FROM ROOSEVELT TO WILSON IN THE AGE OF PROGRESSIVISM

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FROM ROOSEVELT TO WILSON IN THE AGE OF
PROGRESSIVISM

• America Past and Present
• Chapter 23

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The Spirit of Progressivism

• Progressivism not a coherent movement
• Shared values
• sense of evangelical Protestant duty
• faith in the benefits of science
• commitment to improve all aspects of American life

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The Rise of the Professions

• Professions bulwarks of Progressivism
• Law
• Medicine
• Business
• Education
• Social work
• Professionalism strengthened through entrance
  exams, national associations

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The Social-Justice Movement

• Reformers forsake individualized reform to
  address larger structural problems
• Apply scientific methods to social reform
• Social work became a profession

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The Purity Crusade

• Crusade against vice
• 1911--membership in Women's Christian Temperance
  Union hits 250,000
• 1916--19 states prohibit alcohol
• 1920--18th Amendment prohibits alcohol

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Woman Suffrage, Woman's Rights

• Women fill Progressive ranks
• National Conference of Social Work
• General Federation of Women's Clubs
• 1890--National American Woman Suffrage
  Association formed
• 1920--Nineteenth Amendment passed
• Suffrage seen as empowering women to benefit the
  disadvantaged

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Womens Suffrage Before 1900
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A Ferment of IdeasChallenging the Status Quo

• Progressives, pragmatists, measure value of ideas
  by actions they inspire
• Reject social Darwinism
• John Dewey--education should stress personal
  growth, free inquiry, creativity

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A Ferment of IdeasChallenging the Status Quo (2)

• 1901--Socialist party formed
• Unites intellectuals, factory workers, tenant
  farmers, miners, lumberjacks
• Promises Progressive reform rather than overthrow
  of capitalism
• 1912--Socialist presidential candidate Eugene
  Debs polls over 900,000 votes

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Reform in the Cities and States

• Progressives wanted government to follow the
  public will
• Reform government
• reorganize for efficiency, effectiveness
• new agencies address particular social ills
• posts staffed with experts
• Government power extended at all levels

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Interest Groups and the Decline of Popular
Politics

• Decline in voter participation
• 77 from 1876-1900
• 65 from 1900-1916
• 52 in the 1920s
• remains near 52 through 20th century
• Interest groups get favorable legislation through
  lobbying

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Voter Participation in Presidential Elections,
1876-1920
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Reform in the Cities

• Urban reform leagues form professional,
  nonpolitical civil service
• Appointed commissioners replace elected officials
  in many cities
• City manager idea spreads
• Reform mayors
• Tom Johnson of Cleveland
• "Golden Rule" Jones of Toledo

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Action in the States

• State regulatory commissions created to
  investigate economic life
• Initiative, referendum, and recall created
• 1917--17th Amendment provides for direct election
  of U.S. senators

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Action in the StatesReform Governors

• Robert La Follette of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Idea taps experts in higher education
  for help in sweeping reforms
• Other Progressive governors
• Joseph Folk of Missouri
• Hiram Johnson of California
• Charles Evans Hughes of New York
• Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey

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The Republican Roosevelt

• Often defies convention
• Brings an exuberance to the presidency
• Surrounds himself with able associates

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Busting the Trusts

• 1902--wave of trust-busting led by suit against
  Northern Securities Company
• 1904--Northern Securities dissolved
• Roosevelt reputed a "trust-buster"
• Comparatively few antitrust cases under Roosevelt

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"Square Deal" in the Coalfields

• 1902--United Mine Workers strike in Pennsylvania
  threatens U.S. economy
• U.M.W., companies to White House
• Roosevelt wins company concessions by threatening
  military seizure of mines
• Roosevelt acts as broker of interests

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Roosevelt Progressivism at Its Height

• 1904A four-way election
• RepublicanTheodore Roosevelt
• DemocratAlton B. Parker
• SocialistEugene V. Debs
• ProhibitionSilas C. Swallow
• Roosevelt wins 57 of popular vote, 336 electoral
  votes

