Federal Progressive Reform

Theodore Roosevelt Governor of New York in 1899 View of Presidency Roosevelt's “Square Deal” Conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and protection of consumers Coal Strike of 1902 1901-1919 a trio of progressive presidents will greatly change the United States Theodore- rich family, sick child, boxing and big game hunting, during Spanish-American war Roosevelt left his post and volunteered to lead a calvary unit known as the “rough riders” and was a part of the famous charge up san juan hill in Cuba. Made him very popular, Republican Party selects him to become governor of New York in 1899. Governor- began to fight corruption and party “bosses” didn’t like it so they mad him McKinley’s VP candidate. Mckinley is assassinated in 1901 and Roosevelt becomes president. View of presidency- up to this point presidents left public affairs and big decsision to congress, Roosevelt will change this trend, president represented all americans and should therefore act on their behalf, and his personal popularity allowed him to expand the power of the president Coal strike of 1902- coal kept things warm, had to have coal, coal miners decided to strike and when the owners refused to negotiate, Roosevelt threatened to seize their mines, and operate them with the army, which made the mine owners to submit to a compromise: workers wanted a 20% pay rasie got a 10% instead, wanted 8 hr workday, but were given a 9 hour one instead, first time the executive branch stepped into a business affair

Roosevelt as a “Trust-Buster” Roosevelt distinguished between good trusts and bad trusts Bad trusts were businesses that acted against public interest (corrupt) Sherman Anti-Trust Act Northern Securities Company Standard Oil Company Bad trusts- price fixing Sherman anti trust act- passed in 1890 but not used until teddy- law requiring the break up of non-competitive businesses NSC- JP Morgan Roosevelt did not actually break up a lot of trusts but set the ground work for business regulation, began to support consumers instead

Food, Railroads, and Natural Resources Meat Inspection Act (1906) Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) Strengthening of the Interstate Commerce Act Creation of National Parks MIA- prompted by THE JUNGLE, government inspection of meat shipped between states, PFDA- prohibited the adulteration of foods or use of poisons as preservatives, medicine containers were required to bear labels showing contents ICC- new law in 1906 they can set their own just and reasonable price for rrs, after Roosevelt left office communication was also placed under the ICC Creation of national parks- public lands were being sold for development so Roosevelt kept 1.5 million acres to turn into five national parks. And made other important landmarks national monuments, and creation of the National conservation commission in 1908

William Howard Taft Taft as a second Roosevelt? Election of 1912 Bull Moose Party Roosevelt left office in 1909- bc he promised he would not run for a 3rd term. So he promoted his friend William howard taft, a conservative progressive, continued many of Roosevelts policies, but not enough of the same for Roosevelt, he will begin to sell some of the land set aside by Roosevelt, and promised a lower tariff but was not able to get it. Election of 1912- teddy was unhappy and decided to challenge Taft for the republican nomination, Taft won so Roosevelt created his own political party – bull moose – and ran for president. The division of the republicans between Taft and Roosevelt helped the democrats to win the white house. All four candidates- taft, Roosevelt, Wilson and Eugene debs all shared progressive beliefs, but Wilson wins

Woodrow Wilson and “New Freedom” Underwood Tariff of 1913 Graduated Income Tax Federal Reserve Act- Federal Reserve System Reserve requirement Interest rate Buying and selling of government bonds Clayton Anti-Trust Act Federal Trade Commission From Virginia- first president from the south since Johnson, college professor, president of Princeton university, and governor of new jersey- cool and logical unlike Roosevelt “new Freedom”- attack what he considered the “triple wall of privilege” – the tariff, the banking system, and the trusts, passed a series of legislation reform to attack this wall Underwood tariff- lowered tariff duties by 25% Federal reserve- regulates banks and serves as “banks to the banks” sets monetary policy three things it can do to expand or contract the money supply 1. reserve requirement- banks have to keep a certain percentage of their money on reserve – it can only lend out/invest so much. Higher reservation rate means the banks can lend out less money, which reduces the amount of money in circulation 2. interest rate- higher interest rate, people are able to borrow less which means less money in circulation 3. buy bonds puts more money into circulation selling bonds takes money out of circulation Clayton anti-trust act- prohibited price discrimination and anticompetitive mergers, declared agricultural cooperatives and unions not trusts Federal trade commission- gave “teeth” or someone to enforce the antitrust legislation.

End of Progressive Era Women’s right to vote- 19th amendment (1920) Last piece of progressive legislation War in Europe (WWI)

Exit ticket Who contributed more to the Progressive era Wilson or Roosevelt and why do you think that?