PROGRESSIVISM AND THE REPUBLICAN ROOSEVELT

1901-1912

Chapter 28

I. Progressive Roots Industrialization, urbanization, immigration brought benefits,

social problems Progressive movement emerged 1890’s believed honest,

efficient government could bring social change Hands –off individualism of 1800’s out of place in modern age Many felt urban-industrial society could no longer afford

laissez- faire policies Included all political parties, social classes, religions, ethnic

groups Wanted expansion of government to accomplish reform Similar to Populism1. wanted government reform2. make government more responsive to people’s needs Differed from Populism1. mostly middle class 2. some motivated by religious beliefs, 3. use modern ideas and scientific methods to make society

better

I. Progressive RootsBefore 1900 many writers began

to attack trusts, new rich as corrupt and bad for society

Jacob Riis shocked middle class America with the book How the Other Half Lives (1890) about life in the NYC slums

Other critics of social injustice• socialists made gains at the ballot

box• promoters of the social gospel used

religious doctrines to fight for better housing and living conditions, improve morality

• Many feminists fought for social justice and suffrage

II. Raking Muck with the Muckrakers Turn of the century- exposing of evil of

corporations and industry became big business

To keep circulation up many magazines, newspapers investigated wrongdoing

Often unmasked corruption and the corrupt alliance between big business and government

Journalists called “muckrakers” by TR Novelists developed new genre- naturalism-

portrayed misery of common people, struggles of workers (Upton Sinclair- The Jungle)

Photographers portrayed the slums and dark side of urban life (Jacob Riis)

Publicity aroused social conscience to make changes

Progressives wanted to cleanse capitalism, not get rid of it

III. Political Progressives Progressive reformers mainly middle

class men and women Felt squeezed from above and below in

new society Two goals: use the state to curb the

power of trusts, improve life of industrial, urban dweller and rural poor

Less political movement than majority mood

Problems targeted by Progressivesa) Government Reform – get rid of

political machines and corrupt city officials

b) Urban Areas- adequate services and better living conditions

c) Big Business- break up trusts and create more economic opportunities

d) Women- acquire the right to votee) Reduce gap between rich and poor

III. Political Progressivism Populists wanted to regain political control from

moneyed interests and political party bosses Established direct primary for selecting nominees Initiative- power to put proposed law on ballot Referendum- allowed citizens to approve or reject laws Recall- vote to remove public servants from office To get rid of graft government began to limit campaign

contributions and gifts to politicians Australian Secret Ballot made bribery less feasible Direct election of senators (17th Amendment), to weed

out corruption caused by corrupt state legislatures sending well connected senators to Washington

Women’s suffrage began to receive renewed support, to elevate political tone, many states out West had already extended vote to women

IV. Political Progressivism in the Cities and States Municipal governments wanted to establish

clear lines of authority, make government more efficient

Galveston Hurricane 1900 helped bring change

To rebuild city replaced mayor with commission called Galveston Plan

Reduced power of political machines Dayton, Ohio added city manager to idea Many cities purchased utility companies to

keep rates at a fair level By turn of the century government had

become specialized Major state in efforts for reform –Wisconsin

and Governor Bob La Follette, most militant of Progressive governors (Wisconsin idea)

V. Progressive Women Women important part of progressive crusade Settlement Houses opened door to public life,

exposed women to problems plaguing cities and gave confidence to attack problems

Defended new roles as extension of women’s spheres

Drawn to moral issues, child labor , heath, rights for women workers, safe food practices

Established organizations – Women’s Trade Union, National Consumers League, Women’s Bureau of Department of Labor

Landmark court case Muller vs. Oregon Persuaded Supreme Court to accept

constitutionality of laws protecting female workers, also triumph of labor over employers in the workplace

1902 National Child Labor Committee formed 1916 Keating- Owens Act banned child labor Overturned by Supreme Court 1918 Improving education by compulsory attendance-

take them out of factories

V. Progressive Women 1900 U.S. highest rate of industrial accidents 1905 setback for labor Lochner vs. New York,

invalidated state law limiting working hours 1917 Court upheld limit of 10 hour workday 1911 Lack of enforcement led to Triangle

Shirtwaist Factory fire Flagrant violation of safety codes led to fire

and death of 146 workers, mostly immigrant Jewish women

Caused state of NY to pass stricter laws regulation working conditions of sweatshops

By 1917 many states had passed workers compensation laws to protect injured workers

Concept that employers had a social responsibility replaced concept of unregulated free enterprise

