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Progressivism Under Taft

Progressivism Under Taft. Chapter 9 Section 4 The Americans: Reconstruction through the 20 th Century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Howard_Taft. Taft Becomes President. Roosevelt ’ s hand-picked successor Had served as Sec. of War Ran against William Jennings Bryan

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Progressivism Under Taft

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  1. Progressivism Under Taft Chapter 9 Section 4 The Americans: Reconstruction through the 20th Century http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Howard_Taft

  2. Taft Becomes President • Roosevelt’s hand-picked successor • Had served as Sec. of War • Ran against William Jennings Bryan • “Vote for Taft this time, you can vote for Bryan anytime”. What is that all about???? • 6 foot tall and 350 pounds, making Taft our largest president.

  3. Taft Stumbles • Taft busted 90 trusts in 4 years quietly • Payne-Aldrich Tariff • Campaigned on lowering tariffs • Signed the Tariff Act although it didn’t really cut tariffs as was the original intent • Helped to split the Republican Party • Disputing Public Lands • Appointed Sec. of Interior Ballinger who disapproved of conservation • Ballinger opened millions of acres to private businesses to exploit resources • Gifford Pinchot openly criticized the Taft administration’s policies in Congressional hearings and was fired.

  4. The Republican Party Splits • 2 Wings of the Republican Party • Conservative who did not like change and had supported the Payne-Aldrich Tariff • Progressives who sought change • Control of the House Committee on Rules Dispute • Conservative dictator of the House, Joe Cannon, weakened or killed most progressive bills • Progressive Republicans and Democrats passed a bill to elect the Committee on Rules thus ending Joe Cannon’s rule • Shambles in the Republican Party cause the Democrats to gain control of the House of Reps. – 1st time in 18 years.

  5. The Bull Moose Party Formed • Election of 1912 • Taft runs as the incumbent (Conservative Republican) • Roosevelt challenges and the division in the Republican Party causes the formation of the Bull Moose Party (Progressive Reform) • Wilson runs as the Democratic Challenger (Progressive Reform) • Eugene V. Debs runs as the Socialist Candidate (Progressive Radical Reform)

  6. Party Platforms • Taft – Conservative Candidate • Roosevelt – Strong as a Bull Moose • Direct Election of Senators • Initiative, Referendum and Recall • Woman Suffrage • National Workmen’s Comp • 8 hour work day • Federal child labor law • Federal trade commission to regulate business • Wilson – New Freedom • Anti-Trust Legislation • Banking Reform • Reducing Tariffs • Debs • Called for an end to Capitalism • Even distribution of Wealth

  7. Election of 1912 Results • Taft • Roosevelt • Wilson • 42 % of popular vote • 435 Electoral Votes - Winner • Debs • 900,000 popular votes (6% total) • Add Taft and Roosevelt’s votes together. Would that have been enough to defeat Wilson?? • Taft and Roosevelt split the republican vote and allowed the Democrats to win the Presidency • 75% of the vote went to reform candidates and showed that the American public wanted change.

  8. Wilson’s New Freedom Chapter 9 Section 5 The Americans: Reconstruction through the 20th Century http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson

  9. Wilson’s Background • Son, Grandson, and Nephew of Presbyterian ministers. Religious Background • Lived in the South during Civil War and Reconstruction • “Born halfway between the Bible and the dictionary and never got away from either.” • Political Science Professor • President of Princeton University • Governor of New Jersey

  10. New Freedom • Trusts • Tariffs • High Finance

  11. Trusts • Clayton Anti-trust Act • Strengthen the Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Prohibits corporations from acquiring stock of another company if that creates a monopoly. • Specified that labor unions and farm organizations not only have a right to exist but also are no longer subject to antitrust laws.

  12. Federal Trade Act1914 • Established the Federal Trade Commission • Watchdog agency • Given power to investigate possible violations of regulatory statues • Can require periodic reports from companies • Can put an end to unfair business practices • Can issue cease-and-desist orders to companies engaged in illegal activities.

  13. Tariffs • Underwood Tariff Act of 1913 • Substantially reduced tariffs for the 1st time since the Civil War • Federal Income Tax • 16th Amendment

  14. Banking / High Finance • Federal Reserve Act • Federal Reserve System • Divide nation into 12 banking districts with each having a Federal Reserve Bank. • Can anyone bank there? Who can? Still the basis of the nation’s banking system today. • http://www.federalreserve.gov/otherfrb.htm • http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/frseries/frseri3.htm

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