Chapter 6The Progressive Movement

1890-1920

I. Intro to the Progressive Era A. So recall the Populists……

1. Who were they?

a. mostly farmers, rural Americans

b. mostly poor, uneducated

2. What were their problems?

a. overproduction = falling crop prices

b. high tariffs = lack of export sales

c. tight money supply = high interest rates = hard to pay their debts

d. victimized by banks, RRs, big biz = farmers paid higher rates

3. Populist Demands and Reforms (how did they think their problems could be solved?

a. more gov’t regulation of big biz

b. Gov’t ownership of RRs

c. lower tariffs

d. less immigration

e. silver standard = increased money supply + lower interest rates

f. graduated income tax

4. Their legacy?

- fail to get their desired reforms or improve the economic condition

of farmers, but..... others will take on their cause and call for reform!

B. Enter the Progressives……1. Progressivism: a political movement that

crossed party lines. Progressives believed that rapid industrialization and urbanization had created many social problems and that government should take a more active role in

Yikes! dealing with these problems

Intro to Progressivism

2. Who are the Progressives? Who is pushing for reform?

a. Middle-class, urban, educated Americans

b. Both Political Parties call for reform (recall the significance of Third Parties!)

3. Their ideas for reforms came from?

a. Liberal Republicans of 1870s

b. Mugwumps of 1880s

c. Populists of 1890s

d. Social Gospel Movement 1890s (Christians should do what it takes to help their fellow

man)

II. The Rise of Progressivism A. The Problems 1890 +

1. Industrialization, with all its increase in productivity & the # of consumer

goods created:

a. unemployment and labor unrest, poor working conditions

b. wasteful use of natural resources

c. abuses of corporate power

2. Urbanization – rapid growth of cities magnified problems of poverty, disease, squalid

living conditions, crime & corruption

3. Laissez-Faire – free market lacked the ability to address those problems

Tenement Slum Living

Poor working conditions, child labor

B. The solution? Solve social problems through active Government leadership! (bye bye Laissez-Faire)

T. Roosevelt

W. Wilson

W. H. Taft

C. The Reformers1. Muckrakers - journalists who attacked corruption and scandal &

investigated social conditions (term muckraker: raked up the “muck” or dirt of American life)

- published articles in popular magazines - led to public debate over

social/economic problems & put pressure on politicians to introduce reforms

Muckraking

1) Lincoln Steffens

Exposed city political machines in The Shame of the Cities

a. Exposing Corruption in Gov’t

2) David Graham PhillipsCriticized how $ influenced the Senate in Treason of the Senate

1) Ida Tarbell

Exposed corruption in Big Biz in The History of Standard Oil

b. Exposing Corruption in Big Biz

2) Frank NorrisExposed the suffering caused by corrupt and greedy turn-of-the-century RR monopolies in The Octopus: A California Story

1) Jacob RiisExposed poverty, crime, disease in immigrant tenement neighborhoods in

How the Other Half Lives

c. Exposing Social Welfare problems

2) John Spargo Criticized child labor in

The Bitter Cry of the Children

View of the Ewen Breaker of the Pa. Coal Co. The dust was so dense at times as to obscure the view. This dust penetrated the utmost recesses of the boys' lungs. A kind of slave-driver sometimes stands over the boys, prodding or kicking them into obedience. S. Pittston, Pa.

3) Upton SinclairExposed health and safety problems in the meat-packing industry in The Jungle

2. Political Cartoonists – especially effective since there was high illiteracy (couldn’t read the newspaper, but could

understand the cartoons)

a. Thomas Nast: favorite target? Boss Tweed and Political Machinesb. Frederick Opper: favorite target? Trusts and social ills

3. Political Reformers – those opposed to traditional party politics

4. Socialists - frustrated workers who promised to destroy capitalism. Led by Eugene Debs (who polled

900,000 votes for President in 1912).

a. socialism is rejected by most Progressives as too extreme in their goals and methods

b. Progressives want some gov’t regulation of biz and industry. Socialists want gov’t ownership of some biz and industry

c. Progressives (& most Americans) believed in the superiority of the US system of free

enterprise (capitalism, market economy)

Socialism

The Socialist Ticket 1912

D. 4 Groups of Progressives 1. Efficiency Progressives – goal to make city gov’t more efficient

a. Scientific management applied to gov’t - run gov’t more like a business

b. City gov’t required EXPERTS, not POLITICIANS (to head essential city services)

