Chapter 29 Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad

E LECTION OF 1912 W OODROW W ILSON D EMOCRATS Background: Progressive Governor of New Jersey President of Princeton University Reformer, Idealist, Elitist? stubborn when believed was correct

E LECTION OF 1912: D EMOCRATS Woodrow Wilson Platform: “New Freedom” Anti-Trust Legislation Banking reform Tariff reductions Shunned social-welfare proposals

ELECTION OF 1912: PROGRESSIVES OR “BULL MOOSERS” Theodore Roosevelt Platform: “New Nationalism” Trusts and Labor unions controlled by regulatory agencies Program of social welfare Women’s suffrage Minimum wage Social insurance

E LECTION OF 1912: R EPUBLICANS William H. Taft Platform: To continue moderate Progressivism

E LECTION OF 1912: R ESULTS Winner: Woodrow Wilson Wilson was a “minority” President…no “mandate” from the people Why? Taft and Roosevelt split the vote Taft became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Socialist Debs got almost a million votes

“TRIPLE WALL OF PRIVILEGE” “Triple Wall” Wilson wanted to attack: The Tariff The Banks The Trusts Underwood Tariff Substantially reduced the tariff rates The 16th Amendment Graduated Income Tax

R ESEARCHING B ANKING R EFORM The nation’s financial structure, as created under the Civil War National Banking Act had proven to be glaringly ineffective, as shown by the Panic of 1907, so Wilson had Congress authorize an investigation to fix this. The investigation, headed by Senator Aldrich, in effect recommended a third Bank of the United States. Democrats heeded the findings of a House committee chaired by Congressman Arsene Pujo, which traced the tentacles of the “money monster” into the hidden vaults of American banking and business. Louis D Brandeis’s Other People’s Money and How the Bankers Use It (1914) furthermore showed the problems of American finances at the time.

T HE F EDERAL R ESERVE A CT Created Federal Reserve Board 12 regional banks that issued Federal Reserve notes Allowed for flexible money system

T HE F EDERAL T RADE C OMMISSION A CT Presidential Commission examined interstate commerce laws Root out unfair trade practices, such as false advertising and bribery Root out unlawful competition

C LAYTON A NTI -T RUST A CT OF 1914 Outlawed interlocking directories and pure discrimination “Magna Carta” of the labor movement Exempted labor unions from Anti-Trust laws (as had been called by Supreme Court’s interpretation of Sherman Act) Legalized strikes and peaceful picketing

W ILSONIAN P ROGRESSIVE A CTS Federal Farm Loan Act Federal Government credit for farmers at low interest rates Warehouse Act of 1916 Government loans on the security of staple crops La Follette Seaman’s Act of 1915 Living wage for merchant ships Workingman’s Compensation Act of 1916 Disability insurance for civil service employees Adamson Act 8 hour work day for federal employees

“BLACK PROGRESSIVISM”/ LOUIS BRANDEIS Wilson did not do well with “Black Progressivism” He was born in the South Louis Brandeis First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

N EW D IRECTIONS IN F OREIGN P OLICY Wilson did not embrace the “Dollar Diplomacy” and “Big Stick” Jones Act Made Philippines a territory, promoted independence as soon as Philippines had stable government, July 4 th 1946 Wilson did not embrace the “Dollar Diplomacy” and “Big Stick” Jones Act Made Philippines a territory, promoted independence as soon as Philippines had stable government, July 4 th 1946

W ILSON DID ACT AS AN “ AGGRESSOR ” A COUPLE OF TIMES When California banned Japanese ownership of land, Wilson sent Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan to plead with legislators and tensions cooled. When disorder broke out in Haiti in 1915, Wilson sent American Marines, and in 1916, he sent Marines to quell violence in the Dominican Republic. In 1917, Wilson bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark.

In 1913 Mexican rebels overthrew a government friendly to the United States and placed Victoriano Huerta and Carranza and Pancho Villa in positions of power in Mexico. President Wilson refused to recognize the new Mexican government. In 1913 Mexican rebels overthrew a government friendly to the United States and placed Victoriano Huerta and Carranza and Pancho Villa in positions of power in Mexico. President Wilson refused to recognize the new Mexican government. Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico

Wilson ordered Marines to take Vera Cruz because Mexicans affronted Americans. Carranza and Huerto protested bitterly. It was finally mediated by the A.B.C. Powers. Shortly after Huerto collapsed and was replaced by Carranza whom President Wilson reluctantly supported. Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico

M ORALISTIC D IPLOMACY IN M EXICO Meanwhile, “Pancho” Villa, combination bandit/freedom fighter, murdered 16 Americans in January of 1916 in Mexico and then killed 19 more a month later in New Mexico. Wilson sent General John J. Pershing to capture Villa, and he penetrated deep into Mexico, clashed with Carranza’s and Villa’s different forces, but didn’t take Villa. World War I was starting in Europe