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Progressivism and TR's Reforms: Targeting Corruption and Promoting Social Change

This chapter explores the roots of progressive ideas and theories, the muckrakers' efforts to expose corruption, political progressivism, achievements in the cities and states, the role of progressive women, TR's Square Deal for labor, his trust-busting efforts, consumer protection, conservation of natural resources, and the impact of the Roosevelt Panic of 1907.

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Progressivism and TR's Reforms: Targeting Corruption and Promoting Social Change

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  1. Chapter 28 Progressivism and the Republican Roosevelt, 1901–1912

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  4. I. Progressive Roots • Progressive ideas and theories • Against “let-alone” (laissez-faire) policy / philosophy • The people, through government, must act / help • Politicians and writers began to pinpoint targets • “Bloated trusts” attacked as corrupt • Jacob A. Riis’s How the Other Half Lives (1890) • Socialists gained support in elections • Social gospel movement • Promoted progressivism based on Christian teachings

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  6. II. Raking Muck with the Muckrakers • Muckraking magazines • McClure’s, Cosmopolitan, Collier’s and Everybody’s • Reporters (muckrakers) dug for ‘dirt’ about… • Corrupt big businesses (Oil, insurance, railroad) • Corrupt municipal government officials

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  9. III. Political Progressivism • The progressives • Included both political parties, at all levels of gov’t • They sought to modernize American institutions • Curb trust / monopoly power • To improve the common person’s life and labor • What they achieved • Primary elections, initiative , referendum , recall • Introduced the secret Australian ballot • Direct election of senators (17th Amendment - 1913) • Also Income Tax (16th Amendment – 1909) • Indirectly Prohibition (18th) and Women’s suffrage (19th)

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  13. IV. Progressivism in the Cities and States • Progressives impressive gains in the cities • Reorganized city government (city-manager system) • “slumlords,” juvenile delinquency, prostitution issues • Improved water supplies, streetlights, mass transit • They bubbled up to states • Elected ‘Progressive’ candidates • Biggest success - regulating public utilities

  14. USA Event Deaths

  15. 1913 Dayton Flood

  16. V. Progressive Women • Women ran the settlement house movement • Exposed middle-class women to urban problems • Increased women’s skill, confidence, connections • Campaigns for factory reform and temperance • Muller v. Oregon(1908), Lochner v. N.Y. (1905) • Laws not enforced (EG: Triangle Shirtwaist fire - 1911) • American welfare focused on women & children • Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) • Concern over the cause of social problems

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  19. VI. TR’s Square Deal for Labor • His program embraced three C’s • Control of the corporations • Consumer protection • Conservation of natural resources • Administrative practice • Created Department of Commerce and Labor (1903) • The Bureau of Corporations was authorized • Cleared the road for the era of “trust-busting.”

  20. VII. TR Corrals the Corporations • Theodore Roosevelt’s belief system • Government, not private business, ruled the country • Believed in “good trusts” and “bad trusts” • His first focus - The Railroads • Hatch Act (1903) & Hepburn Act (1906) • TR initiated 40 + anti-trust lawsuits (Taft filed more)

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  22. VIII. Caring for the Consumer • Roosevelt induced Congress to pass • The Meat Inspection Act (1906) • The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) • Motivated by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle (1906)

  23. IX. Earth Control • Steps to conservation of US natural resources • Forest Reserve Act (1891)-Set aside parks / reserves • Roosevelt expanded on these previous laws • Preservation of the nation’s shrinking forests • Promoted reclamation of land (deserts / swamps) • Private organizations and societies created • Boy Scouts, Audubon Society, Sierra Club

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  32. X. The “Roosevelt Panic” of 1907 • The goals of Roosevelt’s second term • Regulate corporations, tax incomes, protect workers • 1907 Wall St. panic (Recession) • Causes “Runs” on banks, speculators arrested • Conservatives blamed “Theodore the Meddler” • Results of the 1907 panic • Paved the way for long-overdue fiscal reforms • Congress (1908) passed the Aldrich-Vreeland Act • Authorized national banks to issue emergency currency

  33. XI. The Rough Rider Thunders Out • Republican select was William Henry Taft • TR’s successor would carry out “my policies” • Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan • Had lost twice in previous elections • The results of campaign of 1908 • Taft polled 321 electoral votes to 162 for Bryan • High # of votes for Socialist Party (Debs)

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  35. XII. Taft: A Round Peg in a Square Hole • President William Howard Taft • Previously a lawyer, judge, cabinet administrator • Non-confrontational, candid, liked status quo • Selected a ‘conservative’ cabinet

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  37. XIII. The Dollar Goes Abroad as a Diplomat • Taft’s foreign policy – “dollar diplomacy” • U.S. investments boosted U.S. political interests • China’s Manchuria • Caribbean-especially Cuba • Nicaragua - 2500 marines (1912), stayed for 30 years

  38. XIV. Taft the Trustbuster • Taft brought 90 suits against trusts • SCOTUS dissolution of Standard Oil (1911) • violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 • “Rule of reason” doctrine • Trusts that “unreasonably” restrained trade illegal • U.S. Steel anti-trust lawsuit (1911) • This initiative infuriated Roosevelt

  39. XV. Taft Splits the Republican Party • Republican progressives wanted lower tariffs • Taft signed Payne-Aldrich Bill, which raised tariffs • Taft also upset progressive conservationists • Allowed mining on ‘protected’ lands • Reformist Republican wing upset • TR promoted, “New Nationalism” doctrine • Increase gov’t to improve society • Congressional elections (1910) • Democrats control House (228-161) • Republican ‘holdovers’ control Senate (51-41)

  40. XVI. The Taft-Roosevelt Rupture • Taft-TR fight at the Republican convention • Fight over seating delegates • Taft (conservatives) win • Fight over nomination • Taft (conservatives) win • Roosevelt refused to quit • Lead a third-party crusade

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