Chapter 28

PROGRESSIVISM AND THE REPUBLICAN ROOSEVELT

1. Why did the progressives believe that strong government action was the only way to tackle the social and economic problems of industrialization? How did this approach differ from traditional American emphasis on voluntary solutions to social problems?

2. Why were women so critical to the successes of the progressive movement? Were there any weaknesses in their ideas and approaches to social reform?

3. Why was Roosevelt such a popular progressive leader? In what ways did he sound like a more ardent reformer than he really was?

4. To what extent was progressivism really a “middle class” reform effort that did not really reflect the interests or concerns of the poor and working classes it claimed to benefit? How did some of the progressive concern for conservation and environment reflect the perspectives of more affluent Americans?

5. Did the progressive movement make any long lasting contributions to American society?

6. Explain how TWO of the following individuals responded to the economic and social problems created by industrialization during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Jane Addams Andrew Carnegie Samuel Gompers Upton Sinclair

PROGRESSIVE ROOTS

By 1900 America was faced with social problems that had been mounting for 30 years but had not been affectively addressed.

The nation was gripped by a reform movement called Progressivism. Biggest period of reform since the 1840s. It waged war on many social evils including

monopolies, corruption in government, inefficiency, social injustice and irresponsible corporations.

Progressivism The heart of progressive movement:

Belief that government should be strengthened so that it could act aggressively to tackle social ills.

Government could be an instrument of positive good

Basic prescription: use government as an agency of human welfare.

At heart, a rejection of Laissez Faire

Roots of ProgressivismPressure came from a number of different

groups:Socialists from Europe—start to gain strength in

USChristians preaching Social Gospel—focused on

the needs of the poor and the workers at the mercy of corporations.

Feminists—suffrage movement included social justice in their call for reform because women were often those who suffered the most.

Urban pioneers exposing corruption of cities and working conditions of children and women.

MuckrakersMagazines and Newspapers

began to compete with each other to expose evil and corruption

Purpose?TR dubs Muckrakers. Why?Lincoln Steffens—Shame

in the Cities Ida Tarbell—expose of

Standard OilDavid Phillips—The

Treason of the

Muckraking TargetsMalpractice of life insurance

companytariff lobbiesbeef trustmoney trustrailroad baronsWhite slave traffic in womenSlumsHigh rate of industrial

accidentsChild laborPlight of blacks in the southAdulterated Patent Medicine

Goals of MuckrakersWas out-pouring of national criticism and

exposure of ways in which the system was broken.

Articles had a profound impact on the nation

Like progressives in general, these articles were long on complaint but short on solutions.

They sought not to overthrow capitalism, but to cleanse it to cure the ills of American democracy.

Progressives in the MiddleWere mainly middle-class

What pressures did middle class feel.Curbing capitalism; insulation against

socialism.Progressives crossed party boundaries,

existed in all regions and at all levels of government.

Is reform from those in the middle

Goals of ProgressivesRegain the power that had slipped from the hands

of the people into the hands of the special interest. Thus, pushed for:primary elections.initiativesreferendum recalls, allowing voters to remove candidates who were

screwing up.Another objective was rooting out corruption.

corrupt practices acts. secret ballot direct election of US senators.

This eventually passes as the 17th Amendment.Woman’s suffrage.

Progressivism In The Cities And States

Progressives scored their biggest victories at the State and City level.

City commission form of government --Galveston Texas.

Urban reformersWisconsin a test lab for

progressive proposals. Gov. Robert La Follette.

Oregon. Hiram Johnson in CaliforniaCharles Evans Hughes in New

York.

Progressive Women

Settlement House movement

Social Clubs.“Women’s issues”Sweat shops.

Triangle Shirt Waste FireMuller v. OregonLochner v. New York

Temperance MovementTemperance movement Woman’s Christian

Temperance Union :Frances Willard. one million members.

Some states and counties passed laws controlling, restricting or banning liquor.

The big cities generally stay wet.Why?

TR’s Square Deal For LaborRoosevelt a progressive. Demanded a “Square Deal” for capital, labor

and the public. Believed the government should uphold the public

interest.He pushed control of three Cs:

corporations, consumer protectionconservation of natural resources.

