FROM ROOSEVELT TO WILSON IN THE AGE OF PROGRESSIVISM

1. FROM ROOSEVELT TO WILSON IN THE AGE OF PROGRESSIVISM America: Past and Present Chapter 23

2. The Spirit of Progressivism • Progressivism not a coherent movement • Shared values • sense of evangelical Protestant duty • faith in the benefits of science • commitment to improve all aspects of American life

3. The Rise of the Professions • Professions bulwarks of Progressivism • Law • Medicine • Business • Education • Social work • Professionalism strengthened through entrance exams, national associations

4. The Social-Justice Movement • Reformers forsake individualized reform to address larger structural problems • Apply scientific methods to social reform • Social work became a profession

5. The Purity Crusade • Crusade against vice • 1911--membership in Women's Christian Temperance Union hits 250,000 • 1916--19 states prohibit alcohol • 1920--18th Amendment prohibits alcohol

6. Woman Suffrage, Woman's Rights • Women fill Progressive ranks • National Conference of Social Work • General Federation of Women's Clubs • 1890--National American Woman Suffrage Association formed • 1920--Nineteenth Amendment passed • Suffrage seen as empowering women to benefit the disadvantaged

7. Women’s Suffrage Before 1900

8. A Ferment of Ideas:Challenging the Status Quo • Progressives, pragmatists, measure value of ideas by actions they inspire • Reject social Darwinism • John Dewey--education should stress personal growth, free inquiry, creativity

9. A Ferment of Ideas:Challenging the Status Quo (2) • 1901--Socialist party formed • Unites intellectuals, factory workers, tenant farmers, miners, lumberjacks • Promises Progressive reform rather than overthrow of capitalism • 1912--Socialist presidential candidate Eugene Debs polls over 900,000 votes

10. Reform in the Cities and States • Progressives wanted government to follow the public will • Reform government • reorganize for efficiency, effectiveness • new agencies address particular social ills • posts staffed with experts • Government power extended at all levels

11. Interest Groups and the Decline of Popular Politics • Decline in voter participation • 77% from 1876-1900 • 65% from 1900-1916 • 52% in the 1920s • remains near 52% through 20th century • Interest groups get favorable legislation through lobbying

12. Voter Participation in Presidential Elections, 1876-1920

13. Reform in the Cities • Urban reform leagues form professional, nonpolitical civil service • Appointed commissioners replace elected officials in many cities • City manager idea spreads • Reform mayors • Tom Johnson of Cleveland • "Golden Rule" Jones of Toledo

14. Action in the States • State regulatory commissions created to investigate economic life • Initiative, referendum, and recall created • 1917--17th Amendment provides for direct election of U.S. senators

15. Action in the States:Reform Governors • Robert La Follette of Wisconsin • “Wisconsin Idea” taps experts in higher education for help in sweeping reforms • Other Progressive governors • Joseph Folk of Missouri • Hiram Johnson of California • Charles Evans Hughes of New York • Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey

16. The Republican Roosevelt • Often defies convention • Brings an exuberance to the presidency • Surrounds himself with able associates

17. Busting the Trusts • 1902--wave of trust-busting led by suit against Northern Securities Company • 1904--Northern Securities dissolved • Roosevelt reputed a "trust-buster" • Comparatively few antitrust cases under Roosevelt

18. "Square Deal" in the Coalfields • 1902--United Mine Workers strike in Pennsylvania threatens U.S. economy • U.M.W., companies to White House • Roosevelt wins company concessions by threatening military seizure of mines • Roosevelt acts as broker of interests

19. Roosevelt Progressivism at Its Height • 1904—A four-way election • Republican—Theodore Roosevelt • Democrat—Alton B. Parker • Socialist—Eugene V. Debs • Prohibition—Silas C. Swallow • Roosevelt wins 57% of popular vote, 336 electoral votes

