America’s HistorySeventh Edition

CHAPTER 20Whose Government?

Politics, Populists, and Progressives1880-1917

Copyright © 2011 by Bedford/St. Martin’s

James A. HenrettaRebecca Edwards

Robert O. Self

1. This image depicts an 1894 political march. To where are these men marching and for what reason?

2. What message are these men seeking to send to onlookers?

I. Reform Visions, 1880-1892A. Electoral Politics after Reconstruction

1. Close Elections• high voter turnout, partisan conflict characterized elections• Northerners were disillusioned by the failures of

Reconstruction• Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison presidencies

were limited by the intense competitions for votes• both parties accused of ballot-box stuffing and vote buying.

2. Party Loyalties• many Americans frustrated with party politics, but those

affiliated with parties were extremely loyal to them• reformers sought to create new parties but failed at long-

term organization.

I. Reform Visions, 1880-1892B. New Initiatives in the 1880s

1. Spoils• July 2, 1881, President Garfield shot by Charles Guiteau• some blamed Guiteau’s actions on his frustration with the patronage system (granting

government jobs to supporters)• Pendleton Act (1883) established the Civil Service Commission (exams), reduced political

parties’ opportunities to pass out jobs• “liberals” (term’s use has changed) in the 19th century meant Americans who advocated

limited and professionalized government• “mugwumps”: liberal Republicans; liberals wanted smaller government, less regulation; by

1887 Massachusetts was leading the charge for free, compulsory education and public regulatory commissions.

2. Republican Activism1888 the Republican Party gained control of Congress and the White House; gave

pensions to all Union veterans; began regulating interstate corporations; President Harrison with Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA) suggested a bipartisan federal election board for investigating fraud and disfranchisement, the “Force Bill”; southerners disliked the idea of government intervening in voting; northern liberals believed it was “too much democracy”; westerners opposed and finally defeated.

I. Reform Visions, 1880-1892B. New Initiatives in the 1880s

2. Republican Activism• 1888 the Republican Party gained control of Congress and

the White House• gave pensions to all Union veterans; began regulating

interstate corporations• President Harrison with Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA)

suggested a bipartisan federal election board for investigating fraud and disfranchisement, the “Force Bill”

• southerners disliked the idea of government intervening in voting; northern liberals believed it was “too much democracy”

• westerners opposed and finally defeated.

1. According to this political cartoon, what has President Harrison done since taking office?

2. What is the significance of Harrison’s enormous hat?

I. Reform Visions, 1880-1892C. The Populist Program

1. The People’s Party• 1890 Kansas Farmers’ Alliance joined with Knights of Labor to form

“People’s Party”• immediately had success in Kansas state elections; party grew to

national prominence in 1892• known as the “Populists”• wanted the people to have more power to end poverty and injustices• desired public ownership of railroad, telegraph systems, protection of

land and natural resources, federal income tax on highest incomes, looser monetary policy to favor borrowers.2. Supporters

farmers, labor groups, anti-liquor, some women’s suffrage advocates; party was ultimately hampered by the large number of private interests who joined.

I. Reform Visions, 1880-1892C. The Populist Program

2. Supporters• farmers, labor groups, anti-liquor, some women’s suffrage

advocates• party was ultimately hampered by the large number of

private interests who joined.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sA. Depression and Reaction

1. Economic Crises of the 1890s• depression hit in 1893, continued until nearly 1900• March 1893 increase in farm foreclosures and railroad bankruptcies• stock market crashed in May• by July banks were claiming they could no longer grant depositors access to money• unemployment above 20%• middle class grew concerned about possible labor unrest or a new agrarian-based

political movement.

2. Coxey’s ArmyJacob Coxey, radical from Ohio, proposed that the government could hire the unemployed

to fix roads; 1894 led a peaceful march to Washington; viewed as an extremist by many, but found support among others; arrived in Washington, arrested and jailed; public blamed upheaval on political radicals and the Democratic Party (President Cleveland); debate over “free silver” and the “gold standard” (supported by Cleveland, but not his party); Cleveland secretly enlisted the help of private bankers to preserve the gold standard, who then profited; people grew even more angry at Cleveland and his party.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sA. Depression and Reaction

2. Coxey’s Army• Jacob Coxey, radical from Ohio, proposed that the government

could hire the unemployed to fix roads• 1894 led a peaceful march to Washington• viewed as an extremist by many, but found support among others• arrived in Washington, arrested and jailed• public blamed upheaval on political radicals and the Democratic

Party (President Cleveland)• debate over “free silver” and the “gold standard” (supported by

Cleveland, but not his party)• Cleveland secretly enlisted the help of private bankers to preserve

the gold standard, who then profited• people grew even more angry at Cleveland and his party.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sB. Democrats and the “Solid South”

1. The People’s Party in the South• Democratic Party continued to gain strength and power in the South during the 1890s• People’s Party sought to join black and white poor in an effort to help farmers and wage-earners.

