Progressivism and the Republican Roosevelt 1901-1912 Chapter 28 Progressivism and the Republican Roosevelt 1901-1912
Progressivism Roots in with Greenbacks and Populists Wanted social, economic and political reform Sick of the corruption and divide between rich and poor Jacob A. Riis 1890: How the Other Half Lives Middle class women
The Muckrakers 1902 popular magazines in circulation wars= exposes TR: “muckrakers” because they just focus on the worst in society’ Lincoln Steffens 1902: “The Shame of the Cities” Ida Tarbell 1902: “Mother of Trusts” David G. Phillips 1906: “The Treason of the Senate” John Spargo 1906: “The Bitter Cry of Children”
Political Progressivism Progressives= improve living/working conditions not party or regional allegiances 1. direct primary elections 2. initiatives 3. referendums 4. recall 5. campaign finance reform 6. Australian ballot 7. Direct election of US Senators
Progressives and Women Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in 1911 NYC Public outrage= state legislature forced to do something Change over time from laissez faire to some responsibility to employers Militant temperance= Women’s Christian Temperance Union (Frances E. Willard) Wanted “dry laws” 18th amendment
Square Deal TR’s Square Deal= domestic policy (3 C’s) 1902 anthracite coal strike in Pennsylvania (United Mine Workers Association) Owners refused negotiation until TR stepped in to force a compromise 1903 Department of Commerce and Labor
Trust Busting Need for stronger laws with real teeth Elkins Act 1903 and Hepburn Act 1906 TR focused on the “bad trusts” to sue under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act 1st= Northern Securities Company (JP Morgan, James J. Hill) Case appealed to SC and upheld had to dissolve 44 other suits for TR= Trust Buster Real trust buster= William Howard Taft with 90 during 1 term
Meat Packing Upton Sinclair- The Jungle 1906 TR= investigators to substantiate Sinclair’s claims almost all true! Meat Inspection Act of 1906 The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906
Conservation Conservation began late 19th century Desert Land Act 1877 Carey Act 1894 Newlands Reclamation Act 1902 TR and Gifford Pinchot Boy Scouts of America and Sierra Club Hetch-Hetchy Valley- John Muir Multiple use resource management
Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy Dollar Diplomacy- focus on Latin America and Eastern Asia Extension of the Roosevelt Corollary Panama Canal 1909, Nicaragua 1912, Haiti, Honduras Manchuria- Japan and Russian railroads threat to Open Door? Secretary of State Philander C. Knox 1909
Trust Busting 90 anti-trust suits during 1 term Standard Oil Company of NY vs. United States “Rule of reason” 1911 went after US Steel unsuccessfully schism between Taft and TR
Split of Republican Party Taft campaign promise= lower tariff Conservatives in Senate added amendments to tariff reduction Taft signed Payne-Aldrich Bill (angered progressives) Ballinger Pinchot controversy 1910= growing rift between progressives and Old Guard conservatives TR’s New Nationalism
Taft vs. Roosevelt The National Progressive Republican League with Senator La Follette 1911 TR decided to try for Republican nomination for 1912 Angry at Taft for dropping “his policies” Came into primaries too late 1912 Convention in Chicago= Taft the Republican nominee