Progressivism in Politics US History

Urban Issues Drive Local Reform Rapid urbanization created a lack of basic services. Reformers wanted: –Govt ownership of public utilities Electricity Gas Telegraph Telephone –Why? To make them affordable to everyone? Only the rich could afford them.

Local and State Reforms Progressive anti- corruption campaign: –Civil Service Reform –End to Political Bosses –Creation of City commissions and city managers. Ex. Police Commissioner Who is he?

State Reform Issues Governors were key here. Issues differed depending on the region: –North: political corruption & labor conditions. –South: anti-big business –West: railroad deregulation

State Reform Case Study: Wisconsin –Robert LaFollette ( ) “Fighting Bob” Governor from Became US Senator for WI ( ) Direct primary Fair tax system Railroad regulation Commissioners put in place who reported directly to governor. Scientific approach to reform: do survey, gather data, base report on data collected.

State Reform Case Study: New York –Theodore Roosevelt ( ) Governor of New York Focused on social legislation: –Improving conditions in urban tenements –Taxing public corporations

State Reform States started to regulate health and safety: –Factory inspections –Insurance to cover job accidents –Minimum employment age –Maximum hours for child labor (8-10 per day) –Limit on hours for women –Old-age pensions.

State Reforms Political Reforms in States –Initiative: voters suggest new laws and amendments in state constitutions –Referendum: voters vote on legislation directly. –Recall: voters remove officials from govt jobs before term ends. –Secret Ballot: voters vote in private.

National Reform Theodore Roosevelt, again. –Vice-President in 1900 election. President when McKinley was shot. –1904 he proposed “Square Deal” platform: Give consumers a break! –Created an economic role for the presidency…

Square Deal TR’s economic role known as “New Nationalism”: –Trusts are necessary evil. –Controls needed to rein in monopolies. –The President is “steward of the people” He controlled power in the best interest of the people. –Main goal for a president: the public good.

TR’s Progressive Legislation Commerce Department (1903) –Set up to collect information needed to enforce anti-trust legislation already on the books. Elkins act (1903), Hepburn Act (1906) –Expanded the Interstate Commerce Commission –Gave the ICC regulation powers.

TR: “Trust Buster” Roosevelt went after JP Morgan’s railroad monopolies in the Pacific Northwest. –1904 Supreme Court ordered the breakup of Northern Securities. (Northern Securities v. US). “Rule of Reason”: trusts can’t automatically be broken up; you have to look at how it affects trade.

Lochner v. New York (1905) Progressive law in NY limited work day for bakers to 10 hours/day, 6 days/week. –Why? Protect health of bakers; protect consumers. Bakery owner, Lochner, was found guilty of violating law. Lochner appealed to the Supreme Court SC was split! Law was deemed unconstitutional. –Law violated 14 th Amendment: workers should have a right to work more than 10 hours a day if they want. –Dissenter: Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Muller v. Oregon (1908) Oregon law: women workers can’t work more than 10 hours/day. Laundry Owner, Muller, was found guilty; he appealed to SC. Oregon’s lawyer (Louis Brandeis) argued that scientific data and statistics showed the occupation was unhealthy. 2 precedents here: –(1) you can use non-legal data as evidence. –(2) states can use their police powers in certain circumstances

Square Deal and Labor Under TR, govt played a bigger role in mediation between workers and management. –1902 coal miners strike. Strikers wanted higher pay, shorter work hours, and a union. –When winter approached, TR brought union and mine owners together. –Discussions broke down. TR threatened to use troops to get the mines moving. Mine owners agreed to arbitration. –Union got some demands; mines got working again.

Square Deal and Environment Added 150 million acres to national forests and preserves. Created a plan for resource management. Created national forest service Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls placed under protection Controlled and improved river systems.

Even before this, there was John Muir John Muir – founder of the Sierra Club (1892) –Brought Yosemite into National Park System (1891) –His books focused public attention on American forests John Muir TR

TR’s Environmental Reforms Created the National Forest Service. Put certain sites under national protection (Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls) Planned control and improvement of river systems.

TR’s Environmental Reforms TR’s Dept. of Agriculture, Forestry Division chief— Gifford Pinchot—created National Conservation Congress (1908) –Expanded national forest reserve. –Got Congress to pass Waterpower Act