- change system to prevent boss or “machine” rule

- support commission plan or council /mgr plan

- specialists should run city depts

- prompted by Galveston, TX hurricane of 1900

Replacing the City Machines

2. Democracy Progressives - goal to make US more democratic – make elected officials more responsive to voters

a. State level reform efforts championed by Robert La Follette of Wisconsin (Laboratory Of Democracy)

1) Problem: party bosses indirectly controlled which candidates were chosen to run for office

Solution: Direct Primary – voters given control over candidates

(voters decide who becomes the candidate in presidential election)

2) Problem: state legislatures unresponsive to voters

Solution: Election reforms to bring direct democracy to voters

Initiative – allowed voters to “initiate” laws in state legislature

Referendum – in some states, let voters accept or reject

measures proposed by state legislature

Recall – enabled voters to remove unsatisfactory elected officials from office before their term was up

“Fighting Bob” La Follette

Recall in Action: CA 2003 – Davis OUT, Arnold IN!

3) Problem: open ballots allow everyone to see your vote – voters subject to pressure and intimidation

Solution: Secret Ballot

b. Federal level reform efforts

1) Problem: US Constitution stipulates that each state leg. elect 2 senators to DC – but machines or trusts influenced election of those Senators – repaid their supporters with fed. contracts & jobs

- Solution: 17th Amendment to the Constitution = direct

election of Senators by all state voters

2) Women’s suffrage. Problem: 50% of US population disenfranchised

Solution: 19th Amendment to the Constitution = women’s suffrage

Women’s Suffrage

c. Women

1) The status of women: considered inferior. Couldn’t vote, serve on juries, or hold public office – their place was in the home. In most states, once married, woman lost control of her property and wages to her husband

2) The Road to Women’s Suffrage

a) Seneca Falls Convention (1848) –1st women’s rights convention – Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton

b) 15th Amendment (1870) – black men vote: expanded calls for women’s vote

c) National Women’s Suffrage Assoc (NWSA) – pushed for constitutional amendment allowing women’s suffrage – Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Susan B arrested for voting in

1872 presidential election)

Opposition to Women’s Suffrage

• Suffragists considered unfeminine/immoral

• Some attacked

Propaganda against women’s suffrage

d) American Woman Suffage Assoc- (AWSA) - gain women’s suffrage by convincing state gov’ts to give

women’s suffrage before trying to amend constitution – Lucy Stone, Julia

W. Howe e) By 1900, only WY, ID, UT and CO had granted women full voting rights

f) National American Woman Suffrage Assoc (1890) – a combo of the NWSA

& AWSA . Middle-class women demand voting rights to promote social reforms

& labor class women demand voting rights to ensure passage of labor laws to

protect women

Women’s Suffrage Movement

g) Washington March - March 3, 1913 – (day before W. Wilson’s inauguration)

organized by Alice Paul who believed that protests were necessary to force Pres. Wilson to act on women’s suffrage

h) 1915 “Winning Plan” – organized as the final push to gain voting rights. NAWSA supports Wilson in 1916, Wilson calls for all states to give women suffrage

i) 1918-19 WWI: men went to fight, women went to factories, mills and mines in support of the war effort– support for women’s suffrage grew

j) 19th Amendment – June 1919 passed by Senate – Aug 1920 - ratified

Alice Paul

The Washington March: March 13, 1913

3. Social Welfare Progressives - goal to address social problems such as: illiteracy, alcohol abuse, child labor, safety

a. Created charities

ex. Jane Addams – settlement houses provided various services to the

immigrants and the poor (Hull House)

b. Pushed for new laws to fix social probs

1) Problem: In 1900 ~ 2m kids under 16 worked outside the home.

Solution: National Child Labor Committee - goal to end child labor

- some states establish minimum work age/ max work hrs

- compulsory education Laws Seafood Worker: young shrimp picker, age 5, and a mountain oyster shells behind him.

2) Problem: Many adult workers labored in difficult and dangerous

conditions.

- Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Solution: creation of health & safety codes: building codes,

workers’ compensation laws, zoning laws - made work environment safer for workers

a) zoning laws regulate how land and buildings can be

used + separate biz from residential areas

b) building & safety codes to protect workers and improve

working conditions

Triangle Shirtwaist Company

3) Problem: alcohol responsible for many problems: loss of

productivity in the workplace, industrial accidents, spousal & child abuse

Solution: temperance movement - moderation or elimination of

alcohol. - Women’s ChristianTemperance

Union (WCTU) led by Frances Willard;+ Anti-Saloon League

pushed for prohibition– laws banning the manufacture, sale, & consumption of alcohol

(18th amendment)

WCTU

4. Big Biz Progressives- goal to regulate/reform Big Biz

a. Pushed for new laws to regulate bizb. Problem: wealth in the hands of too few –

monopolies/trusts/holding companies too powerful – too much political power

Solution: 1) Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) strengthened

2) Consumer laws passed3) Federal Trade Commission (FTC) set up to regulate biz

4) Sherman & Clayton Anti-trust Acts5) biz licensing6) regulate public utilities (so they set fair rates)

II. Theodore Roosevelt (R)(1901-1908) #26

A. Introduction1. age 42 – Youngest US President

2. Social Darwinist = int’l affairs; Progressive in domestic affairs – believed gov’t should balance needs of competing grps

a. Square Deal = promise of fair & equal treatment for all

b. Adopt reforms to maintain an efficient society that could compete

successfully against other nations

Teddy Roosevelt

B. Roosevelt’s Reforms1. Trusts – Necessary & Efficient, but some hurting public interest – should be supervised, not destroyed

ex. Northern Securities Case: TR used Sherman Anti-trust Act to attack a RR monopoly. Supreme Ct orders company dissolved

TR earns reputation as a trustbuster!2. Establishes Gov’t as broker btwn grps in society

ex. Coal Strike of 1902 – prices climbing, impending shortage. TR believes this an ex. of pursuit of

pvt interest at expense of nation. Orders arbitration. Owners refuse. TR threatens to send in army to run mines – mine owners

accept arbitration

TR the Trustbuster

3. Bureau of Corporations – new fed. Agency to investigate corps & publicize results

a. goal to keep big biz from abusing pwr thru knowledge & facts

b. TR exercised ability to regulate big biz w/o sacrificing the efficiency of trusts

- B of C investigation of US Steel: possible anti-trust law suit. USS offered to open acct

books – in exchange, gov’t would allow USS to correct probs privately w/o going to court

4. Acts of Congress

a. Expedition Act – anti-trust suits given precedent in court dockets

b. Hepburn Act – gave ICC pwr to set RR rates, inspect books

C. Social Welfare Action1. Issues?

a. Patent Medicine Biz

- variety of potions passed off as cure- alls etc.

- many = just household mixtures. others = dangerous compounds

b. Food/Meat

- Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle – exposed appalling conditions in

meatpacking industry

The Jungle

Magic Potions!

2. Solutions?

a. Pure Food & Drug Act (1906) – prohibited manuf./sale/ship. Of impure

or falsely labeled food, drugs, liquors, medicines – required contents on labels

b. Meat Inspection Act (1906) – gave gov’t pwr to inspect meat packing plants:

checked meat & set standards for cleanliness etc.

Meat Reform

D. Conservation (TRs most enduring legacy)1. Issues?

a. US resources being used up at alarming rate

- lumber co.s cutting, not replanting

- oil co. let oil/nat. gas gush out unused

b. Mismanagement of resources

- ranchers overgrazing

- mining co.s gouging huge holes in earth

2. TR supports conservation

a. Land development in West

- Newlands Reclamations Act: sale of western lands used for irrigation

projects – build dams

b. Gifford Pinchot

1) US Forest Service (Pinchot in charge)

2) believed trained experts in forestry & resource mgmt should apply

scientific mgmt to conserve forests3) rejected laissez-faire philosophy of

leaving preservation up to lumber cos. (lumber cos would conserve to ensure future profits)

E. TR’s Legacy 1. Americans look to the fed. Gov’t to solve

nation’s economic & social problems

2. Executive Branch grew in power

- ICC sets rates

- Ag Dept inspects food

- Bureau of Corps monitors biz

- antitrust suits etc

III. William Howard Taft (R)(1909-1913) #27

A. Introduction1. picked by TR as his successor (was TRs

Sec. of War) – defeats William Jennings Bryan (D) in 1908 election (WJB lost for 3rd time )

2. Taft hated politics – wanted law career

a. Very diff from TR: agreed to become Pres b/c his wife and TR wanted him to.

b. Had many progressive ideas, but conflict w/ progressives over his personality &

approach to politics

B. Taft lost credibility w/ progressives over 3 issues:1. Tariffs

a. Taft believed tariffs should be reduced as US biz no longer needed special protection; believed lower tariffs would bring lower prices to consumers; drop in revenue from tariffs could be made up w/ taxes

b. Bill to lower introduced – but in Senate, head of Senate committee, supporter of high tariffs, rewrote it (The Payne-Aldrich Tariff)

- didn’t reduce tariffs much & raised tariffs on some goods!

