Progressive Presidents Teddy Roosevelt: Republican reformer

1. Progressive PresidentsTeddy Roosevelt:Republican reformer "This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in."Chicago, IL, June 17, 1912 Thinking Skill: Explicitly assess Presidential reforms and draw conclusions about their impact

2. “TR” the President

3. United Mine Workers Union Strike • May 1902 mineworkers demand higher wages, shorter hours, recognition • How did previous Presidents handle labor strikes? • How did TR handle the UMWU strike? • Arbitration – miners won 10% pay increase and reduced workday from 10 to 9 hours

4. How does the cartoon depict TR’s stance toward trusts?

5. A “Square Deal” for All Americans • Goal: prevent wealthy and powerful from taking advantage of small business owners and the poor • 1st major anti-trust lawsuit against JP Morgan’s Northern Securities Company (RR holding company) in 1901 • 5-4 vote Supreme Court dissolved NSC • TR set sights on Standard Oil Co, American Tobacco Co, and threatened U.S. Steel

6. From Trustbusting to Regulating • Elkins Act (1903)- outlawed rebates on RR freights • Hepburn Act (1906)- ICC could set maximum RR rates and examine RR finances • Meat Inspection Act (1906)- provided for inspection of meat packing plants • Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)- required accurate ingredient labels and prohibited unproven claims about a product

7. Conservation Movement • Preservationists- John Muir, Sierra Club sought to maintain wilderness areas for beauty and aesthetics • Developers- Big business sought to exploit resources for economic gain • Mining, timber, farmers, ranchers • Conservationists- Gifford Pinchot, U.S. Forest Service sought to scientifically manage lands for public and commercial use • Distinction between Preservation and Conservation

8. Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir on Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, California

9. Roosevelt was an avid hunter

10. TR’s Approach to Environment • "The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others."Address at Deep Waterway Convention, TN (10/4/07) • "The object of government is the welfare of the people."…"Conservation means development as much as it does protection. I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us."

11. William Howard Taft • TR haunted by 1904 promise not to run for re-election • Wanted successor to continue “my policies” • Helped Taft win 1908 election (against Bryan) • Past Experience: • Attorney, Judge • Oversight of Philippines under McKinley • TR’s Secretary of War • Moderate Republican reformer: • 2 times as many lawsuits against trusts • Rift with Teddy Roosevelt and Progressives • Lawsuit against U.S. Steel • Unsuccessful in getting Congress to lower tariffs • Fired Pinchot for criticizing Ballinger

12. Teddy Roosevelt enters 1912 Election Campaign • Teddy Roosevelt “New Nationalism” • Regulation of business to serve public interest • Taft vs. Roosevelt • Contentious Republican convention • Roosevelt runs under (“Bull Moose”) Progressive Party • Republican vote is split between the two • Woodrow Wilson wins Election • Taft – taught law at Yale • Chief Justice of Supreme Court (1921)

13. Woodrow Wilson • Democratic Progressive Reformer • “New Freedom” – govt. reg. of economy • Reigning in Banks, Tariffs, Trusts • Underwood Tariff Bill (1913) • Increased Competition • Launched income tax • Federal Reserve Act • Regulate banks and reserve funds • Sets interest Rates • Clayton Antitrust Act – outlawed certain business practices

14. Presidential Legacies • What impact did each President’s actions have on the nation? On the Presidency? • Which Progressive President do you believe made the best contributions?