Many women took up crusade against liquor Formed Woman’s Christian Temperance Union,

succeeded in passing ‘dry laws” in many states

VI. TR’s Square Deal for Labor TR fought against corporations, for consumer

protection and conservation of national resources Program for change called “square deal” Goals to keep wealth and large business from taking

advantage of poor and small business Roosevelt used power and authority of federal

government to regulate industry 1902- Coal Strike1. Miners wanted raise in pay, shorter hours2. Needed steady supply of coal for factories and

homes3. Roosevelt wanted to end strike quickly,

threatened to send in federal troops4. Workers received pay raise, shorter work days First example of government helping workers in

labor dispute 1903 Department of Commerce and Labor founded Monitored business and labor engaged in interstate

commerce

VI. TR Corrals the CorporationsRailroads Cost of shipping freight an issue since 1870’s By 1900 most power of ICC was stripped away

by Supreme Court 1903 Elkins Act- imposed fines on railroads for

giving special rates to certain companies 1906 Hepburn Act- Strengthened ICC, gave

government right to set fees for shipping 1904 Government suit against Northern

Securities Company Supreme Court ruled it was an illegal trust,

forced company to split into smaller railroad companies

Roosevelt saw differences between “good” and “bad” trusts

Bad trust bullied smaller companies In 1905 Supreme Court began to declare many

trusts illegal (beef, sugar, fertilizers, etc.) Purpose was more symbolic than real; wanted

to prove government not big business ruled country

Wanted to regulate not fragment industry, threat of legal action would keep them inline

VII. Caring for the Consumer

Regulating Food and Drug Industries

1906 The Jungle published caused public demand for reform of meat packing industry

Meat Inspection Act (1906) federal government inspect meat sold across state lines, inspect meat packing, processing plants

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Controls on other foods and medicines, banned shipment of impure food and drugs

VIII. Earth ControlAmerican concern for the

environment grew in the late 1800’s, natural resources once seen as inexhaustible were disappearing quickly

First steps toward conservation:Desert Land Act (1877) sold

arid land cheaply, purchaser would have to irrigate it within three years

Forest Reserve Act (1891) set aside forests as national parks and reserves

Carey Act (1894) gave federal land to states with conditions, must be irrigated and settled

VIII. Earth Control Roosevelt lover of outdoors appalled by environmental

degradation Gifford Pinchot head of federal Division of Forestry

close ally of Roosevelt Roosevelt takes charge of environmental policy, sees

environment as a resource that should be managed and used wisely

1902 Newlands Reclamation Act collects money from sale of western lands and uses it for irrigation projects, allows dams for irrigation and eventually power to spring up across west

Sets aside forests that are protected by federal government

Concern for loss of natural heritage and disappearance of part of national character drives movement, wanted use of America’s “national endowment”

Roosevelt and Pinchot were conservationists not environmentalists; advocated multiple use of national forests and environment (timber, recreation, watershed protection, livestock grazing)

Large farmers and ranchers took advantage of new agencies and figured out how to work system, took small rancher and logger out of the picture

IX. Roosevelt and the Panic of 1907 1904 Roosevelt reelected and called

for more regulation, taxation and worker protection

1907 Wall Street Panic, industry tried to blame Roosevelt for panic with his regulation

Roosevelt said they deliberately caused panic to force relaxation on trusts

Panic paved way for financial reform and need for more elastic money supply

New industrial economy with its ups and downs needed more money in circulation

1908 Aldrich- Vreeland Act authorized banks to issue emergency currency, smoothed path for Federal Reserve Act of 1913

X. Legacy of RooseveltRode middle ground between

interests of business and total government control

Enlarged power of presidency through progressive reform and aggressive foreign policy

Used power of government to regulate unbridled business interests

Idea that government could take action and change lives

Environmental legislation was his most long lasting achievement

XI. Taft: A Round Peg in a Square Hole

Roosevelt decides not to run in 1908, uses power over party to have William Howard Taft nominated and wins election

Taft not as strong of a personality as Roosevelt and he allows Congress to push him around; Taft seemed wedded to the status quo not major change

Diplomacy changes from “Big Stick” to “Dollar Diplomacy”, not aggressive like Roosevelt

Taft did use the power of government to break up trusts

XII. Taft the Trustbuster Brought more suits against trusts than Roosevelt 1911 Supreme Court orders breakup of Standard Oil Uses “rule of reason”, says Standard Oil unreasonably restrained

trade, any company that did this was illegal In same year he brings suit against US Steel 1909- Taft fought against the tariff, called special session of

Congress to lower tariff, Senate instead raises them Taft signs bill and draws criticism from Progressives Mann- Elkins Act (1910) government control over telephone,

telegraph rates, one of his few successes Taft wanted to protect environment , established Bureau of Mines to

control mineral resources and protect federal land from exploitation 1910 undoes positive record on environment when he sides with Sec.

