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Transcript of Studying the Progressive Era Through the Election of 1912 The Election that shaped the course of the...
Studying the Progressive Era
Through the Election of 1912The Election that
shaped the course of the 20th Century
The Progressive Issues – Immigration & Urbanization
• Southern & Eastern Europe– Italy, Russia, & Austria-Hungary
• 1901 – 1914 13 Million• Ellis Island / Angel Island• Asian & Mexican Immigrants• 1910 – 40% of NY’s population foreign-born• Quest for Jobs “freedom & prosperity”• Urban inequality 5th Avenue vs.
tenements
Mulberry Street Bend, 1889
Mulberry Street Bend, 1889
5-Cent Lodgings5-Cent Lodgings
Men’s LodgingsMen’s Lodgings
Women’s LodgingsWomen’s Lodgings
Immigrant Family Lodgings
Immigrant Family Lodgings
Dumbbell Tenement PlanDumbbell Tenement Plan
Tenement House Act of 1879, NYCTenement House Act of 1879, NYC
Italian Rag-PickerItalian Rag-Picker
Another Struggling Immigrant Family
Another Struggling Immigrant Family
The Other Side of the City – 5th Avenue
The Other Side of the City – Early Luxury Apartments
The Other Side of the City – The Dakota (1st Luxury Apt. Complex in Manhattan)
• The Other Side of the City – William Vanderbilt’s 5th Avenue Mansion
The Other Side of the City – 5th Avenue Mansions
The Other Side of the City – Cornelius Vanderbilt’s Mansion
The Other Side of the City – Cornelius Vanderbilt’s Mansion
The Other Side of the City – Cornelius Vanderbilt’s Mansion
The Other Side of the City – Charles Schwab’s Mansion
The Other Side of the City – Charles Schwab’s Mansion
The Other Side of the City – Carnegie’s Mansion
The Other Side New Jersey’s Lambert Castle
Urban Growth: 1870 - Urban Growth: 1870 - 19001900
Vanderbilt Chateau – 5th Ave. & 52nd
Urban Conditions• Cramped living spaces /
overcrowding– 2 Million in Manhattan; 500k in lower
east side
• Tenements:– No electricity– No indoor toilets
• Horse Manure:– 400,000 Horses– 24 pounds of manure per horse per
day
Urban Political Corruption
• Legislative lobbying• Political Machines / Tweed Ring
(Tammany Hall):– Private welfare system– Patronage– Kickbacks
• NYC Courthouse construction - $11 Million vs. $3 Million
– “Robin Hood” vs. Corrupt Thief
Thomas Nast
Healthcare Issues
• Unclean meatpacking processes• Sales of rotten meat• Opium, Cocaine, & alcohol in
children’s medications.• No labeling• No inspection
Muckrakers
• Journalists who expose the corruption of society, government, and business.
• Upton Sinclair - The Jungle• Lincoln Steffens – The Shame of
the Cities• Ida Tarbell – History of Standard Oil• Theodore Dreiser – Sister Carrie
Steffens – Shame of the Cities• But there is hope, not alone despair, in the commercialism of our politics.
If our political leaders are to be always a lot of political merchants, they will supply any demand we may create. All we have to do is to establish a steady demand for good government. The bosses have us split up into parties. To him parties are nothing but means to his corrupt ends. He “bolts” his party, but we must not; the bribe-giver changes his party, from one election to another, from one county to another, from one city to another, but the honest voter must not. Why? Because if the honest voter cared no more for his party than the politician and the grafter, then the honest vote would govern, and that would be bad—for graft. It is idiotic, this devotion to a machine that is used to take our sovereignty from us. If we would leave parties to the politicians, and would vote not for the party, not even for men, but for the city, and the State, and the nation, we should rule parties, and cities, and States, and nation. If we would vote in mass on the more promising ticket, or, if the two are equally bad, would throw out the party that is in, and wait till the next election and then throw out the other party that is in—then, I say, the commercial politician would feel a demand for good government and he would supply it. That process would take a generation or more to complete, for the politicians now really do not know what good government is. But it has taken as long to develop bad government, and the politicians know what that is. If it would not “go,” they would offer something else, and, if the demand were steady, they, being so commercial, would “deliver the goods.”
