1. Progressive Politicians 10.3
Reform Under Taft

2. William Taft Roosevelt’s Secretary of War Very uncomfortable in public
TR – does not run for re-election – helps Taft win Republican nomination
Beats William Jennings Bryan in election of 1908
Many thought he was progressive like Roosevelt – True and False

3. Progressive Accomplishments of Taft:

4. Mann-Elkins Act (1910)– regulated power of telephone and telegraph companies
National Forests – added almost as much as TR
Dept. of Labor created
- Enforced labor laws such as an eight hour work day for companies holding government contracts
16th Amendment – creates income tax

5. Taft Angers Progressives
Payne-Aldrich Tariff Background: Progressives & Taft – Both supported low tariffs on consumer goods to keep prices down
Tariff – tax on imports
House sent low-tariff bill to senate
RI senator Nelson Aldrich flips bill
Becomes high tariff bill
Bill passes – Taft does not veto

6. Ballinger-Pinchot Affair
Background: Richard Ballinger
Taft’s Secretary of the Interior
Believed Roosevelt had exceeded his authority when refusing to sell public land
Sold Alaskan land to developers
Angered Pinchot – head of US Forrest service and friend of Roosevelt – criticizes
Taft fires him – creates rift in Rep. Party

7. The Cannon Debate
Joseph Cannon – Powerful Speaker of the House, head of the rules committee, and a conservative Republican
Disliked by Progressive Republicans
Progressives tried to unseat him
Taft would not support them
= last straw – progressives
split from Taft

8. The Republican Party Divides
3 Steps to Division of
the Party

9. 1. Congressional Elections (1910)
Roosevelt actively campaigned for every Republican who opposed Taft
Despite the help of Roosevelt the Republicans lost control of the House

10. Republican Split(1912) 2. – Republican Primary – 1912
TR decided to run for president again – wins almost every state primary
3. – Republican Convention 1912
Taft and allies control party machine
Republicans refuse to let TR supports into convention
Taft wins Republican Presidential Nomination

11. The Progressive Party
TR’s supporters walk out of the convention and create the Progressive Party also known as the Bull Moose Party
“I’m as strong as a bull moose.” - Roosevelt

12. Election of 1912 William Taft – Republican
Teddy Roosevelt – Progressive/Bull Moose
Woodrow Wilson – Democrats
Eugene Debs - Socialist

13. Wilson Wins Election Woodrow Wilson
Former governor of NJ and big on business regulation
Supported by Democratic progressives
Wins 6 million votes
Taft and Roosevelt split the Republican vote, almost assuring Wilson victory
Taft – 3 million votes TR – 4 million
Debs – 900,000 votes