Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal Chapter 16 Section 3 The Progressives Riddlebarger

Roosevelt’s View of the Presidency

He becomes New York Governor in 1898 Roosevelt rise politically was seen as trouble by the Republican party machine of New York. He becomes New York Governor in 1898 They hatch: nominate him as Vice President, a job with little power at the time Taking Office President McKinley assassinated in 1901 TR, the reformer, becomes president (age 42) Previous presidents took a hands-off approach, not TR Brings momentum to Progressive Causes Bully Pulpit A powerful platform to publicize important issues and seek support for his policies.

The Coal Strike of 1902 Soon after he takes office, 150,000 coal miners in Pennsylvania go on strike for better wages, hours and union rights. TR feels compelled to get involved as winter nears “...to bring to an end a situation which has become literally intolerable.” TR proposes arbitration but owners refuse (workers agreed). He threatens to take over the mines & they give in Arbitrators give workers shorter day & higher pay but owners don’t have to recognize the union 1st government intervention in a strike to protect worker/public interests

The Square Deal Roosevelt pronounced the successful conclusion of the strike a “square deal”. This term will become the slogan of his 1904 re-election campaign & the framework for his entire presidency. He promised to “see that each [person] is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less.” Reveals his belief that the needs of workers, business and consumers should all be balanced. Square Deal: limit power of trusts, promote public health & safety and improve working conditions.

“We demand that big business give the people a square deal; in return we must insist that when anyone engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right he shall himself be given a square deal.” 1904 election Roosevelt was easily re-elected:

What was Roosevelt’s Square Deal?

Regulating Big Business

“We are...determined that they [corporations] shall be so handled as to subserve [serve] the public good. We draw the line against misconduct, not against wealth.” Roosevelt focus great attention on regulating large corporations.

Trust-busting In 1901, 3 major railroads merge to eliminate competition & will dominate shipping from Chicago to the Northwest Northern Securities Company TR sues them for violating Sherman Antitrust Act Supreme Court will agree & dissolves the company in 1904 Landmark ruling TR will go on trust-busting campaign; dozens more lawsuits filed Not about size of company; Was it good or bad for the American public? Inferior products; competed unfairly; bribed public officials

Regulating the railroads A way to see that businesses competed fairly was through regulation Elkins Act (1903)- prohibits railroads from accepting rebates Rebates favored big business over small farmers and businesses Now, all customers pay the same rate Hepburn Act (1906)- gave ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) the power to set maximum railroad rates Can also regulate other companies that do interstate commerce.

Protecting Consumers Roosevelt also responds to growing concerns about food & drug industries. Dangerous products being put on the market Clever tricks used to sell tainted food Many medicines sold that did not work Others contained dangerous narcotics

The Jungle Upton Sinclair book in 1906 Meatpacking industry revelations in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle Leads to heavy criticism of meat industry & calls for reform

Investigation Roosevelt has Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson investigate His final report leads to reform Meat Inspection Act Federal inspeciton of meat shipped across state lines Pure Food & Drug Act Forbade sale & manufacture of drugs containing harmful ingredients Accurate ingredient labels “ We saw meat shoveled from filthy wooden floors, piled on tables rarely washed, pushed from room to room in rotten box carts. In all of which processes it [the meat] was in the way of gathering dirt, splinters, floor filth, and the expectoration [saliva] of tuberculous and other diseased workers.”

What measures did the Roosevelt administration take to regulate business and protect consumers?

Environmental Conservation

Concerns Late 1800’s view of America as a land with unending supply of resources Lumber companies clear large forests Farmers plow up Great Plains Overgrazing of prairie lands Mining companies clogging rivers and leaving refuse Cities dump sewage into rivers and garbage onto the land

“We of an older generation can get along with what we have “We of an older generation can get along with what we have...but in your full manhood and womanhood you will want what nature once so bountifully supplied and man so thoughtlessly destroyed; and because of that want you will reproach us, not for what we have used, but for what we have wasted.” Roosevelt has a different view:

Conservation Before Roosevelt, the federal government had left natural resources unregulated. Business needs take priority over the environment Roosevelt saw resources as limited and the need for control Roosevelt saw some lands as needing preservation and others put to productive economic use

Roosevelt Environmental Actions: Newlands Reclamation Act (1902): government created irrigation projects to make dry lands productive United States Forest Service- established in 1905. Roosevelt adds 150 million acres to national forests. Antiquities Act (1906): creation of 18 national monuments in Roosevelt’s term in office. *some see conservation as TR’s greatest legacy