Tarbell – History of Standard Oil Co.
• (about John D. Rockefeller)And he calls his great organization a benefaction, and points to his church-going and charities as proof of his righteousness. This is supreme wrong-doing cloaked by religion. There is but one name for it -- hypocrisy.
• Rockefeller and his associates did not build the Standard Oil Co. in the board rooms of Wall Street banks. They fought their way to control by rebate and drawback, bribe and blackmail, espionage and price cutting, by ruthless ... efficiency of organization.
Dreiser - Sister Carrie• “The pieces of leather came from the girl at the machine to her
right, and were passed on to the girl at her left. Carrie saw at once that an average speed was necessary or the work would pile up on her and all those below would be delayed. She had no time to look about, and bent anxiously to her task. The girls at her left and right realized her predicament and feelings, and, in a way, tried to aid her, as much as they dared, by working slower.”
• “The place smelled of the oil of the machines and the new leather—a combination which, added to the stale odors of the building, was not pleasant, even in cold weather. The floor, though regularly swept every evening, presented a littered surface. Not the slightest provision had been made for the comfort of the employees, the idea being that something was gained by giving them as little and making the work as hard and unremunerative as possible. What we know of foot-rests, swivel-back chairs, dining-rooms for the girls, clean aprons and curling irons supplied free, and a decent cloak room, were unthought of. The washrooms were disagreeable, crude, if not foul places, and the whole atmosphere was sordid.”
Social & Moral Reform• WCTU
– @ 1st Prohibition– Transforms into program of economic & political reform
• Louis Brandeis– Muller v. Oregon Labor protection for “weaker” women;
Positive & Negative– Economic entitlement income, protection,
compensation• Jane Addams Hull House (Chicago)
– Immigrant poor– Urban problems
• Suffrage– NAWSA (Susan B. Anthony / Carrie Chapman Catt
• Vs. Child & Female labor exploitation– Florence Kelley
State & Local Reform
• Governors Robert La Follette (Wisconsin)– Vs. RR & Lumber Lobbyists’ corruption– “Wisconsin Idea” – Primaries vs. political bosses,
taxing corporate wealth, state reg. of RR & utilities
• Mayors Hazen Pingree (Detroit)– Battles big business (lower utility rates)– 8-hour work days– Paid vacations
• Governors Hiram Johnson (San Francisco)– Child labor laws– Limits women’s work hours– Public Utilities Act (RR Regulation)
Progressive Presidents
• Energetic gov’t. needed• Poverty, economic insecurity, &
lack of industrial freedom• Goal social conditions of
freedom• “Jeffersonian” ends with
“Hamiltonian” mean• Government intervention
Progressive Presidents – Roosevelt • 1901 - McKinley’s assassinated
• TR 42; youngest ever @ time• Elected 1904• “Strenuous Life” & “manly adventure”• President as “steward of public welfare” • New Nationalism Big gov’t. for big business• Square Deal
– Confront consolidation– Good vs. Bad Corps (Northern Securities Case)– Prosecutions under Sherman Anti-Trust Act
• President as broker in labor disputes– 1902 Coal Strike
• Pure Food & Drug Act / Meat Inspection Act• Conservation National Parks
Progressive Presidents - Taft• TR’s handpicked successor• 1908; Defeats Bryan• “The scope of a modern gov’t. . . . Has
been widened far beyond the principles laid down by the old ‘laissez-faire’ school of political writers.”
• Aggressive anti-trust Standard Oil– “Rule of Reason” Big Business only bad if
competition stifled
• 16th Amendment – Graduated income tax• Drifts toward Conservative Reps w/ Payne-
Aldrich Tariff Reformers want greater reduction.
Conservation
Issue:
TheBallinger-Pinchot
Controversy
Conservation
Issue:
TheBallinger-Pinchot
Controversy
Split in the Republican Party
• Taft’s growing conservatism
• Ballinger returns TR’s wildlife lands to public
• Pinchot vs. Ballinger’s business connections
• Taft fires Pinchot, alienating Progressives
• TR heads new Prog. Wing– Bull Moose Party
The Progressive
Party &Former
President Theodore Roosevelt
The Progressive
Party &Former
President Theodore Roosevelt
People should risePeople should riseabove their sectarianabove their sectarianinterests to promote the general good.interests to promote the general good.
