Roosevelt’s Square Deal Chapter 17 Section 4
Who is Teddy Roosevelt? Energetic, opinionated, and smart Graduated with honors from Harvard in 1880, went on to study law at Columbia University but left after a few months when he was elected to the New York Assembly Served as President of New York City’s Board of Police Commissioners fighting corruption Assistant Secretary of the Navy Rough Rider in the Spanish-American War; became a war hero Governor of New York (1898)
From Progressive Governor to Running Mate… Roosevelt’s Progressive reforms upset many Republican leaders To get him out of New York, President McKinley agreed to make Roosevelt his running mate in 1900 They won, defeating W.J. Bryan
President T. Roosevelt In September1901, McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, who claimed it was done on behalf of the poor. Roosevelt then became President. As President, Roosevelt dominated Washington. He was so popular even a toy, the teddy bear, was named for him. Roosevelt thought of the presidency as “bully pulpit”, one goal was to fight class distinction
T.R.’s Square Deal: Program that promised fairness and honesty from government Roosevelt used the power of the federal government on behalf of workers and the people
The United Mine Workers’ Strike: 150, 000 coal miners strike for higher wages and recognition of UMW Roosevelt threatened a federal takeover of coal mines when owners refused to compromise with workers and encouraged arbitration (third party settles dispute) IMPORTANT because for the first time the federal government had intervened in a strike, Roosevelt called the result a “square deal”
The United Mine Workers’ Strike (Continued): Within in a year, Roosevelt convinced Congress to establish the Department of Commerce and Labor to monitor businesses engaged in interstate commerce
Teddy Takes on the Railroads By 1900 the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) loses most of its power Roosevelt pushes Congress to pass: Elkins Act (1903): allowed the government to fine railroads that gave special rates to favored shippers Hepburn Act (1906): Empowered the ICC to enforce limits on the prices charged by railroad companies for shipping, tolls, ferries, and pipelines
Regulating Business & Trustbusting: Roosevelt was known as a trustbuster He broke up railroad monopoly controlled by J.P. Morgan, then went after all bad trusts T.R. used the Sherman Antitrust Act to file suits against what he saw as “bad” trusts, those that bullied small businesses or cheated consumers “We draw the line against misconduct, not wealth.” – T. Roosevelt
Regulating Business: Food Safety Roosevelt backed Progressive goals of protecting consumers by making the federal government responsible for food safety. The Meat Inspection Act (1906): provided for federal inspections and monitoring of meat plants The Pure Food and Drug Act: banned the interstate shipments of impure or mislabeled food or medicine Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests and monitors the safety of food and medicine.
T. Roosevelt worked with John Muir and Gifford Pinchot to set aside more than 100 million acres of land as forest reserve Conservation
1908 Election: William Howard Taft (handpicked by TR) vs. W.J. Bryan Roosevelt thought Taft had the same reform tendencies as him
Taft’s Progressive Reforms: Trustbuster: brought twice as many antitrust cases to court then Roosevelt Established Children’s Bureau to fight child labor Conservationist who monitored business pollution Taft partly responsible for the 17 th Amendment
Roosevelt vs. Taft: Roosevelt disagreed with Taft on several issues and stopped backing him Taft: fired Gifford Pinchot
Election of 1912: Roosevelt was so angry he decided to oppose Taft and ran for President again. Roosevelt’s candidacy split the Republican Party, which nominated Taft. – Roosevelt accepted the nomination of the Progressive Party (aka Bull Moose Party) setting up a three-way race for the presidency in 1912
Split allows Democrat from NJ, Woodrow Wilson, to win election of 1912