rights issues, Howe was very outspoken and prioritized in advocating internal improvements due to his old Whig background.<ref name=pp95-96/> Wisconsin's deficiency in transportation, exacerbated by the state constitution prohibiting expenditures, led Howe to favor generous expenditures as a means of spurring economic growth, and he supported protective tariffs to finance the programs. However, due to insufficient support for high tariffs from a number of Wisconsin congressmen, the internal improvements were only partially obtained.<ref name=pp95-96/>

Notwithstanding civil rights issues, Howe was very outspoken and prioritized in advocating internal improvements due to his old Whig background.<ref name=pp95-96/> Wisconsin's deficiency in transportation, exacerbated by the state constitution prohibiting expenditures, led Howe to favor generous expenditures as a means of spurring economic growth, and he supported protective tariffs to finance the programs. However, due to insufficient support for high tariffs from a number of Wisconsin congressmen, the internal improvements were only partially obtained.<ref name=pp95-96/>