Progressive Party Platform
Progressive Party PlatformWomenWomen’’s suffrage.s suffrage.
Graduated income tax.Graduated income tax.
Inheritance tax for the rich.Inheritance tax for the rich.
Lower tariffs.Lower tariffs.
Limits on campaign Limits on campaign spending.spending.
Currency reform.Currency reform.
Minimum wage laws.Minimum wage laws.
Social insurance.Social insurance.
Abolition of child labor.Abolition of child labor.
WorkmenWorkmen’’s compensation.s compensation.
NNeeww
NNaattiioonnaalliissmm
NNeeww
NNaattiioonnaalliissmm
The “Bull
Moose”Party:The
LatestArrivalat the
Political Zoo
The “Bull
Moose”Party:The
LatestArrivalat the
Political Zoo
The Republican
Party &
President William H.
Taft
The Republican
Party &
President William H.
Taft
Republican Party Platform
Republican Party PlatformHigh import tariffs.High import tariffs.
Put limitations on female and child labor.Put limitations on female and child labor.
WorkmanWorkman’’s Compensation Laws.s Compensation Laws.
Against:Against:
Initiative (Petition by registered voters to force Initiative (Petition by registered voters to force a vote on a statute)a vote on a statute)
Referendum (Vote by the entire electorate on a Referendum (Vote by the entire electorate on a proposal)proposal)
Recall (Removing elected official through direct Recall (Removing elected official through direct vote)vote)
Against Against ““badbad”” trusts. trusts.
Creation of a Federal Trade Commission.Creation of a Federal Trade Commission.
Stay on the gold standard.Stay on the gold standard.
Conservation of natural resources because they Conservation of natural resources because they are finite.are finite.
Keepthe
WhistleBlowing
Keepthe
WhistleBlowing
Taft was Taft was determined to determined to defeat TR and preserve the defeat TR and preserve the conservative heart of the Republican conservative heart of the Republican Party.Party.
Come, Mr.
President. You Can’t Have
the Stage ALL of
the Time!
Come, Mr.
President. You Can’t Have
the Stage ALL of
the Time!
The GOPAfterthe
Circus
The GOPAfterthe
Circus
TR TR The Republican The Republican Party must stand for Party must stand for the rights of the rights of humanity, or else it must stand for humanity, or else it must stand for special privilege.special privilege.
TheAnti-Third-Term
Principle
TheAnti-Third-Term
Principle
The Socialist Party
& Eugene V. Debs
The Socialist Party
& Eugene V. Debs
The issue is Socialism The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism. I am versus Capitalism. I am for Socialism because I for Socialism because I am for humanity.am for humanity.
“The Working Class Candidates”
“The Working Class Candidates”
Eugene V. Debs Emil Seigel for President for Vice-President
Growth of the Socialist VoteGrowth of the Socialist VoteYear
Socialist Party
Socialist Labor Party Total
1888 2,068 2,068
1890 13,704 13,704
1892 21,512 21,512
1894 30,020 30,020
1896 36,275 36,274
1898 82,204 82,204
1900 96,931 33,405 130,336
1902 223,494 53,763 277,257
1904 408,230 33,546 441,776
1906 331,043 20,265 351,308
1908 424,488 14,021 438,509
1910 607,674 34,115 641,789
1912 901,873901,873
Socialist Party PlatformSocialist Party Platform
Government ownership of Government ownership of railroads and utilities.railroads and utilities.
Guaranteed income tax.Guaranteed income tax.
No tariffs.No tariffs.
8-hour work day.8-hour work day.
Better housing.Better housing.
Government inspection of Government inspection of factories.factories.
WomenWomen’’s suffrage.s suffrage.
The Democratic Party &Governor Woodrow
Wilson (NJ)
The Democratic Party &Governor Woodrow
Wilson (NJ)
Could he Could he rescue the rescue the Democratic Democratic Party from Party from ““BryanismBryanism””????
Democratic Party Platform
Democratic Party PlatformGroundwork for modern democratic Groundwork for modern democratic
welfare statewelfare state
Government control of the Government control of the monopolies monopolies trusts in general were bad trusts in general were bad eliminate them!! eliminate them!!