21. Regulating the Railroads • 1903--Elkins Act prohibits railroad rebates, strengthens Interstate Commerce Commission • Widespread popular demand for further railroad regulation after Roosevelt’s reelection • 1906--Hepburn Act further strengthens Interstate Commerce Commission • membership from five to seven • may fix reasonable maximum rates • jurisdiction broadened to include oil pipeline, express, sleeping car companies

22. Cleaning Up Food and Drugs • Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle (1906)prompts federal investigation of meatpacking industry • 1906--Meat Inspection Act • sets rules for sanitary meatpacking • requires government inspection of meat products • Samuel Hopkins Adams exposes dangers of patent medicines • 1906--Pure Food and Drug Act • requires manufacturers to list certain ingredients • bans manufacture and sale of adulterated drugs

23. Conserving the Land • First comprehensive national conservation policy • Roosevelt works with Gifford Pinchot, chief of Forest Service • policy defines “conservation” as wise use of natural resources • Quadruples acreage under federal protection

24. National Parks and Forests

25. Conserving the Land (2) • Roosevelt’s challenge • attacks “malefactors of great wealth” • criticizes conservatism of federal courts • agitates for pro-labor legislation • Popular response • business leaders blame for financial panic • overwhelming majority support

26. The Ordeal of William Howard Taft • Taft able administrator, poor president • Conservative Republicans resurge • Taft loses support of Progressives

28. Party Insurgency • Tariff splits Republicans • Progressives: high tariff favors trusts • Conservatives: high tariff protects business • 1909 Payne-Aldrich Act provokes Progressives to break with Taft

29. The Ballinger-Pinchot Affair • Gifford Pinchot leading conservationist, Roosevelt appointee • Pinchot accuses Interior Secretary Richard Ballinger of selling public lands to friends • Taft fires Pinchot • Progressives antagonized

30. Taft Alienates the Progressives • 1910--Taft successfully pushes Mann-Elkins Act to strengthen ICC • empowers ICC to fix railroad rates • Progressive Republicans attack Taft’s plan of a Commerce Court to hear ICC appeals • progressives obstruct Taft’s negotiations • 1910--Taft attacks Progressive Republicans, Democrats gain Congress

31. Taft Alienates the Progressives (2) • Legislation protecting laborers • Sixteenth Amendment creates income tax • Taft a greater trustbuster than Roosevelt • Taft, Roosevelt attack one another publicly • 1912--Taft renominated by Republicans, little chance for victory

32. Differing Philosophies in the Election of 1912 • Roosevelt--Progressive ("Bull Moose") • “New Nationalism” • federal regulation of economy • wasteful competition replaced by efficiency • Woodrow Wilson--Democrat • "New Freedom" for individual • restrain big business, government • Democrats win White House, Congress

34. Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom • Woodrow Wilson former president of Princeton, governor of New Jersey • Progressive, intellectual, inspiring orator • One of America's most effective presidents

35. The New Freedom in Action • 1913--Underwood Tariff cuts duties • 1913--Federal Reserve Act reforms banks, establishes stable currency • 1914--Clayton Antitrust Act outlaws unfair trade practices, protects unions • 1914--Federal Trade Commission

36. New Freedom in Action: Retreating from Reform • November, 1914--Wilson announces the "New Freedom" has been achieved • It was “a time of healing because a time of just dealing” • Statement stuns many progressives

37. Wilson Moves Toward the New Nationalism • Reasons for the move • distracted by the outbreak of war in Europe • needs conservative Southern support • Republicans seem to gain by attacking his programs • 1916--Presidential election

38. Wilson Moves Toward the New Nationalism (2) • Wilson renews reform in reelection bid • Federal Farm Loan Act • intervenes in strikes on behalf of workers • attempts to ban child labor • increases income taxes on the rich • supports women’s suffrage • Program wins Wilson a close election

39. The Fruits of the Progressivism • Reform of government at all levels • Intelligent planning of reform • World War I ends Progressive optimism