Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad Chapter 29: Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad 1912-1916

BULL MOOSE CAMPAIGN OF 1912 ―Bull Moose‖ he is a Progressive  Democrats nominate (Thomas) Woodrow Wilson – Progressive Idealist  New Jersey governor  Past president of Princeton  Born in the South  Believed the President should play a dynamic role  Republicans nominate William H. Taft (again) a mild Progressive  Theodore Roosevelt bolts the Republican Party & joins with the Progressive Party – AKA ―Bull Moose‖ he is a Progressive

ELECTION OF 1912  Roosevelt & Taft had been friends – now bitter enemies  Bull Moose Party = Roosevelt will win 88 EV most successful 3rd Party ever.  Wilson wins the election with fewer votes than Bryan in any of his 3 attempts  435 EV, 6 million Pop.  Republican Party is split but combine for 7 Million popular votes

WILSON THE IDEALIST  Born in Virginia and raised in Georgia – first Southern president in 64 years  Believed south should have had the right to secede – promotes self-determination  Son of Presbyterian minister – against evil  Somewhat cold in public –he was self-assured and superior especially toward politicians and journalists  He found compromise difficult

TRIPLE WALL OF PRIVILEGE  Tariff  Banks  Trusts  All hurting the public in some way or another and therefore Wilson’s program was to solve them

WILSON AND THE TARIFF  Calls Congress into special session – he delivered his presidential message to a joint session of Congress in person (had not been done since Adams)  Underwood Tariff Bill 1913- down to 27%  16th Amendment = Income tax (over $3,000)

WILSON AND THE BANKS Federal Reserve Act 1913  Most important economic legislation between Civil War and New Deal  Establishes a Federal Reserve System  Restricted private control of money and banks  12 regional reserve districts and a central bank  Banks are for bankers  Issue Federal Reserve Notes

LOUIS D. BRANDEIS  Muller v Oregon, 1908:  Brandeis convinced the Supreme Court to use sociological & statistical evidence upholding an Oregon law that regulated the working conditions of women (10 hour day)  Significance: first such evidence acknowledged by law in the US  1916 is appointed to the Supreme Court  Wilson nomination  First person of Jewish faith to serve on Supreme Court

WILSON AND THE TRUSTS Unfair trade practices Unlawful competition  Federal Trade Commission of 1914  Crush monopolies by eliminating Unfair trade practices Unlawful competition False advertising Bribery Has investigative powers

WILSON AND THE TRUSTS Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914 labor‖  Attacks price discrimination and interlocking directorates (same individuals were on the boards of competing firms)  Labor and agriculture both exempted from anti-trust action  Allowed strikes and peaceful picketing  Samuel Gompers called it the ―Magna Carta of labor‖

WILSON PROGRESSIVISM AT HIGH TIDE  Federal Farm Loan Act, 1916  Credit to farmers at low % rates  Warehouse Act 1916  Loans available (to farmers) based on security of staple (cash) crops  Highway construction & help to agricultural state colleges  La Follette Seamen’s Act, 1915  Required decent treatment  A living wage  unexpected result—crippled US Merchant Marine with higher freight costs  Workingmen’s Compensation Act, 1916  Assistance given to disabled federal employees

WILSON AND FOREIGN POLICY  He hated imperialism and Dollar Diplomacy  Government no longer offer special support to American investors in Latin America and China  Repealed the Panama Tolls Act 1912 (no tolls on US coast-wide shipping)  Philippines gains territorial status – promised self-rule  Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan persuades the California legislature to renege on a law that would not allow Japanese to own land –eases relations with Japan

WILSON AND FOREIGN POLICY  Haiti  Revolution (1912-1915)  Forces Wilson to send in troops  Marines– to protect US lives and property  Stay 19 years  Dominican Republic (1916)  Similar to Haiti—debt problems  Marines stay 8 years  Virgin Islands (1917)  Purchased from Denmark for $25 Million to stop Germany

WILSON AND MEXICO Pancho Villa power  US investments =$1 Billion  Revolutions  1913 Porfirio Diaz overthrown  General Victoriano Huerta in power  Wilson sent arms to rivals Venustiano Carranza and Francisco ―Pancho‖ Villa  William Randolph Hearst  Has a Rhode Island sized ranch in Mexico  Begs for US intervention but Wilson promotes human rights over property rights Pancho Villa

WILSON AND MEXICO engineers in Mexico, and 19 in Columbus, New Mexico  Tampico, April 1914 –  US sailors arrested  Mexico releases them and apologizes but Wilson demands a 21-gun salute  When Mexico will not grant this Wilson orders the Navy to take Vera Cruz  Mexican leaders, Huerta & Carranza protest  ABC Powers intervene for the US (Argentina, Brazil, Chile)  Harms US-Mexican relations, and then…  General John ―Blackjack‖ Pershing  Sent into Mexico  Pursue ―Pancho‖ Villa who has killed 16 US engineers in Mexico, and 19 in Columbus, New Mexico  No success: US had conflicts with Mexican troops & finally withdrew as conflict in Europe threatens The Brancho-Buster: President Wilson: “I wonder what I do next?”