1. Day 12 Objectives
Evaluate the contributions of local and state reformers (government and civilian) towards the social and political issues concerning the USA during the Progressive Era.

2. Progressive Reform
Starts in cities…why?
Bottom-Up…why?

3. Chicago...late 1800s
“first in violence, deepest in dirt; loud, lawless, unlovely, ill, smelling, irreverent, new; an overgrown gawk of a village, the tough among cities, a spectacle for the nation.”
Lincoln Steffens 1903

4. Jane Addams Wealthy upbringing Legend in the social work profession
1920, Co-founder of the ACLU
1931, first American woman awarded Nobel Peace Prize
Supported TR

5. Hull House Settlement House (Addams’ London Trip)
Founded 1889 by Addams & Ellen Gates Starr
1911, there were 13 buildings in the organization
Addams and other “residents” house…
Assisted poor (mostly immigrant) women with nursing, midwifery, daycare, education
Addams founder of National Playground Association
Statistical Studies of the neighborhood that was used by politicians

6. Progressive Legislation
National
State
Local
Progressive Legislation

7. Municipal Level Changes
 Attacked political bosses
City commissions formed
 “Control” of utilities…
Education reform
Welfare services (parks, housing, health insurance, labor laws)
Examples
Hazen Pingree (Detroit & Michigan)
Sam “GR” Jones (Toledo)
 Tom Johnson (Cleveland)
I’m holding “Poverty & Progress” by Henry George

8. State Level Changes
Direct Primary – voters select their party’s candidates
Initiative – voters can put bills before legislature
Referendum – Voters can vote on bills directly
Recall – remove elected officials from office
17th Am (1913) – U.S. senators are elected by popular vote

9. Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette
Republican turned Progressive
Representative, Gov & Senator for Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Idea
creating legislation through university research
State is “laboratory for democracy”
Provide model for other states and fed gov to follow
Monopolies, trusts, high living costs, predatory wealth
Primary elections, Worker’s comp, state income tax, Progressive Taxation, RR and Utilities Regulation
Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette
also a presidential candidate
Incorporating an important Progressive idea…

10. Gov
Scott
Walker
2015

11. Women Labor
1903 Oregon creates law limiting workday for women to just 10 hours
Muller v. Oregon 1908
Louis D. Brandeis defends Oregon
100+ pages of data (facts????) showing evils of long hours of work on women’s health, neglect of children, weakened family unity
Oregon wins
In the following decade, 39 states create similar laws
Also got states to pass employer’s liability laws

12. Child Labor Causes Effects
All industries looked for unskilled cheap labor
Children could be used for specific jobs to utilize their size (machines, mines)
Immigrants needed extra income
Effects
Accidents, health problems
National Child Labor Committee formed in 1904 (Photographer Lewis Hine)

21. Overturned by SCOTUS in 1918…that ruling will get overruled in 1941
Child Labor Act of 1916
Overturned by SCOTUS in 1918…that ruling will get overruled in 1941

22. Fed Gov tried to regulate Trusts  1887 – Interstate Commerce Act
Created Interstate Commerce Commission…
Intent was to regulate RRs & other interstate business
1890 – Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Used against unions
SCOTUS weakened it…few Presidents used it…
Business gets a step ahead of it anyway (HCs)