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Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson

Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson. The Presidential effect on Progressivism. How Taft Became President. William Howard Taft was TR’s most trusted Lieutenant, hand-picked successor Interesting fact: Taft was 350lbs Progressive reformer

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Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson

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  1. Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson The Presidential effect on Progressivism

  2. How Taft Became President • William Howard Taft was TR’s most trusted Lieutenant, hand-picked successor • Interesting fact: Taft was 350lbs • Progressive reformer • More regard for the law, would not abuse the powers of the presidency like TR. • Taft easily won the election in 1908 over Democrat William Jennings Bryan

  3. President Taft • 4 yrs. later Taft would leave the most decisively beat president of the 20th century. • Problem: He could not satisfy both Republican conservatives and progressives

  4. Taft and the Progressives Strike 1: Did not lower the Tariff Strike 2: Appointed pro-big business, borderline corrupt Secretary of Interior, Richard Ballinger - Pinchot vs. Ballinger Controversy • Summarize the event • Who would these events upset? • How would these events upset them? TR?

  5. Roosevelt vs. Taft • Roosevelt had traveled to Africa and Europe after his departure from Whitehouse • Angered by Taft’s actions • Felt only he could Re-unite Conservatives and Progressives

  6. Roosevelt’s“New Nationalism” Gave Speech on September 10, 1910 called “New Nationalism” Speech included Progressive reforms Basically, a slap in Taft’s face

  7. 1910 Congressional Election • Conservative Republicans suffered huge defeat in the Congressional Elections. What does this mean? • People are unhappy with Government • People dislike Taft

  8. Roosevelt vs. Taft Strike 3:U.S. Steel suit in Oct. 27, 1911 • TR organized a monopoly with US steel to help during an economic recession in 1907. • TAFT charged them with a lawsuit and said the monopoly was illegal. • Slap in TR’s face.

  9. LaFollette • Roosevelt liked La Follette who was campaining for Republican nomination • La Follette suffered nervous breakdown in Feb 1912, Roosevelt announced his candidacy Feb 22.

  10. Roosevelt vs. Taft • TR declares a run for presidency • Battle now for the Republican Nomination: • Roosevelt = Progressive Republicans • Taft = Conservative Republicans • TR won victories in all 13 presidential primaries, but lost the nomination to Taft • TR formed Progressive Party • Said it was “Fit as a bull moose”, hence BULL MOOSE party

  11. Woodrow Wilson as Presidential Nominee • Democratic Presidential Candidate • Governor of NJ and professor of Political Science at Princeton • Committed to Reform – Platform called “New Freedom” • Why is this a problem for the REPUBLICANS!?!

  12. Election of 1912 • Taft resigned to defeat, hardly campaigned • TR campaigned tons, until would-be assassin shot him, and sidelined him last few weeks before election • In Nov, TR and Taft split republican vote, Wilson held onto most Democrats and won easily.

  13. Election of 1912

  14. Electoral Popular Vote Vote (%) Woodrow Wilson 435 6,293,454 (Democratic) (41.9) Theodore Roosevelt 88 4,119,538 (Progressive/Bull Moose) (27.4) William H. Taft 8 3,484,980 (Republican) (23.2) Eugene V. Debs — 900,672 (Socialist) (6.0) Other Parties — 235,025 (Prohibition; Socialist Labor)

  15. Woodrow Wilson as a Progressive • Concentrated powers of Exec branch in his own hands, more than TR or Taft • Firm control over his cabinet • Delegated real authority only to those loyal to him • Progressive Acts • Income Tax – graduated income tax, 1% tax on individuals or corporations earning over $4,000 a year, up to 6% for those over $500,000 • Federal Reserve Act – reform American banking system, passed December 1913 • Federal Trade Commission Act – created a regulatory agency that would help business determine in advance whether their actions would be acceptable to the gov. • Clayton Antitrust Act – anti-monopoly act which Wilson eventually lost interest in after awhile

  16. Woodrow Wilson as a Progressive • By 1914, Wilson believed New Freedom was complete • Refused to support movement for national woman suffrage • Dismissed any new progressive reform legislation • Congressional elections of 1914 smashed democrats, and Presidents lackluster attempt at reforms • By 1915 – Wilson began to support a 2nd flurry of reforms • Keating-Owen Act – prohibited shipment across state lines of goods produced by underage children (court invalidated this act in 1918) • Smith-Lever Act – demonstrated how fed gov. could influence local behavior, fed grants to states that agreed to support agricultural extension education.

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