The Rise of ProgressivismThe Rise of Progressivism

Changes of the Early 1900sChanges of the Early 1900s

What is PROGRESSIVISMWhat is PROGRESSIVISM

• A middle-class, urban/suburban reform A middle-class, urban/suburban reform movement of the first two decades of movement of the first two decades of the 20the 20thth Century. It focused on better Century. It focused on better government and more rights for government and more rights for workers.workers.

• Things to rememberThings to remember– Not limited to one partyNot limited to one party– Comes in many shapes and sizes—some Comes in many shapes and sizes—some

progressives were more progressive than progressives were more progressive than others.others.

OriginsOrigins

• Many of Progressives ideas came from Many of Progressives ideas came from the Populists of the 1890’s—a failed the Populists of the 1890’s—a failed third party who wantedthird party who wanted– Reforms to business (gov’t owned RR, Reforms to business (gov’t owned RR,

Telegraphs etc.)Telegraphs etc.)– Reforms to democracy (iniative, Reforms to democracy (iniative,

referendum, direct election of Senators)referendum, direct election of Senators)– Inflationary monetary policy (more money Inflationary monetary policy (more money

in circulation)in circulation)

Roots of the reform are with Roots of the reform are with reformers who come in various reformers who come in various formsforms• The Religious LeftThe Religious Left

– Social GospelSocial Gospel– The original WWJD The original WWJD

folksfolks– YMCA/Salvation YMCA/Salvation

Army etc.Army etc.

• Scientific Scientific ReformersReformers– Lester Ward—gov’t Lester Ward—gov’t

planning beats the planning beats the marketmarket

– Frederick Winslow Frederick Winslow Taylor—”Scientific Taylor—”Scientific Management”Management”

More Reformers More Reformers

• MuckrakersMuckrakers

• Women’s reformersWomen’s reformers

• SocialistsSocialists

The MuckrakersThe Muckrakers

• Writers who exposed the seamy side Writers who exposed the seamy side of life/society/politics to a wide of life/society/politics to a wide audienceaudience

• Forerunners of Dateline NBC?Forerunners of Dateline NBC?

IDA M. TarbellIDA M. Tarbell

• Wrote “A History of Wrote “A History of Standard Oil Standard Oil Company”Company”

• Exposed Exposed Rockefeller’s Rockefeller’s tacticstactics

• Led to Breakup of Led to Breakup of Standard Oil TrustStandard Oil Trust

Lincoln SteffansLincoln Steffans

• Wrote “Shame of Wrote “Shame of the Cities”the Cities”

• Exposed Corruption Exposed Corruption in city governmentin city government

• Creates Push for Creates Push for ReformReform

Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair

• Most famous for Most famous for “The Jungle”“The Jungle”

• Exposed sickening Exposed sickening meat packing meat packing processesprocesses

• Led to Pure Food Led to Pure Food and Drug Act, Meat and Drug Act, Meat Inspection Act, FDAInspection Act, FDA

From From The JungleThe Jungle• There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt

and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit uncounted and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit uncounted billions of consumption germs. There would be meat stored in billions of consumption germs. There would be meat stored in great piles in rooms; and the water from leaky roofs would drip great piles in rooms; and the water from leaky roofs would drip over it, and thousands of rats would race about on it. It was too over it, and thousands of rats would race about on it. It was too dark in these storage places to see well, but a man could run his dark in these storage places to see well, but a man could run his hand over these piles of meat and sweep off handfuls of the dried hand over these piles of meat and sweep off handfuls of the dried dung of rats. These rats were nuisances, and the packers would dung of rats. These rats were nuisances, and the packers would put poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, put poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, bread, and meat would go into the hoppers together. This is no bread, and meat would go into the hoppers together. This is no fairy story and no joke; the meat would be shoveled into carts, fairy story and no joke; the meat would be shoveled into carts, and the man who did the shoveling would not trouble to lift out a and the man who did the shoveling would not trouble to lift out a rat even when he saw one – there were things that went into the rat even when he saw one – there were things that went into the sausage in comparison with which a poisoned rat was a tidbit. sausage in comparison with which a poisoned rat was a tidbit. There was no place for the men to wash their hands before they There was no place for the men to wash their hands before they ate their dinner, and so they made a practice of washing them in ate their dinner, and so they made a practice of washing them in the water that was to be ladled into the sausage. the water that was to be ladled into the sausage.

Women’s ReformersWomen’s Reformers

• Promoted Labor UnionsPromoted Labor Unions

• Promoted social reform—more Promoted social reform—more equalityequality

• Sufferin’ for suffrageSufferin’ for suffrage

SocialistsSocialists

• Promoted Equality, classless societyPromoted Equality, classless society

• Preferred government ownership of Preferred government ownership of Railroads, public utilities etc.Railroads, public utilities etc.

• Too radical for most—may have Too radical for most—may have pushed the center to the leftpushed the center to the left

Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs

• Former President of Former President of American Railway American Railway UnionUnion

• Turned to socialism Turned to socialism after Pullman strikeafter Pullman strike

• Ran for president Ran for president several timesseveral times

• ““While there’s a lower While there’s a lower class, I am in it. Where class, I am in it. Where there’s a criminal there’s a criminal element, I am of it. So element, I am of it. So long as there’s a soul in long as there’s a soul in prison, I am not free.”prison, I am not free.”

Local-level progressivismLocal-level progressivism

• Mostly interested in improving city Mostly interested in improving city governmentgovernment– City Commission system (Galveston, Tx)City Commission system (Galveston, Tx)– City Manager System (Staunton, Va.)City Manager System (Staunton, Va.)– Reform MayorsReform Mayors

•Hazen Pingree (Detroit)Hazen Pingree (Detroit)•Samuel “Golden Rule” Jones (Toledo)Samuel “Golden Rule” Jones (Toledo)•Tom L. Johnson (Cleveland)Tom L. Johnson (Cleveland)

– RecallRecall

AS A RESULT OF ALL THESE AS A RESULT OF ALL THESE REFORMERS GOVERNMENT REFORMERS GOVERNMENT GETS INVOLVEDGETS INVOLVED

• Local LevelLocal Level

• State LevelState Level

• National LevelNational Level

State-Level ProgressivesState-Level Progressives

• Interested in improving governmentInterested in improving government– Initiative, ReferendumInitiative, Referendum– Secret BallotSecret Ballot– Direct PrimaryDirect Primary

• Improving the workplace with social welfare Improving the workplace with social welfare legislationlegislation– Improved job safety (especially after Triangle Fire)Improved job safety (especially after Triangle Fire)– Workman’s Comp. LawsWorkman’s Comp. Laws– Minimum Wage LawsMinimum Wage Laws– Maximum working hoursMaximum working hours

• In a way, states are a laboratory for the Fed. Gov’t.In a way, states are a laboratory for the Fed. Gov’t.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Triangle Shirtwaist Fire 19111911• Killed 148 workersKilled 148 workers

• Shocked/Outraged Shocked/Outraged AmericansAmericans

• Led to reform pushLed to reform push

Robert M. LaFollette R-Robert M. LaFollette R-Wisc.Wisc.• ““Battling Bob”Battling Bob”

• Best known state-level Best known state-level crusader—crusader—Congressman, Gov. Congressman, Gov. and, later, Sen. and, later, Sen.

• His “Wisconsin System” His “Wisconsin System” Fought for Democracy Fought for Democracy reform, workers rights, reform, workers rights, business regulation, business regulation, utility control, improved utility control, improved eductaion.eductaion.

Who didn’t want reform?Who didn’t want reform?

• Fundamentalist Protestants—support Fundamentalist Protestants—support prohibition onlyprohibition only

• Business InterestsBusiness Interests– Advertising boycottsAdvertising boycotts– Slammed Muckrakers as dangerous socialistsSlammed Muckrakers as dangerous socialists– Anti-Union (Example “Ludlow Massacre—1914 Anti-Union (Example “Ludlow Massacre—1914

in Colorado)in Colorado)– Pushed in CourtsPushed in Courts

• 1906 1906 Lochner v. New YorkLochner v. New York

Despite critics, social welfare Despite critics, social welfare legislation begins to emergelegislation begins to emerge

• Maximum Hours for WomenMaximum Hours for Women– Mueller v. Oregon keyMueller v. Oregon key– Also a key legal caseAlso a key legal case

• Minimum Wage laws (minimally Minimum Wage laws (minimally effective)effective)

• Widow’s PensionsWidow’s Pensions

• Workman’s Compensation LawsWorkman’s Compensation Laws– Triangle FireTriangle Fire

Despite all of these non-government Despite all of these non-government reformers, it’s a traditional politician reformers, it’s a traditional politician who plays the biggest role.who plays the biggest role.• Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

– Maverick politicianMaverick politician– Pro-Business Repubs cannot Pro-Business Repubs cannot

control him, so they try to get control him, so they try to get rid of himrid of him

– Nominated as McKinley’s VP in Nominated as McKinley’s VP in 19001900

– Mark Hanna (GOP boss) Mark Hanna (GOP boss) allegedly said, don’t you know allegedly said, don’t you know that &#$^# fool Roosevelt is that &#$^# fool Roosevelt is just one bullet away from the just one bullet away from the White House now.White House now.

– Summer, 1901, McKinley Summer, 1901, McKinley Assassinated—everything Assassinated—everything changes.changes.