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Regulating the Railroads

• 1903--Elkins Act prohibits railroad rebates,
  strengthens Interstate Commerce Commission
• Widespread popular demand for further railroad
  regulation after Roosevelts reelection
• 1906--Hepburn Act further strengthens Interstate
  Commerce Commission
• membership from five to seven
• may fix reasonable maximum rates
• jurisdiction broadened to include oil pipeline,
  express, sleeping car companies

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Cleaning Up Food and Drugs

• Upton Sinclairs The Jungle (1906) prompts
  federal investigation of meatpacking industry
• 1906--Meat Inspection Act
• sets rules for sanitary meatpacking
• requires government inspection of meat products
• Samuel Hopkins Adams exposes dangers of patent
  medicines
• 1906--Pure Food and Drug Act
• requires manufacturers to list certain
  ingredients
• bans manufacture and sale of adulterated drugs

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Conserving the Land

• First comprehensive national conservation policy
• Roosevelt works with Gifford Pinchot, chief of
  Forest Service
• policy defines conservation as wise use of
  natural resources
• Quadruples acreage under federal protection

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National Parks and Forests
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Conserving the Land (2)

• Roosevelts challenge
• attacks malefactors of great wealth
• criticizes conservatism of federal courts
• agitates for pro-labor legislation
• Popular response
• business leaders blame for financial panic
• overwhelming majority support

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The Ordeal of William Howard Taft

• Taft able administrator, poor president
• Conservative Republicans resurge
• Taft loses support of Progressives

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Party Insurgency

• Tariff splits Republicans
• Progressives high tariff favors trusts
• Conservatives high tariff protects business
• 1909 Payne-Aldrich Act provokes Progressives to
  break with Taft

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The Ballinger-Pinchot Affair

• Gifford Pinchot leading conservationist,
  Roosevelt appointee
• Pinchot accuses Interior Secretary Richard
  Ballinger of selling public lands to friends
• Taft fires Pinchot
• Progressives antagonized

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Taft Alienates the Progressives

• 1910--Taft successfully pushes Mann-Elkins Act to
  strengthen ICC
• empowers ICC to fix railroad rates
• Progressive Republicans attack Tafts plan of a
  Commerce Court to hear ICC appeals
• progressives obstruct Tafts negotiations
• 1910--Taft attacks Progressive Republicans,
  Democrats gain Congress

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Taft Alienates the Progressives (2)

• Legislation protecting laborers
• Sixteenth Amendment creates income tax
• Taft a greater trustbuster than Roosevelt
• Taft, Roosevelt attack one another publicly
• 1912--Taft renominated by Republicans, little
  chance for victory

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Differing Philosophies in the Election of 1912

• Roosevelt--Progressive ("Bull Moose")
• New Nationalism
• federal regulation of economy
• wasteful competition replaced by efficiency
• Woodrow Wilson--Democrat
• "New Freedom" for individual
• restrain big business, government
• Democrats win White House, Congress

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Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom

• Woodrow Wilson former president of Princeton,
  governor of New Jersey
• Progressive, intellectual, inspiring orator
• One of America's most effective presidents

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The New Freedom in Action

• 1913--Underwood Tariff cuts duties
• 1913--Federal Reserve Act reforms banks,
  establishes stable currency
• 1914--Clayton Antitrust Act outlaws unfair trade
  practices, protects unions
• 1914--Federal Trade Commission

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New Freedom in Action Retreating from Reform

• November, 1914--Wilson announces the "New
  Freedom" has been achieved
• It was a time of healing because a time of just
  dealing
• Statement stuns many progressives

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Wilson Moves Toward the New Nationalism

• Reasons for the move
• distracted by the outbreak of war in Europe
• needs conservative Southern support
• Republicans seem to gain by attacking his
  programs
• 1916--Presidential election

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Wilson Moves Toward the New Nationalism (2)

• Wilson renews reform in reelection bid
• Federal Farm Loan Act
• intervenes in strikes on behalf of workers
• attempts to ban child labor
• increases income taxes on the rich
• supports womens suffrage
• Program wins Wilson a close election

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The Fruits of the Progressivism

• Reform of government at all levels
• Intelligent planning of reform
• World War I ends Progressive optimism