Progressivism and TR's Reforms: Targeting Corruption and Promoting Social Change

1. Chapter 28 Progressivism and the Republican Roosevelt, 1901–1912

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4. I. Progressive Roots • Progressive ideas and theories • Against “let-alone” (laissez-faire) policy / philosophy • The people, through government, must act / help • Politicians and writers began to pinpoint targets • “Bloated trusts” attacked as corrupt • Jacob A. Riis’s How the Other Half Lives (1890) • Socialists gained support in elections • Social gospel movement • Promoted progressivism based on Christian teachings

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6. II. Raking Muck with the Muckrakers • Muckraking magazines • McClure’s, Cosmopolitan, Collier’s and Everybody’s • Reporters (muckrakers) dug for ‘dirt’ about… • Corrupt big businesses (Oil, insurance, railroad) • Corrupt municipal government officials

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9. III. Political Progressivism • The progressives • Included both political parties, at all levels of gov’t • They sought to modernize American institutions • Curb trust / monopoly power • To improve the common person’s life and labor • What they achieved • Primary elections, initiative , referendum , recall • Introduced the secret Australian ballot • Direct election of senators (17th Amendment - 1913) • Also Income Tax (16th Amendment – 1909) • Indirectly Prohibition (18th) and Women’s suffrage (19th)

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13. IV. Progressivism in the Cities and States • Progressives impressive gains in the cities • Reorganized city government (city-manager system) • “slumlords,” juvenile delinquency, prostitution issues • Improved water supplies, streetlights, mass transit • They bubbled up to states • Elected ‘Progressive’ candidates • Biggest success - regulating public utilities

17. USA Event Deaths

19. 1913 Dayton Flood

23. V. Progressive Women • Women ran the settlement house movement • Exposed middle-class women to urban problems • Increased women’s skill, confidence, connections • Campaigns for factory reform and temperance • Muller v. Oregon(1908), Lochner v. N.Y. (1905) • Laws not enforced (EG: Triangle Shirtwaist fire - 1911) • American welfare focused on women & children • Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) • Concern over the cause of social problems

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26. VI. TR’s Square Deal for Labor • His program embraced three C’s • Control of the corporations • Consumer protection • Conservation of natural resources • Administrative practice • Created Department of Commerce and Labor (1903) • The Bureau of Corporations was authorized • Cleared the road for the era of “trust-busting.”

27. VII. TR Corrals the Corporations • Theodore Roosevelt’s belief system • Government, not private business, ruled the country • Believed in “good trusts” and “bad trusts” • His first focus - The Railroads • Hatch Act (1903) & Hepburn Act (1906) • TR initiated 40 + anti-trust lawsuits (Taft filed more)

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29. VIII. Caring for the Consumer • Roosevelt induced Congress to pass • The Meat Inspection Act (1906) • The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) • Motivated by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle (1906)

31. IX. Earth Control • Steps to conservation of US natural resources • Forest Reserve Act (1891)-Set aside parks / reserves • Roosevelt expanded on these previous laws • Preservation of the nation’s shrinking forests • Promoted reclamation of land (deserts / swamps) • Private organizations and societies created • Boy Scouts, Audubon Society, Sierra Club

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40. X. The “Roosevelt Panic” of 1907 • The goals of Roosevelt’s second term • Regulate corporations, tax incomes, protect workers • 1907 Wall St. panic (Recession) • Causes “Runs” on banks, speculators arrested • Conservatives blamed “Theodore the Meddler” • Results of the 1907 panic • Paved the way for long-overdue fiscal reforms • Congress (1908) passed the Aldrich-Vreeland Act • Authorized national banks to issue emergency currency

41. XI. The Rough Rider Thunders Out • Republican select was William Henry Taft • TR’s successor would carry out “my policies” • Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan • Had lost twice in previous elections • The results of campaign of 1908 • Taft polled 321 electoral votes to 162 for Bryan • High # of votes for Socialist Party (Debs)

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43. XII. Taft: A Round Peg in a Square Hole • President William Howard Taft • Previously a lawyer, judge, cabinet administrator • Non-confrontational, candid, liked status quo • Selected a ‘conservative’ cabinet

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45. XIII. The Dollar Goes Abroad as a Diplomat • Taft’s foreign policy – “dollar diplomacy” • U.S. investments boosted U.S. political interests • China’s Manchuria • Caribbean-especially Cuba • Nicaragua - 2500 marines (1912), stayed for 30 years

46. XIV. Taft the Trustbuster • Taft brought 90 suits against trusts • SCOTUS dissolution of Standard Oil (1911) • violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 • “Rule of reason” doctrine • Trusts that “unreasonably” restrained trade illegal • U.S. Steel anti-trust lawsuit (1911) • This initiative infuriated Roosevelt

47. XV. Taft Splits the Republican Party • Republican progressives wanted lower tariffs • Taft signed Payne-Aldrich Bill, which raised tariffs • Taft also upset progressive conservationists • Allowed mining on ‘protected’ lands • Reformist Republican wing upset • TR promoted, “New Nationalism” doctrine • Increase gov’t to improve society • Congressional elections (1910) • Democrats control House (228-161) • Republican ‘holdovers’ control Senate (51-41)

48. XVI. The Taft-Roosevelt Rupture • Taft-TR fight at the Republican convention • Fight over seating delegates • Taft (conservatives) win • Fight over nomination • Taft (conservatives) win • Roosevelt refused to quit • Lead a third-party crusade

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