2. Disfranchisement• Democrats claimed People’s Party was advocating “Negro rule” and were angry to see farmers

supporting the cross-racial alliance forged by Populists• Democrats used fraud and violence to maintain white supremacy• by 1908 all southern states had literacy tests or poll taxes to keep black men from voting• voter turnout fell dramatically among African Americans and poor whites• segregation expanded• 1899 citizens of Grimes County, TX, established a secret “White Man’s Union” to keep black men

from voting.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sB. Democrats and the “Solid South”

2. Disfranchisement• Democrats claimed People’s Party was advocating “Negro

rule” and were angry to see farmers supporting the cross-racial alliance forged by Populists

• Democrats used fraud and violence to maintain white supremacy

• by 1908 all southern states had literacy tests or poll taxes to keep black men from voting

• voter turnout fell dramatically among African Americans and poor whites

• segregation expanded• 1899 citizens of Grimes County, TX, established a secret

“White Man’s Union” to keep black men from voting.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sC. The Election of 1896 and Its Aftermath

1. William Jennings Bryan• 1896 election Democrats chose Bryan (NE), a free-silver advocate• “You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold”• wanted a federal income tax on the wealthy• ran as a Democrat without recognizing the importance of Populism.

2. Mark Hanna• manufacturer from Ohio ran the Republican campaign• portrayed Bryan’s supporters as “revolutionary and anarchistic”• sought support from immigrants• William McKinley won.

3. Votingincreasingly, voters were excluded from participating in elections; northern and

southern states imposed literacy tests plus restrictions on immigrants voting; turnout declined; direct primaries enabled voters to choose candidates; 17th Amendment (1913) U.S. Senators to be chosen by popular vote.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sC. The Election of 1896 and Its Aftermath

3. Voting• increasingly, voters were excluded from participating in

elections• northern and southern states imposed literacy tests plus

restrictions on immigrants voting• turnout decline• direct primaries enabled voters to choose candidates• 17th Amendment (1913) U.S. Senators to be chosen by

popular vote.

II. The Political Earthquakes of the 1890sD. The Courts Reject Reform

1. The Fourteenth Amendment• federal courts used the 14th Amendment to strike down regulatory

measures passed in the 1880s• used “due process” clause to shield contract rights• arguments made that the courts were protecting workers from too

much government involvement/regulation• labor and farmer’s groups disagreed with these decisions.

2. Jim Crow Laws• Jim Crow Laws – Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)• a challenge to Jim Crow laws (legal segregation in public

accommodations)• ruled that separate but equal was constitutional• enabled widespread discrimination against African Americans.

1. What is taking place in this cartoon?

2. What is the significance of the cross and the crown?

3. What criticism is the cartoonist leveling at Bryan?

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917A. Theodore Roosevelt in the White House

1. Antitrust Legislation• Roosevelt assumed the presidency after McKinley

assassination (September 1901)• generally supportive of business, but during 1902 coal strike

Roosevelt forced companies to negotiate with miners’ union. 2. Legacy

• created the Bureau of Corporations to investigate business practices

• achieved passage of the Hepburn Act (ICC could set shipping rates)

• achieved legislation to break up monopolies, including oil, to create competition

• invited Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House amidst criticism; advocated elite rule.

1. This image shows Roosevelt campaigning for president in 1904. How might the new practice of bringing the candidate to the voters have impacted both campaigns and the presidency in the 20th century?

1. Can you identify any of the men depicted in this cartoon?

2. What is the central message of this cartoon?

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917B. Grassroots Progressive Movements

1. Women and Reform• used maternalism to argue for wider role of women in reform of public sector• focused on working-class women and children• National Child Labor Committee (1907): hired Lewis Hine to photograph conditions in mines and mills• inspired by new field of social work• Josephine Lowell formed New York Consumers’ League (1890); Muller v. Oregon (1908) upheld Oregon law that

limited women to 10 hours of paid labor/day• achieved first law for public assistance for single mothers• first minimum wage law (MA 1912)• concerns that these new laws focused too much on motherhood and not women as equal citizens.

2. Civil Rightswith increase in discrimination in the South, civil rights leaders more vocal; W.E.B. Du Bois: Harvard-educated,

advocated higher education for blacks; Ida B. Wells-Barnett: anti-lynching campaign; 1905 formation of the Niagara Movement led to 1909 founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).3. Innovation in the States

individual states emerged as leaders in reform, including Wisconsin under Gov. LaFollette (R): “Wisconsin Idea” called for government intervention in the economy; recall of political candidates and referendums for voting directly on proposed policy; debate heard in some industrial states where families needed children’s income but where labor reform advocates wanted to see an end to child labor; constitutional amendment re: child labor failed.4. The Problem of Labor

The Problem of Labor – AF of L and other labor unions advocated “voluntarism”: improvement of wages/conditions through self-help, including strikes and direct negotiations; increased militancy from radical labor groups including Western Federation of Miners (WFM) and Industrial Workers of the World or the “Wobblies”; syndicalists advocated workplace resistance and general strikes to overthrow capitalism.