1) Taft trapped! If he vetoed it, he would upset conservative Republicans, if he signed it, he would

anger progressives

2) Signed it & said it was the best tariff bill ever!

2. The House Revolt

a. Joseph Cannon was Speaker of the House

- anti-progressive

- controlled committee assignments, order of biz, etc

b. Progressives in Congress decided he must be removed, from rules

committee at least

- Progs asked for Taft’s support in this issue – he refused

3. Conservation

a. Taft gets caught up in spat btwn Sec of Interior Richard Ballinger & Chief Forester Pinchot over leasing public land in Alaska to pvt developers

b. Taft supports Ballinger. Pinchot goes to Europe to tell TR that his buddy was

selling progressivism down the river

C. Taft’s Progressive Reforms

– Taft WAS a Progressive!!1. Children’s Bureau – investigated/publicized child labor problems

2. Mann-Elkins Act (1910) – gave ICC power over telegraph, telephone, (wireless)

3. Conservation

a. Bureau of Mines – oversees mining activity

b. Forest Reserve Act – expanded Nat’l Forests

c. Protected waterpower sites from pvt development

4. 90 Anti-trust suits (2x as many as TR)

a. TR critical: said breaking up trusts was destroying his system of cooperation & regulation btwn gov’t/biz

b. TR advocated allowing trusts to exist, while increasing govts ability to

regulate them

c. TR breaks w/ Taft – decides to reenter politics, run for Pres in 1912 election

IV. Woodrow Wilson (D)(1913-1921) #28

A. Election of 19121. Taft/TR competing for Repub candicacy

a. Conservatives = Taft

b. Progressive = TR

2. Taft has more support (TR scares them when he declares fed gov’t to be steward over public’s welfare)

3. TR leave Rep Party” forms “Progressive Party” aka “The Bull Moose Party”

- “New Nationalism” – more powerful nat’l gov’t & strong exec branch to regulate biz/trusts

4. Woodrow Wilson = Democrat, “New Freedom”

a. Progressive Dem from NJ

1) revamped election laws

2) utility regulation

3) cities changed to commissioner form in NJ

b. Monopolies should be destroyed, not regulated

- freedom more important than efficiency

5. Woodrow Wilson elected

a. TR & Taft split Republican Vote, so… Democrat wins easily!

b. example of a Third Party as an election “spoiler”

B. Wilson on the Economy1. Tariffs

a. Wilson personally appeared before Congress to address need to reduce tariffs

b. Believed pressure of foreign competition would lead US manufacturers to improve their products & lower prices

- “constant necessity to be efficient, economic & enterprising”

c. Underwood Tariff (1913)

1) reduced tariffs to about 30% of value of goods. ½ 1890 rate

2) provision for income tax – direct tax on earnings of individuals & groups

d. 16th Amendment (1913): gave Congress the power to tax personal income

1) Constitution originally did not permit Congress to tax individuals’ income

2) established Graduated Income Tax: tax based on income of an individual or biz and

which taxes different income levels at different rates

2. Banking Reform

a. To restore public confidence in banking system

b. Federal Reserve System/Act (1913)

1) 12 Regional “bankers banks”

- bankers kept portion of their deposits in these to cushion against unanticipated losses

2) Board of Govs appointed by Pres.

- had pwr to raise/lower interest rates – thus had abililty to fight inflation by raising interest rates & stimulate economy during recession by lowering interest rates

3. Anti-trust Action

a. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

- investigates unfair biz practices (that hurt competition), cease & desist

orders

b. Clayton Anti-Trust Act

- banned tying agreements, price discrimination, volume discounts

- exempted labor from anti-trust laws

C. Federal Aid & Social Welfare1. Child Labor

- Keating-Owen Act: prohibited employment of children under 14 in factories producing goods for interstate commerce (court ruled against this)

2. Adamson Act

- 8 hr workday for RR workers

3. Federal Farm Loan Act

- 12 member banks provide farmers w/ long-term, low-interest loans

D. Legacy of Progressives1. more efficient city gov’t

2. more democratic state gov’t

3. increased biz regulation

4. improved working conditions

5. new amendments to constitution

6. role of gov’t to fix social & economic problems increased

E. Limits to Progressivism: US still very racist

1. Niagara Mvmt (1905)

2. NAACP (1910)

3. WEB DuBois – vote essential to bring about an end to racial discrimination