Tariff reduction.Tariff reduction.
vs. Big Govvs. Big Gov’’t.t.
Direct election of Senators.Direct election of Senators.
Create a Department of Labor.Create a Department of Labor.
Strengthen the Sherman Anti-Trust Strengthen the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.Act.
Did NOT openly support womenDid NOT openly support women’’s s suffragesuffrage
NNeeww
FFrreeeedd
oo
mm
NNeeww
FFrreeeedd
oo
mm
The Reform
Governorof NJ:
It TakesTime
to Remove
the Grime
The Reform
Governorof NJ:
It TakesTime
to Remove
the Grime
Which
Wayto
Jump?
Which
Wayto
Jump?
UpAgainst
theHurdles
UpAgainst
theHurdles
As Big As a BalloonAs Big As a Balloon
Tariff ReformTariff Reform
The Unanswerable Argument for Suffrage
The Unanswerable Argument for Suffrage
Never Again!Never Again!
Taft Abandons Support for WomenTaft Abandons Support for Women’’s s SuffrageSuffrage
“I don't think we ought to take as radical a step as that without being certain that when we do it it will meet the approval of all those or substantially all of those in whose interest the franchise is extended because if it does not meet their views and they don't avail themselves of the opportunity to exercise the influence which that would give them, then we should be in a bad way because we might lose a substantial proportion of the votes of those that would be for better things. Therefore I am willing to wait until there shall be a substantial, not unanimous but a substantial, call from that sex before the suffrage is extended.”
TR&
Women’sSuffrage:
The Militant Recruit
TR&
Women’sSuffrage:
The Militant Recruit“The Progressive Party,
believing that no people can justly claim to be a true democracy which denies political rights on account of sex, pledges itself to the task of securing equal suffrage to men and women alike.”
Woman Suffrage Before 1920
Woman Suffrage Before 1920
Songs of the Sunny South
Songs of the Sunny South
Segregation• 1896 – Plessy v. Ferguson
• Invalidated Civil Rights Act of 1875 that outlawed racial segregation in public places.
• LA RR upheld in wanting to maintain separate rail cars for blacks and whites.
• Ct.’s decision in favor of the RR institutionalizes the doctrine of “separate but equal.”
• Separate but equal laws become “Jim Crow laws,” ALWAYS leading to INFERIORITY.
• Ex In 1900 the South DID NOT HAVE a public high school for blacks.
• Southern social code develops to restrict & suppress blacks
• Segregation was an oddity that depended on the community.
Lynching
& theRaceIssue
Lynching
& theRaceIssue
Trying to Catch the Colored Vote
Trying to Catch the Colored Vote
Politicians reluctant to support anti-lynching legislation for fear of alienating the “Solid South.”
An Actual 1912 BallotAn Actual 1912 Ballot
Election ResultsElection Results
By 1912, 100,000 fewer people had voted By 1912, 100,000 fewer people had voted for Wilson than had voted for Bryan in for Wilson than had voted for Bryan in 1908.1908.
The 1912 election marked the apogee of The 1912 election marked the apogee of the Socialist movement in America.the Socialist movement in America.
GOP Divided by Bull Moose
Equals Democratic Victory!
GOP Divided by Bull Moose
Equals Democratic Victory!
TheGOP:
AnExtinctAnimal
?
TheGOP:
AnExtinctAnimal
?
Wilson’s Presidential Policies• Progressive despite party’s history (laissez faire /
states’ rights)• Restore competition to rescue democracy.• Different than TR’s “big gov’t. for big business”• Collaboration w/ Congress Office & SOU• Underwood Tariff – Reduced import duties• Need Income Graduated income tax on richest
5%• New Freedom:
– Anti-Trust– Protecting unionization– Encourage small business
Wilson’s Presidential Policies• Clayton Act (1914) – Unions exempt
from anti-trust laws / bars injunctions• Keating-Owen Act (1916) – Outlaws
child labor• Adamson Act – 8-hour workday on RR’s.• Federal Trade Commission – unfair
business practices.• Federal Reserve System – Regional
banks w/ central board– Issue currency & aid failing banks– Reaction to Panic of 1907 JP Morgan
Progressive Imperialism
Progressivism and War