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917B. Grassroots Progressive Movements

2. Civil Rights• with increase in discrimination in the South, civil rights leaders more vocal• W.E.B. Du Bois: Harvard-educated, advocated higher education for blacks• Ida B. Wells-Barnett: anti-lynching campaign• 1905 formation of the Niagara Movement led to 1909 founding of the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

3. Innovation in the Statesindividual states emerged as leaders in reform, including Wisconsin under Gov. LaFollette (R):

“Wisconsin Idea” called for government intervention in the economy; recall of political candidates and referendums for voting directly on proposed policy; debate heard in some industrial states where families needed children’s income but where labor reform advocates wanted to see an end to child labor; constitutional amendment re: child labor failed.4. The Problem of Labor

The Problem of Labor – AF of L and other labor unions advocated “voluntarism”: improvement of wages/conditions through self-help, including strikes and direct negotiations; increased militancy from radical labor groups including Western Federation of Miners (WFM) and Industrial Workers of the World or the “Wobblies”; syndicalists advocated workplace resistance and general strikes to overthrow capitalism.

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917B. Grassroots Progressive Movements

3. Innovation in the States• individual states emerged as leaders in reform, including Wisconsin under Gov.

LaFollette (R): “Wisconsin Idea” called for government intervention in the economy

• recall of political candidates and referendums for voting directly on proposed policy

• debate heard in some industrial states where families needed children’s income but where labor reform advocates wanted to see an end to child labor

• constitutional amendment re: child labor failed.

4. The Problem of LaborThe Problem of Labor – AF of L and other labor unions advocated “voluntarism”:

improvement of wages/conditions through self-help, including strikes and direct negotiations; increased militancy from radical labor groups including Western Federation of Miners (WFM) and Industrial Workers of the World or the “Wobblies”; syndicalists advocated workplace resistance and general strikes to overthrow capitalism.

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917B. Grassroots Progressive Movements

4. The Problem of Labor• The Problem of Labor – AF of L and other labor unions

advocated “voluntarism”: improvement of wages/conditions through self-help, including strikes and direct negotiations

• increased militancy from radical labor groups including Western Federation of Miners (WFM) and Industrial Workers of the World or the “Wobblies”

• syndicalists advocated workplace resistance and general strikes to overthrow capitalism.

1. Identify the two characters depicted on the cover of Puck magazine.

2. According to this cartoon, who is the “American Samson”?

3. What is the underlying political message illustrated here?

1. What does this image of LaFollette addressing a crowd of people tell us about early twentieth-century politics?

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917C. Taft and the Election of 1912

1. Roosevelt’s New Nationalism• after not running in 1908 TR returned to politics in 1910 with a focus on social

justice and public welfare• advocated women’s voting rights, minimum wage, curbs on the power of the

courts to halt reform• 1912 sought the Republican nomination• party chose President Taft, TR then led the Progressive Party.

2. Eugene V. Debs and Socialism• founder of the American Railway Union, served time in prison for radical

political action• 1901 founded the Socialist Party of America.

3. Woodrow WilsonDemocratic Party nominated Wilson: political scientist, former president of

Princeton University; advocate of reform; called his ideas the “New Freedom” to advocate reform while keeping political and economic liberty in tact; Wilson won when the Republicans split between Taft and Roosevelt.

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917C. Taft and the Election of 1912

3. Woodrow Wilson• Democratic Party nominated Wilson: political scientist,

former president of Princeton University• advocate of reform• called his ideas the “New Freedom” to advocate reform

while keeping political and economic liberty in tact• Wilson won when the Republicans split between Taft and

Roosevelt.

1. Examine the cover of this periodical. What political philosophy are the publishers seeking to advance with its content?

2. What reaction did the illustrator, John Sloan, hope to evoke with his drawing of the Ludlow Massacre?

1. Identify the men in this image.

2. What is the significance of the donkey?

3. What is the main message of this illustration?

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917D. Wilson and the New Freedom

1. Democrats• increasing belief that people needed government to work on their behalf• struggled with civil rights issues• passed a federal income tax (1913) and an inheritance tax• new taxes replaced tariffs as revenue for the country.

2. The Federal Reserve Act of 1913• no central bank to back up commercial banks in the states• created 12 district reserve banks funded and controlled by their member banks,

with a central bank to impose regulation• authority to issue currency and set the interest rate.

3. Investigating Labornew Federal Trade Commission to investigate companies; U.S. Commission on

Industrial Relations to investigate labor conditions; Commission blamed anti-unionism by employers for previous cases of violence between workers and employers, sought a federal law to protect workers; bills to benefit workers: Adamson 8-hour day law for railroad workers; Seamen’s Act for merchant sailors.

III. Reform Reshaped, 1901-1917D. Wilson and the New Freedom

3. Investigating Labor• new Federal Trade Commission to investigate companies• U.S. Commission on Industrial Relations to investigate

labor conditions• Commission blamed anti-unionism by employers for

previous cases of violence between workers and employers, sought a federal law to protect workers

• bills to benefit workers: Adamson 8-hour day law for railroad workers

• Seamen’s Act for merchant sailors.