Taft and Wilson

Taft as POTUS Bust 90 Trusts More than TR Taft splits the party – angers Progressives Wanted lower tariffs Payne-Aldridge Tariff – barely lowered the tariff Created Bureau of Mines Ballenger-Pinchot Controversy

TR Returns 1910 – TR Returns to the US – upset with Taft, Progressives upset with Taft Taft supported by the Conservative – business types – “Old Guard” TR supported by Progressive Wing of the Republican Party 1911 – Leading candidate for POTUS – Robert Lafollette – Progressive Wisconsin Governor 1912 TR actively contacted governors who might support his nomination for another presidential bid New Nationalism – Roosevelt’s new Progressive agenda; he advocated an increased US government role to remedy economic and social problems New Nationalism included: Child labor laws, labor laws, minimum wage for female workers, suffrage for women

The Republican Convention Chicago TR 100 delegates short of nomination – Progressives questioned legitimacy of 250 Taft delegates Taft delegates controlled convention – majority TR supporters = Progressive Republicans walked out to support TRs third Party candidacy

Progressives Choose Roosevelt The Progressive wing of the Republican Party met in Chicago in 1912 to support Roosevelt’s nomination and chose Theodore Roosevelt as a candidate with his New Nationalism Agenda Jane Addams supported The Progressive Party nickname – Bull Moose Party

Bull Moose Party The Progressive Party New Nationalism Women’s suffrages Social welfare programs Min wage laws for women Social institutions Government insurance Both TR and Wilson favored more active role in economic and social affairs

Democrats Choose a Candidate 1897 – last Democrat POTUS 1912 – Dems met in Baltimore – chose Dr. Woodrow Wilson Progressive President of Princeton University Former Progressive Gov. of New Jersey Workers comp Direct Primary

New Freedom Wilson’s Agenda Called for stronger antitrust laws Banking reform Promised to attack ”Triple Wall of Privilege” Favored Small business, free unregulated and un-monopolized market, vigorous enforcement of anti-trust laws

Election Campaign of 1912 Taft and TR were friends Attack – “dangerous egotist” and “Fat head” 1912 – Milwaukee, TR shot by fanatic – still delivered his speech in blood stained shirt “See it takes more than a bullet to stop a Bull Moose” Democrats had long alienated African-American male voters by opposing black racial equality and Republicans failed to end segregation or pass anti-lynching laws when they were in power

Continued WEB Dubois pondered supporting Socialist Eugene V. Debs , but chose to endorse Wilson and the Democrats Wilson won the election 41% of popular vote Taft and Roosevelt polled more votes than Wilson Bull Moose Party fades away Eugene V. Debs won 6% of popular vote Elected 1000 people to state and local offices in 1912

Wilson’s Background Born in VA, raised in GA and Carolinas during Reconstruction 1st man from seceded states to reach White House since before the war In the 1912 election, he had support from labor groups and farmers Self-determination, faith in the masses came from Southern upbringing Fervent piety, stubborn, aloof, stubborn sense of moral righteousness

Wilson Attacks the “Triple Wall of Privilege” Tariffs Banks Trusts 1913 – Wilson called Congress and personally delivered a presidential himself – 1st since John Adams – new precedent

Triple Wall: Tariff The Underwood Tariff – this new tariff law greatly reduced tariff rats in the US and contained a progressive income tax component – ruled earlier as unconstitutional) to give gov new revenue Progressive income tax – you pay based on how much you make per year 16th amendment – added to the Constitution and made a progressive income tax constitutional 1917 income tax surpassed tariffs as main source of US government revenue

Triple Wall: Banking No central bank Panic of 1907 - the Knickerbocker Trust Co. failed – economic crisis 1908 – Congressional investigation led by Rep. Senator Aldrich – recommended a gigantic bank (national bank) – with many branches = create a 3rd Bank of the US 1913- Federal Reserve Act – created 12 district reserve banks with a Federal Reserve Board to impose regulations. US President appoints the federal reserve board Better weather the 1st World War

Triple Wall-Trusts Louis Brandeis – remember from Muller v. Oregon , the people’s lawyer Denied that monopolies were efficient Competition Better quality, lower prices 1914 – Wilson went before Congress 1914 – Federal Trade Commission Created to limit unfair practices of trusts by issuing “cease and desist orders” and investigating unlawful competition, false advertising, mislabeling, bribery 1914 – Clayton Anti-Trust Act

Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914 Strengthened the Sherman Anti-Trust by listing specific illegal practices which forbade price discrimination, interlocking directories Stated that labor unions are exempt from anti-trust laws Gave Labor Unions the right to exist and strike legally “Magna Carta of Labor”

Wilsonian Progressivism High Tide The La Follette Seaman’s Act – eliminated old age abuses of merchant sailors Workingman’s Compensation Act – worker compensation assistance for federal civil- service employees with disabilities Keating-Owen Child Labor Law – short lived, outlawed sale of products made with child labor sold between states Reversed by Hammer v. Dagenhart The Adamson Act- established 8 hour workday for employees on Railroads on interstate trains with overtime pay Nominate Louis Brandeis-Supreme Court – 1st Jewish member of the court Roll back Republican policies that offered selected appointments to postmaster to blacks and increased segregation The Birth of A Nation

New Directions in Foreign Policy