Progressive Presidents AIM: Which president was most successful at furthering the goals of the Progressives?

“When I say I believe in a square deal I do not mean…to give everyman the best hand. If the cards do not come to any, many, or if they do come, and he has not got the power to play them, that is his affair. All I mean is that there shall be no crookedness in the dealing.” Teddy Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909 “Square Deal” 1. Fair and just treatment for all Americans “New Nationalism” 1. Governmental authority would balance, coordinate and regulate big business in the public interest

C. Aid to Labor Unions and Workers Anthracite Coal Strike – 1902 Established Department of Labor Workman’s Compensation

D. Railroad Regulation Elkins Act 1903: Hepburn Act 1906: a. Gave I.C.C. power to fix RR prices, warehouses, oil pipelines

E. Trustbuster More than 40 anti-trust suits brought Northern Securities v. United States a. broke up RR monopoly Standard Oil American Tobacco, Sugar, Fertilizers, Beef Trusts

Bully Pulpit terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda.

F. Consumer Protection The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Pure Food and Drug Act: 1906 Meat Inspection Act: 1906

G. Conservation of Natural Resources

T.R. and Gifford Pinchot

Department of the Interior 150 million acres of national parks Lumberers must plant new trees Newlands Reclamation Act 1902: build dams for irrigation, flood control, electricity

William Howard Taft 1909-1913 Election of 1908 Republican: William Taft Democrats: Williams Jennings Bryan Socialists: Eugene Debs

A. Accomplishments 44 Indictments against trusts a. Standard Oil of NJ v. US b. Trusts that “unreasonably” restrained trade were illegal. c. Attacked U.S. Steel (angered T.R.)

16th amendment approved Mann-Elkins Act: regulate telephones, telegraphs, wireless broadcasts National Budgetary System: saved U.S. $40 million

B. Problems 1. Ballinger-Pinchot Dispute a. Sec. of Interior opens lands to corporate development. b. Chief of Agriculture Pinchot criticizes Ballinger and is fired. c. Angers T.R.

3. Rift within Republican party Conservatives vs. Progressives

“The Federal government became a “foster child of the special interests, powerful to prevent the strong from crushing the week.” Woodrow Wilson

“Government must insure an equality of opportunity for all “Government must insure an equality of opportunity for all.. The Declaration of Independence provided political equality for Americans. It is now time for a New Freedom, a second Declaration of Independence, which will declare an equality of economic opportunity for all Americans” …. Woodrow Wilson

“Law in our day must come to the assistance of the individual “Law in our day must come to the assistance of the individual. It must come to his assistance to see that he gets fair play; that is all and that is much. Without the watchful interference..of the government there can be no fair play between individuals and such powerful institutions as trusts. Freedom today is something more than being let alone. The program of a government of freedom must in these days be positive, not negative merely….Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom

Woodrow Wilson 1912-1920 Election of 1912

Republican: Taft 3.5 million Bull Moose/ Progressive T.R. 4.1 million Democrat: Wilson 6.2 million

B. Wilson the Progressive “Democrat” New Freedom: government should ensure equality of economic opportunity for all by attacking what Wilson called the Triple Wall of Privilege — the tariff, the banks, and the trusts.

Reforms under Wilson’s Presidency Underwood Tariff: lower by 15% 17th Amendment Federal Reserve Act 1913: regulates currency and interest rates Clayton Anti-Trust Act: 1914 Federal Trade Commission: investigate unfair trade practices Keating-Owen Child Labor Law: prohibited sale of goods made by child labor 18th Amendment How does Wilson’s reflect Wilson’s campaign policy of the “New Freedom”?

C. The Limits of Progressivism 1. IWW: Wobblies formed under “Big Bill” Haywood” to address needs of unskilled workers.

Jim Crow Laws a. Wilson was very racist, segregating the federal gov’t b. “No sooner had the Democratic Administration come into power than Mr. Wilson and his advisors entered upon a policy to eliminate all colored citizens from representation in the Federal Government.” (1916) Republican Colored Advisory Comm.

Women’s Rights