of the Interior on opening public lands to development Taft was criticized by Gifford Pinchot and so he is fired, creates rift

between Roosevelt and Taft Roosevelt travels around country giving speeches against Taft and

pushing New Nationalism Republican party is split and 1910 elections go to Democrats

XIII. The Taft-Roosevelt Rupture and the Election of 1912

1911 Republicans split off from main party and form the National Republican Progressive League

By 1912 Roosevelt had seized Progressive banner and became a third party presidential candidate (known as the Bull Moose Party)

Platform advocated New NationalismA. Promote government regulation of

businessB. Social JusticeC. Child labor lawsD. Minimum wage Roosevelt and Taft split each others

constituencies and this led to the election of Woodrow Wilson a progressive governor of New Jersey as president

WILSONIAN PROGRESSIVISM AT HOME AND ABROAD

1912-1916

I. Woodrow Wilson: A Minority President

With Republicans split, Wilson won election easily

Taft and Roosevelt won more votes put together so election was really a mandate for Progressivism, helped spur the enactment of many Progressive reforms

Wilson was a former university professor and progressive governor from New Jersey

First president from the south(VA) to win presidency since before the Civil War

Great orator, believed that president should play a dynamic role and provide leadership

Son of a minister he was an idealist and moralist, hard to get him to compromise

II. Wilson Tackles the Tariff Wilson attacked the “triple wall” of privilege- tariffs, banks

and trusts 1913 calls special session of Congress to reduce tariff rates Appealed to Congress personally (a first) and gets

Underwood Tariff Bill passed, cut tariffs and created graduated income tax

Authority to tax from 16th Amendment passed 1913 By 1917 revenue from income tax more than from tariffs Wilson next tackled banking and currency issues that had

outgrown America’s new economic role Most serious problem inelasticity of currency 1913 delivers plea for sweeping banking reform Signs Federal Reserve Act, most important piece of

economic legislation between the Civil War and the New Deal Created Federal Reserve Board, oversaw decentralized

system of 12 regional reserve districts with their own central bank, empowered to issue paper money

Federal Reserve Board set up banks to reserve money from commercial banks

Keeps one bank, person, region from having too much money Sets interest rates, regulates bank practices Amount of money in circulation could be quickly expanded in

times of crisis

III. The President Tames the Trusts and the High Tide of Progressivism

1914 Congress passes the Federal Trade Commission Act Gave teeth to Sherman Anti-Trust Act, provided enforcement to

check monopolies and companies that engaged in unfair business practices

Clayton Act protected labor unions and agricultural organizations from antitrust legislation, legalized strikes and peaceful picketing

1916 Federal Farm Loan Act made credit available to farmers at low interest rates

Warehouse Act authorized loans on security of staple crops Laws provided for funding for highway construction, allowed

farmers to ship products easier Workingmen’s Compensation Act granted assistance to

disabled federal workers Legislation to restrict child labor was struck down by the Supreme

Court Adamson Act established eight hour workday for people engaged

in interstate commerce Business leaders did not like Wilson’s policies Appeased business interests by making conservative appointments

to Federal Reserve Board and Federal Trade Commission Wilson increased segregation in federal bureaucracy, possibly due

to southern roots

IV. New Directions in Foreign PolicyRepudiated “Big Stick” and “Dollar” diplomacy,

favored moral diplomacyWanted to end colonialism, promote independent

governmentsDid use troops in Latin America to protect American

interestsHad to take new direction with events in EuropeEuropean balance of power interrupted with

assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1914European powers were drawn into a war through a

series of alliancesCentral Powers Germany, Austria-Hungary; Allies

were France, England, RussiaAmerica was happy to have an ocean as a buffer…..

V. A Precarious Neutrality Wilson proclaimed America as neutral in the war Both sides wooed the US British had an advantage because they controlled

the transatlantic cables, sent stories of German atrocities to the US, also close economic and cultural ties with British

Germans counted on sympathies of immigrants Most Americans were anti-German, Kaiser

embodiment of European aristocracy, many upset at German attack on neutral Belgium

US economy in recession in 1914 and war orders from the allies helped pull us out of it

J.P. Morgan helped British and French finance war with loans ($2.3 billion), Germans said this violated American neutrality

Technically Germans could trade with US but British navy prevented shipping

1915 Germans begin to use submarine to harass shipping, but declared they would not attack neutral ships

Wilson warned Germans they would be accountable for any losses

Sinking of Lusutania, Sussex by Germans created tension between US and Germans