Progressivism: From Roosevelt to Wilson (1900-1920)

1. From Roosevelt to Wilson1900-1920

2. What was “Progressivism”? • The administrations of Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson not only addressed the political, economic, and social problems of the early-20th century. • They laid a foundation that future presidents, right up to the present day, have continued to build.

3. Anatomy of Progressivism Politically** • Problems of the city—urban reform • Problems of the state • Problems of the nation Fostered reform to cure:

4. Anatomy of Progressivism Intellectually** • Abandoned older absolutes of class and religion—“age encrusted divine or natural ‘laws’”—to assess the issues • psychological explanations for behavior and the critical influence of environment on human development • Emphasized the relative nature of truth

5. Anatomy of Progressivism Culturally** • Inspired fresh new modes of expression, e.g., in dance, film, painting, literature, and architecture

6. Traits of Progressivism** • A concern about the effects of industrialization and conditions of industrial life—more focused on humanizing and regulating Big Business than harming it, on curbing influence of “special interests” • A fundamental optimism about human nature—an effusive confidence in man’s capacity to recognize problems and take the right action to remedy them: “investigate, educate, and legislate”

7. Traits of Progressivism Continued** • Initially, Progressives relied on voluntary means to achieve reform; as the century progressed, they turned increasingly to government and state to implement the reforms they desired • A willingness to intervene in the lives of people, backed by an unquestioning confidence that it was right to do so—viewed negatively, Progressivism had a coercive quality

8. Traits of Progressivism Continued** • Combined evangelical Protestantism (inspired the desire and sense of duty to purge the world of sin) with the natural and social sciences that led them to believe that they could both understand and control the environment in which people live—and consequently change the individual • Progressivism “touched virtually the whole nation”—it had a “national reach and a mass base”

9. Issues that Concerned Progressives • Clean up city government • Clean up city streets • Purify politics • Control corporate abuses • Eradicate poverty • End prostitution

10. Issues that Concerned Progressives Continued • Establish social justice • Support women’s rights • End child labor • End social evil of alcohol abuse • Establish factory safety

11. Rising Professions During the Progressive Era** • Law • Medicine • Religion • Business • Teaching • Social Work

12. “The professions attracted young educated men and women, who in turn were part of a larger trend: a dramatic increase in the number of individuals working in administrative and professional jobs. . . . They organized and run the urban-industrial society. . . . Together these professionals formed part of a new middle class. . . . They moved ahead through education and personal accomplishment. . . . They were ambitious and self-confident, and they thought of themselves as experts who could use their knowledge for the benefit of society.”

13. The Women’s Rights and the Suffrage Movement** • Seneca Falls, New York Conference—1848 • Obstacles to Feminism after the Civil War • Planned Parenthood • Merger of the National Woman Suffrage Association and American Woman Suffrage Association, 1890 • Arguments in favor of women’s suffrage

14. Planned Parenthood The issue of birth control was “fraught with social and religious controversy.” Margaret Sanger was at the forefront of the movement to disperse information that would enable young American women to plan their families. Her enthusiasm was a product of growing up herself in a family of eleven children. Sanger perceived an important link between poverty and large family size. She not only wrote on the subject but aggressively acted to put information regarding birth control into the hands of women themselves. Her efforts led to her arrest and trial for violation of the Comstock Act which forbade sending information about contraception through the mail.

15. Arguments in Favor of Family Planning • It was a means to promote social welfare • Smaller families would raise the standard of living for the poor • It might limit the number of “undesirables”—a way to reduce the unwanted and unfit of society as a part of the population

16. Arguments Against Family Planning • Theodore Roosevelt declared it “race death: a sin for which there is no atonement” • Moral objections which usually sprang from the churches

17. Merger of the National Woman Suffrage Association and American Woman SuffrageAssociation, 1890 • Merger led to greater unity • Merger led to tighter control through a national organization In 1900, Carrie Chapman Catt became president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association formed in 1890. In 1906, Anna Howard Shaw assumed leadership of the organization.

18. Arguments in Favor of Women’s Suffrage • It was a natural right owed to both women and men • Women were more sensitive to moral issues than men—their vote would create a better society • Passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 This amendment granted women the right to vote. This is generally considered the final great act of the Progressive Era**

19. Progressive Psychological and Educational Theory The Seminal Work of William James and John Dewey James—a Harvard University psychologist Developed doctrine of pragmatism** Considered the ultimate test of “truth” to be its usefulness--did an idea have a practical use? William James, 1842-1910

20. Thomas Dewey, 1859-1952 • Applied pragmatism to educational reform • Taught that education related directly to experience • Abandoned traditional methods of rote learning, memorization, authoritarian teaching methods** • Emphasized personal growth, free inquiry, and creativity

21. Reform in the Cities Robert La Follette (above)--in center cartoon, he illustrates his success in Wisconsin; to right, a poster for his 1924 campaign for the presidency. La Follette was a tough-minded progressive politician who used tools of machine politicians to fight the bosses and introduce progressive reforms. He identified with and helped the farmers, poor, middle class and small town people. He defied bosses, appealed to patriotism and self-interest of the people. Other reform-minded governors included Charles Evans Hughes of New York and Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey. Robert La Follette—Elected governor of Wisconsin (1900) & U.S. Senator (1910)

22. The Wisconsin Idea** • Established direct primaries (sought to make government more responsive to the people) • Solve complicated problems by drawing on contributions of experts, “brain trusts” (reflects concern for efficiency) • Wrote laws and established government commissions to regulate utilities and railroads • Became model, “laboratory for democracy” (a phrase coined by Theodore Roosevelt)

23. Reforms implemented to reduce the power of politicians and increase the power of the electorate • Primary election—allowed voters to choose party candidates May 1912, Congress approved 17th Amendment requiring direct election of all Senators • Initiative—allowed citizens to propose a bill by collecting a required number of signatures from registered voters • Referendum—allowed voters to approve or reject a proposed law by ballot • Recall election—let voters remove elected officials before they completed their term • City manager—a professional hired by an elected board of trustees to run a city government

24. How did city managers plan government work? • Elected board of trustees hired a professional manager with no political ambition to run city government • Development of a trained civil service to oversee city planning and operations • Twin goals of efficiency and results

25. In Toledo, Jones set up free kindergartens, playgrounds, and night schools; increased wages for city workers; and took away billy clubs from city police. It was a general trend of the period for American cities to assume ownership of public utilities such as gas, electricity, water, and transportation. Two of the most successful reforming city mayors were Hazen Pingree (upper left) in Detroit, Michigan and Samuel “Golden Rule” Jones of Toledo, Ohio. Pingree modernized taxes, brought down utility rates for the public, generally cleaned up politics, and took greater control of awarding coveted city franchises.

26. The hurricane of 1900 devastated Galveston, Texas but created a novel opportunity in city government.

27. Evolution of the Socialist Party • Eugene V. Debs, leader of the U.S. Socialist Party • Came to national prominence during the Pullman Strike of 1894 • Gentle, reflective, eloquent in speech—a passionate visionary Socialist Campaign Poster, 1904

28. Regarding Debs • Never developed a cohesive platform for the party • Was not an effective organizer • Vigorously attacked the injustices of capitalism and urged the formation of a workers’ republic • Received significant votes when running for president

29. Presidential Election Statistics • 1900—received 100,000 votes • 1904—received 400,000 votes • 1912—received 900,000 votes, the party’s apogee

30. The Three Presidents of the Period • Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1908 • William Howard Taft, 1909-1912 • Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1920

31. Theodore Roosevelt Roosevelt’s Rise to the Presidency

32. TR’s Political Ascent • Elected New York State Assemblyman from New York City in 1881 (served 1882-1884) • Chairman of Committee on Cities, 1884 • U.S. Civil Service Commissioner, 1889-1895 • New York City Police Commissioner, 1895-1897—he actively reformed the police force • Assistant Secretary of Navy, 1897-1898 • Governor of New York State, 1898-1900 • Vice-President of U.S., 1901

33. McKinley’s Vice-Presidential Running Mate When McKinley needed a new vice-presidential running mate in 1890, Thomas Platt, the New York political machine boss, saw to it that Theodore Roosevelt became the vice-president in order to get rid of him. To be named to the ticket as the vice-president was not an honor, but a political coffin. Mark Hanna was uncomfortable with Theodore Roosevelt and called him "that d****d cowboy." He asked McKinley what would happen to the country should Theodore Roosevelt become President?

34. Leon Czolgosz McKinley’s Assassination

35. Roosevelt as the “Trust Buster” 22F—1 McKinley’s death opened the way for TR to act as a Progressive who reformed American society as no other president before him.

36. Theodore Roosevelt did not believe big business was evil and saw monopoly and trusts as inevitable in an industrial society. But, he did believe that big business should work for the good of the people and the country. He judged a good trust from a bad one by the criteria of whether or not it was good for the country. The “bad ones” needed to be controlled by the government. President Roosevelt asserting control over the “Trusts.”

37. “At first, Roosevelt hoped the combination of investigative journalism and public opinion would be enough to uncover and correct business evils. . . . [He believed that] the glare of publicity would eliminate most corporate abuses. . . . Roosevelt used antitrust threats to keep business within bounds. . . . More and more, Roosevelt saw the federal government as an honest and ‘impartial’ broker between powerful elements in society.”

38. TR and the Northern Securities Company** Northern Securities: Headed by J.P. Morgan, the Northern Securities Company was a holding company that controlled railroads in the northern quarter of the country. Theodore Roosevelt sued it under the terms of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and won in the Supreme Court in 1904. Roosevelt subsequently initiated anti-trust suits against the American Tobacco Company, Du Pont Corporation, New Haven Railroad, and Standard Oil.

39. TR’s Overall Record TR’s “policies were not always clear, nor his actions always consistent. . . . Roosevelt, in truth, was not a ‘trust-buster,’ although he was frequently called that.” In fact, his successor, President William Howard Taft proved far more aggressive in bringing law suits against the industrial behemoths of the period**

40. TR and Labor • Wage increases • Eight-hour work day • Company recognition of the union Demands of John Mitchell (right), leader of the United Mine Workers

41. May 1902, 140,000 miners stopped working. Theodore Roosevelt made friends with the workers when he refused to use troops to intervene in a massive coal strike in Pennsylvania. TR threatened to nationalize the mines if the mine operators did not give in to some of the workers' demands The owners acquiesced and Theodore Roosevelt personally mediated the strike

42. Results of the Strike: Roosevelt had defied political tradition and reversed the long-standing policy of siding with big business • Miners received a 10% wage increase • Working hours were cut • No recognition for the union Roosevelt termed the outcome of his negotiations in the miners’ strike as the “Square Deal” for both labor and capital. 22F The “Square Deal Dance”

43. Presidential “Firsts” To bring opposing sides in labor disputes to White House To appoint an arbitration commission whose judgments both accepted “Square Deal Policy”** caricatured (right). The appellation became affixed generally to TR’s dealings in disputes between labor and management. 22F To threaten to seize a major industry

44. TR’s Opposition to Radical Labor Theodore Roosevelt despised radical unions and socialism. He was determined, however, to eliminate many of the capitalist abuses that drove them.

45. Election of 1904 Candidate Popular Vote Electoral Vote Roosevelt 7.6 million 336 Parker 5.1 million 140 Debs 402,489 0

46. Election of 1904 • TR won 57% of the vote to Democratic candidate Alton B. Parker’s 38% • The victory allayed TR’s fears that he was but an “accidental president” • His victory opened the way for a comprehensive reform program that began in 1904

47. Election Cartoons of 1904

48. TR’s Domestic Reforms • Elkins Act (1903) • Hepburn Act (1906) • Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) • Meat Inspection Act (1906)

49. Elkins Act (1903) • Prohibited railroad rebates • Expanded powers of Interstate Commerce Commission Hepburn Act (1906) • Authorized the ICC to set reasonable maximum rates • Gave the ICC powers to enforce its edicts

50. Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) Got phony drugs off the market Muckraker Samuel Hopkins Adams (left) indicted fraud of countless false medicines in a series of sensationalist articles that appeared in Collier’s magazine (right). Required manufacturers to list certain ingredients on labels of medicines