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 produce better 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 16 th Amendment, a federal income tax

The Underwood Tariff R

Reforming the Banking Industry From there was NO central bank to regulate financial institutions and crises that hit Wilson supported creation of a Federal Reserve system 12 regional banks to hold local banks deposits Board of Governors created to set interest rates that 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 engaged in unfair trade or worked to stifle competition FTC was to work with big business instead of merely breaking them up. Work to limit activities that limited competition

Strengthening Anti-Trust Power Clayton Antitrust Act Progressives sought more and passed this bill to add more teeth to the Sherman 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

Coal Miners

Attacking Child Labor Cartoon showing workers in a coal mine Progressive reformers used Cartoons to promote the Need for Child Labor Laws

Attacking Child Labor Working at an Oyster Cannery

Reforming Child Labor under Wilson Keating-Owen Child Labor Act No employing kids under 14 in factories producing 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