PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION

Chapter 11Section 2

Setting the Scene

The Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in 1911 highlighted the plight of workers.

126 workers die because doors were locked; the fire escape was old, rusted and collapsed; and fire ladders could not reach the 10th floor where the fire was.

Women leapt to their deaths from the 10th floor of the burning building

The Asch Building, on the corner of Greene Street and Washington Place, was one of the new “fire-proof” buildings, but the blaze on March 25th was not their first.  It was also not the only unsafe building where young immigrants worked 6 or 7 days each week. Photographer unknown. 5780 P box 39 ff15f 

The 240 employees sewing shirtwaists on the ninth floor had their escape blocked by back-to-back chairs and work baskets in the aisles.  Walking space was so limited that many were forced to climb over the 75-foot long tables to get to the windows, stairs, and elevators that might lead to safety. Photographer unknown. 5780 P box 39 ff15g

Doctors examining each body for signs of life, located survivors among those that piled up on the sidewalk and street.  Officers gathered personal items including money, pay envelopes, papers, and jewelry for safe keeping, and placed numbered tags on victims before taking the dead to the Twenty-sixth Street Pier temporary morgue. Photographer unknown. 5780 P boxx 39 ff15c

“every week I must learn of the untimely death of one of my sister workers….But every time the workers come out in the only way they know to protest against conditions which are unbearable, the strong hand of the law is allowed to press down heavily upon us”

- Rose Schneiderman, public address, 1911

Schneiderman

Helped stir powerful public support for reforms

Called on the city to: Appoint fire inspectors Make fire drills compulsory To unlock and fire proof exits And to require sprinkler systems in

buildings more than seven stories tall

An Expanded Role for Government Most Progressives

opposed government control of businesses, except for companies that supply essential services such as water and electricity

They also wanted Social welfare programs Ensured a minimum standard of living

Unemployment benefits Accident and health insurance Social security for the elderly and disabled

Wanted Experts and Scientist to plan and run things not politicians

Levels of Reform

Federal

State

City (Municipal)

Municipal Reforms

Earliest reforms at the Municipal or city level

Wanted Home rule: a system that gives cities a limited degree of self-rule

Municipal reformers aimed to end government corruption

Blamed immigrants for many of the problems

Attacking the Bosses

Wanted a Civil Service System based on merit instead of favors

For the most part the bosses survived In some cities the bosses chose to work

with reformers Together they improved city services,

established public health programs and work place reforms, and enforced tenement codes.

New Forms of Municipal Government Governments changes in response to

natural disasters 1900 a powerful hurricane wiped out

Galveston killing 6,000 people The city instituted a commission system to

rebuild and it worked so well they kept it as their system of government

1913 Ohio’s Great Miami River Basin flooded Dayton killing 360 people The city created a council-manager system of

government

Cities take over Utilities

Reformers wanted to provide citizens with more affordable services by transferring control of urban utilities such as water, gas, and electricity to cities

Reformers want to regulate or remove the monopolies that provide city utilities. By 1915 nearly 2 out of 3 cities have some city-owned utilities.

Providing Welfare Services

Detroit- provided public baths, parks, and work relief programs

Toledo- opened playgrounds, free kindergartens, and lodging houses for the homeless Thought all people would become good

citizens if social conditions were good.

State Reforms

reformers hoped to end corruption in government by giving voters more direct say in lawmaking

More power to the Voters Direct Primary: an election where citizens vote

to select candidates for upcoming elections Initiative: a process where voters can put a

proposed new law on the ballot in the next election

Referendum: a process that allows citizens to approve or reject a law passed by the legislature

Recall: a process that allows voters to remove an official from office before the next election

Reforms in the Workplace

Established labor departments to provide information dispute-resolution services to employers and

employees Workers insurance and compensation

systems Business Owners fought the regulations By 1907 2/3rds of the states had

abolished child labor Many states passed minimum wage laws

Wisconsin’s Reform Governor

Robert “Fighting Bob” M. La Follette Ousted party bosses and instituted direct

primaries and civil service reforms Called on academic experts to help draft

reforms Had the votes read publicly in the districts

of legislators who voted against reforms 1906 he gets elected to the US Senate

Federal Reforms

President Teddy Roosevelt becomes the 1st Reform President

Expanded and vigorously used his Presidential powers domestically just as he had overseas

Created the Modern Presidency where the chief executive is a strong political force

Teddy Roosevelt’s “Square Deal”

1902 United Mine Workers strike With winter approaching the mine owners

still refused to talk with the union. Roosevelt forced both sides into Arbitration

A 3rd party decides what the mine owners and union have to agree to

Threatened to use the Army to seize the mines

The Arbitrators decided on a 10% raise and reduced the work day from 10 to 9 hours, but did not recognize the Union

Antitrust Activism

Roosevelt is going to vigorously enforce the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Sued the Northern Securities a holding

company- a firm that buys up the stocks and bonds of smaller companies creating a monopoly The court agrees with Roosevelt and breaks up

the company Will file 42 antitrust actions while President

Including: The Beef Trust, Standard Oil, and the American Tobacco Company

Railroad Regulation

Roosevelt won passage of the 1906 Hepburn Act Gave the Interstate Commerce Commission

(ICC) strong enforcement powers Authorized the ICC to set and limit railroad

rates The ICC became the 1st true federal

regulatory agency

Protecting Public Health

The muckrakers exposés of the food and drug industries convince him to respond The Pure Food and Drug Act The Meat Inspection Act

Required accurate labeling of ingredients, strict sanitary conditions, and a rating system for meats

A New Labor Department

1912 established a Children's Bureau 1913 Cabinet-level Department of Labor 1920 Women's Bureau

Protecting the Environment

Established Yellowstone National Park in 1872

Yosemite National Park in 1890 Presidents Harrison and Cleveland

preserve 35 Million Acres of forest land Teddy Roosevelt sets aside more than

200 Million Acres for National Parks, Mineral Reserves, and Water Projects

Builds irrigation systems in arid states.

Constitutional Amendments

16th Amendment (1913): federal income tax

17th Amendment(1913): Direct Election of Senators

18th Amendment (1919): banned Alcohol