Intervened in the coal strike of 1902. Significance

Department of Commerce and Labor 1903.Bureau of Corporations

TR Corrals The Corporations

RR monster still largely untouched.

Interstate Commerce Commission was largely ineffective.

Elkins Act of 1903 Hepburn Act of 1906 Interstate Commerce

Commission given new teeth. jurisdiction expanded; allowed to

set maximum rates and nullify existing rates.

TR Trust BustingNorthern Securities

Co. case.Under TR the Justice

Department initiated over 40 anti-trust suits. Targets

Roosevelt’s exaggerated rep as a trust-buster

Roosevelt’s goal and philosophy in busting trusts?

Caring For The ConsumerTR backed legislation

protecting against adulterated and mislabeled food.

1906 Upton Sinclair The Jungle

Meat Inspection Act of 1906

Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906

Roosevelt and Conservation

Earth Control

Americans using up natural resources Corporations hungry to exploit resources.Conservation and naturalist movement

started before TR president.Desert Land Act of 1877.Forest Reserve Act of 1891

TR gave the movement a huge kick in the pants

Newlands Act of 1902 Roosevelt set aside vast tracts of forests to

prevent logging on it.

Roosevelt Emboldens Enemies

Roosevelt is easily elected in his own right in 1904.

TR’s big mistake: announces that he will not

run for a “Third” term. Makes him a Lame DuckEmboldens the conservative

wing.

Roosevelt Panic Of 1907Sharp but short-lived panic on Wall Street in

1907. Why do conservatives blame TR?.TR lashes back hard. What does he say?Causes of panic Aldrich-Vreelant Act Sets the stage for Federal Reserve Act of

1913.

The Rough Rider Thunders OutRoosevelt used his political

clout to engineer nomination of Taft in 1908

Taft platform. Dems nominate Bryan. His

theme?Taft wins easily. Socialists manage nearly a

half-million votes

Contributions of TREnlarged the power and

prestige of the presidencyBegan the process of taming

capitalism ensuring that it would survive rather than being replaced.

Developed technique of using publicity as a political weapon

Helped shape the progressive movement and to lay the ground-work for later liberal reforms

Opened Americans, eyes to world affairs and America’s role and potential influence on world events.

Taft: A Round Peg In A Square Hole

Taft was initially very popular.

He was quite qualified.

Taft has Van Buren problem:

TaftTaft was passive,

comfortable with the status quo and not a strong leader.

Poor judge of public opinion;

Foot-in-mouth disease.Passive toward Congress

Dollar DiplomacyWhat is dollar diplomacy?What is the goal? Leads to much investment in Caribbean, Causes US entanglement in these

countries US Marines land in Cuba, Nicaragua,

Honduras and the Dominican Republic to restore order and to protect US investments. Continues the distrust of Caribbean and Central

American countries toward US.

The United States in the Caribbean

Taft The TrustbusterTaft brought antitrust suits at nearly four

times the rate of TR. 90 in his 4-year term.Sup. Ct. decision in Standard Oil case,

rule of reasonOnly “unreasonable” restraints of trade were

illegal. Created a huge hole in fed’s anti-trust net.

Taft also went after US Steel, Angered TR.

TR Busts TaftTR increasingly annoyed with Taft

TR expected and wanted Taft to be progressive in his mold.

TR was not ready to leave the stage.TR moving from Taft’s mentor to his

antagonist. The progressive wing longed for the return of

TR.

Taft Splits The Republican PartyLower tariff one of the primary progressive

aims; viewed as the mother of all Trusts.Payne-Aldrich Bill.

Taft: the “best bill ever passed by the party.” Reactions of progressive wing.

Gifford Pinchot.

Republican SplitBy 1910 the progressive wing

of Republican party moving into open revolt

Taft being pushed into the camp of the conservatives.

Osawatomie, Kansas, speech Doctrine of “New Nationalism”

Mid-term elections.

The Taft-Roosevelt RuptureNational Progressive Republican

League; LaFollette at the head. TR lets it be known that he will

accept a third term if nominated by Republicans.

He seizes the progressive banner. Wins a number of the new

primaries TR is more popular with voters, but

doesn’t win the nomination. Why? Roosevelt outraged. What does he

do in response?