Progressive Presidents

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Rex Created the idea that the federal government should step in whenever the states could not handle a problem. The presidency was called the Bully Pulpit Domestic programs were called the fair deal

1902 Coal Strike Miners wanted a 9 hour work day, right to unionize, and a 20% raise After national coal reserves ran low, TR “convinced” both sides to have an arbitration commission decide

Railroads Again TR increased govt. power to regulate the railroads Elkins Act of 1903 – shippers couldn’t receive nor railroads issue rebates & public notice had to precede a price change Hepburn Act of 1906 – limited the distribution of free railroad passes

TR – Trust Buster TR ordered the Justice dept. to sue trusts under the Sherman Anti-trust Act of st was the Northern Securities Company which was alleged to have a monopoly over railroads in the NW U.S. Supreme Court agreed and was broke apart in 1904

Food & Drugs Meat Inspection Act of 1906 came about because of the book The Jungle Required meat inspections and cleanliness in the industry. Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906 Stopped the sale of contaminated food, medicines Required true labels Came from the Dept. of Agriculture and Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley

TR and Conservation Set aside land to save natural resources Gifford Pinchot was in charge of the U.S. Forest Service – 148 million acres for forest reserve – 1.5 million acres for water supply sites – 80 million acres for the U.S.G.S. to explore for mineral /water resources – Over 50 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks