Progressive Era

Progressivism peaked between and continued through 1920 Did not agree with Social Darwinism… conflict and competition did not improve society, so government must intervene

Characteristics of the Progressives Strong Protestant backgrounds Fought for social reform Fear of immigration Mostly upper middle class

Feared power of big business Wanted restoration of old values Use of government to aid social justice Political questions are moral questions Progressives were predominately middle class and college educated Women justified their reformist political activities as an extension of their roles as wives and mother

Social salvation prerequisite to personal salvation Efficiency in government Waste and corruption must be exposed Influenced by life and death of Lincoln

Proposed reforms Initiative, referendum, and recall Australian ballot Income tax (16 th Amendment, 1913)

Direct election of senators (17 th Amendment, 1913) Campaign spending controls Reformation of child labor laws (Keating-Owen Child Labor Act)

Application of “scientific methods/ management” (“Taylorism”) to solve social problems Prohibition (18 th Amendment, 1919 w/Volstead Act to enforce) Women’s suffrage (19 th Amendment,1920)

Progressives Two Goals: 1.Curb trusts 2.Stem the threat of socialism by using government as an agency of human welfare to improve the conditions of labor and life for the under class a. Expand democracy and achieve economic and social justice “cleanse capitalism—not overthrow”

Heritage of Progressives The Progressives promoted the belief that government has the responsibility to act for the people’s welfare The Progressive Era marked the transition from laissez fair to government regulation of the economy

The Progressives demonstrated the ability of our democratic institutions to meet problems arising out of urbanization and industrialization Progressives showed the need for tackling problems on the city, state and national levels

Progressives believed that a President should provide strong and effective national leadership (T.R. and W.W.)

Progressives = Reformers who attempted to rectify problems caused by the Industrial Revolution and big government. Woodrow Wilson Robert LaFollette Theodore Roosevelt

Investigative journalists who exposed corruption and weaknesses in American society were often referred to as muckrakers. Muckrakers exposed the problems – provided no solutions Goal was to make public aware of social ills.

Ida Tarbell – took on Standard Oil Lincoln Steffens – wrote about municipal corruption in St. Louis: Shame of the Cities

Roosevelt’s Square Deal for capital, labor, and the public (three C’s)

Control Corporations: Roosevelt believed that there were good trusts with public consciences and bad trusts that were greedy. Believed the federal government should adopt a policy of regulating trusts. Taft would actually bust more trusts than TR.

1.Created Dept. of Commerce and Labor (after the anthracite coal strike of 1902) 1.Bureau of Corporations to probe businesses engaged in interstate commerce…helped to break up monopolies 1.Interstate Commerce Commission created in 1887 was weak so Congress passed ELKINS ACT of 1903 to extract heavy fines to RR that gave rebates to shippers and the HEPBURN ACT of 1906, which stipulated maximum rates for RR

Consumer Protection: 1.Federal Meat Inspection Act 1906 and Pure Food and Drug Act 1906, which were designed to prevent the adulteration and mislabeling of foods and drugs

Conservation: 1.Newlands Act 1902-collect $ from sale of public lands in the West to be used for irrigation projects 1.Roosevelt also set aside 125 million forest acres and banned Christmas trees from the White House 1.Gifford Pinchot was TR’s chief forester who developed the concept of “multiple use resource management”

Constitutional Amendments passed by Progressive efforts: 16 th Amendment (1913): Income tax 17 th Amendment (1913): Direct election of Senators 18 th Amendment (1919): Prohibition 19 th Amendment (1920): Women suffrage

TAFT

A. Republican – William Howard Taft (was TR’s choice to succeed him – thought Taft would continue Roosevelt’s policies) I. Election of 1908:

B. Democrat—Wm. Jennings Bryan C. Socialist -- Eugene Debs D. Country was prosperous – willing to continue stable leadership under Republicans

Inauguration March 04, 1909

II. TAFT A. Personality and background: 1. Had been a Federal judge, Governor of Philippines, Secretary of War 2. Considered to be jovial, easygoing, large person, lacked personality of TR 3. Conservative Helen

B. Taft’s Accomplishments: 1. In office half as long as TR, but brought about twice as many antitrust suits 2. Increased number of federal employees under civil service 3. Congress proposed both the 16 th and 17 th Amendments (in effect by 1913) 4. Congress increased powers of Interstate Commerce Commission 5. Payne-Aldrich Bill … lowered tariffs from about 57% to about 40%

C. Taft first U.S. President to… 1. own a car while in the White House 2. throw out a baseball at a professional baseball game; started the tradition 3. become Chief Justice of Supreme Court after serving as President 4. play golf 5. be buried in the National Cemetery in Arlington, VA

D. Roosevelt and Taft would move from friendship to bitter rivals by end of Taft’s term in office

Taft had a made-to-order tub installed at the White House after he got stuck in the tub. Four grown men could fit into the tub (7’ x 41”).

The End!