Woody and Progressivism

Assaulting the Triple Wall of Privilege

Tariffs

Trusts

Banks

Reforming the 3 sectors that hurt the common man

The Tariff Issue

Lower tariffs would force Americans to producebetter products and lower prices

Wilson appeared in Congress push for lower Tariff.

High Tariffs means high prices on American products

Result: Underwood Tariff passed in 1913

Cut tariff average to half of rate from 1890’s

One provision also called for levying direct income tax on individuals

Led to passage of 16th Amendment, a federal income tax

The Underwood Tariff

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Reforming the Banking Industry

From 1830-1913 there was NO central bank toregulate financial institutions and crises that hit

Wilson supported creation of a Federal Reserve system12 regional banks to hold local banks deposits

Board of Governors created to set interest ratesthat the Fed banks would charge banks for loans

Could control amount of money in circulation

1913: Congress passes and Wilson signs into law

Federal Reserve Act

The 12 Federal Reserve Regional Territories

Strengthening Anti-Trust Power

Wilson was anti-monopoly

Wanted more competition

Federal Trade Commission: 1914

Investigate bad companies that engagedin unfair trade or worked to stifle competition

FTC was to work with big businessinstead of merely breaking them up.

Work to limit activities that limitedcompetition

Strengthening Anti-Trust Power

Clayton Antitrust Act

Progressives sought more and passedthis bill to add more teeth to theSherman Antitrust Act

•Banned retailers not selling competitors products

•No price changes for different customers

•No discounts from manufacturers for large sales

•Declared unions legal and legal to strike

•“Magna Charta” of Laborers

Attacking Child Labor

Attacking Child Labor

Coal Miners

Attacking Child LaborCartoon showing workers in a coal mine

Progressive reformers usedCartoons to promote the Need for Child Labor Laws

Attacking Child Labor

Working atan OysterCannery

Reforming Child Labor under Wilson

Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

No employing kids under 14 in factoriesproducing products for Interstate commerce

Later ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court because

Child Labor is not interstate commerce

What they made was, but Children were not

Progressive Limits and shortcomings

Progressives did little for Civil Rights in America

WEB DuBois therefore helped to found NAACP

What it did do.Greatly changed the role the government was beginning to play

Helped improved quality of life for almost all Americans

Expanded rights for women and children