Chapter 22, Section 3: Progressives in the White House Main Idea: During the early 1900s, three Presidents worked for Progressive goals: Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.

A. Theodore Roosevelt (TR) Political Ambitions Elected to NYS Legislature @ 26 Served on Civil Service Commission Chief of Police in NYC (largest in nation) Assistant Secretary of Navy (2nd highest rank) Hero in Spanish-American War (Rough Riders) Elected Governor of New York State A Progessive Governor Worked for progressive reforms (a “goo goo”) Became Vice President under William McKinley Became youngest President ever (42) when McKinley was assassinated in 1901 (Kennedy is youngest elected President)

The Life of Theodore Roosevelt

Civil Service Commissioner Assemblyman Colonel U.S. Coast Guard Governor of New York Naturalist Author Vice-President President

B. TR & Big Business The “Trustbuster” TR believed there were good trusts (efficient & fair) that should be left alone, & bad trusts (cheated public & exploited workers) that should be controlled or broken up. He used the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up Northern Securities (RRs), Standard Oil & American Tobacco (first time this law was used to do what it was supposed to do) Support for Labor TR ordered coal mine owners to negotiate with striking workers in order to end strike before winter (first time a President sided with labor in a dispute)

C. The Square Deal Roosevelt felt that everyone should have the same opportunity to succeed (be given a “square deal”) The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was strengthened to outlaw rebates & set RR rates Consumers In response to The Jungle, he sent more inspectors into meat packing plants & Congress passed the Pure Food & Drug Act, which required ingredients to be listed on packages, ended false advertising & banned the use of impure ingredients Conserving Resources TR was 1st conservationist President (protect wilderness & natural resources). Almost 200 million acres of land was set aside for national parks while he was President.

D. Taft & the Progressives TR chose not to run for re-election in 1908 & backed William Howard Taft to succeed him. Taft won easily with TR’s support. Roosevelt assumed Taft would follow in his footsteps & continue what he started, but when he returned from an African safari he was disappointed that Taft had lost support from Progressive reformers. Despite this, his record shows that he accomplished a lot of Progressive reforms while in office.

Before After

E. 1912: A 3-Way Election Roosevelt challenged Taft for the Republican nomination, but the party nominated Taft because he controlled the party leadership The Bull Moose Party Roosevelt & Progressive Republicans formed a new party & chose TR as its candidate. They became known as the Bull Moose party. Woodrow Wilson Woodrow Wilson was a Progressive Democrat from NJ Former president of Princeton University & governor of NJ Wilson (the Democrat) won the election because the Republicans split their vote between Taft & Roosevelt. Had there been just 1 Republican, he probably would have won.

“I am as strong as a bull moose, and you can use me to the limit “I am as strong as a bull moose, and you can use me to the limit.” – Theodore Roosevelt When Roosevelt ran for president in 1912, the moose became a symbol for the new Progressive Party.

This Harper’s Weekly cartoon lampoons Roosevelt’s desire for the spotlight. His eldest daughter, Alice, is usually attributed with the observation, “My father always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding, and the baby at every christening.” In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt declared his intent to negotiate a “square deal” (i.e., a fair settlement) for labor, management, and the American public. In this Harper’s Weekly cartoon, Roosevelt is depicted as a mugger preparing to steal the Republican nomination from President William Howard Taft by hitting his rival, who appears in elegant evening dress, with the “square deal” of a brick.

This is a criticism of Roosevelt's reversal of his promise to adhere to the two-term principle established by George Washington. In this cartoon, Roosevelt stands on the Declaration of Independence and makes himself king for a third term. Crowns for two additional terms are already available.

The Republican Party & President William H. Taft The Progressive Party & Former President Theodore Roosevelt The Democratic Party & Governor Woodrow Wilson (NJ)

Election Results

F. Wilson in the White House The New Freedom New Freedom – his program to break up monopolies into smaller companies to restore competition in the American economy Federal Reserve Act – set up a system of federal banks to regulate banking , raise & lower interest rates, & control the money supply Regulating Competition Federal Trade Commission – ensured fair competition by investigating companies who used unfair business practices to destroy competition Clayton Antitrust Act – strengthened the Sherman Act & protected labor unions The Progressive Movement declined sharply by 1914 because a lot of the goals had been achieved & because of the outbreak of war in Europe (WWI).

President Woodrow Wilson Policy / Act Purpose New Freedom Idea to break up trusts into smaller companies Decreased tariffs Increased competition with foreign goods Imposed a graduated income tax Raised $ for the gov’t lost by the lower tariffs Federal Reserve Act Regulated banking Federal Trade Commission Stopped businesses from using unfair practices Clayton Antitrust Act Barred antitrust laws from being used against unions