Roosevelt

1. Roosevelt Wilson Progressivism And the Age of Morality (Chapters 21 and 22)

2. Progressive Presidents • Pres. 1901-1909; tough western individualist; moralist at heart. • Also a realist and masterful Politician; • Instinctively grasp what the American people would and would not tolerate from a political leader.

3. Teddy Roosevelt • Born to a life of privilege; New York Patrician. • Dutch descent; Mother was a Bulloch from Georgia—her Father and Uncle were Officers in the Confederate Army. • Also they were Southern Ambassadors in England, trying to procure material for Navy; • He had Asthma real bad as a kid—assumed hard physical exercise and mind over body would cure him; a fascinating character.

4. Teddy Roosevelt • Very progressive, hard working, erudite, and believed much could be accomplished by sheer will alone; determined conservationist. (John Muir) • First President to accrue immense power for the executive; until Roosevelt, if the Constitution did not explicitly state executive privilege, then the President could not do it; • Teddy, assumed if it did not explicitly deny the right or the prerogative, then the Pres. Can do it.

5. Roosevelt • Issues of the day; Demon Rum, Suffrage, Gold and Silver Currency issues; • Prostitution is an issue; Reformers and Women’s Leagues help establish the Mann Act (1910) to curb prostitution, Helped establish the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

6. Roosevelt’s Progressivism • Solid republican committed to change and moral reform; • Believed in a square deal for all Americans; • First President to interfere in labor issues and thwart the Anthracite coal strike (took the side of the workers); Insisted on railroad regulation and uniformity; negotiated peace during the Russo-Japanese War; Won the Nobel Peace prize; • Unfortunately he he was slow to act if at all concerning race relations;

7. Roosevelt and Progressivism • Always asked Washington's advice before pursuing race relations policy; yet he did nothing when the 1906 race riots erupted in Atlanta; yet he embraced Ida B. Welles’ Anti-lynching policy and helped push it through congress; “Unjustly” or with improper evidence discharged the African Americans accused in the Brownsville riots (1906)

8. Trust Buster • EC Knight vs United States—Supreme Court ruled that Federal Law only applied to interstate commerce (transporting goods and services) and not to the manufacturing of the raw material into finished product; • Roosevelt wanted to advance the corporation for in essence they were good—made things efficient and cheaper; however, wanted them to remember the human part of the business—make them fair, regulated and more moral—conduct not size was the measuring stick of a good or bad trust.

9. Roosevelt Presidency • Foreign Policy—two distinct generalizations: • 1) Sought in international affairs the same goals he sought in domestic affairs—saw no difference; • 2) Constantly stressed two related principles: a) A quest for order and efficiency b) A faith in power (used correctly) African proverb: “Walk softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far.” This was his plan for order and efficiency—Big Stick diplomacy—negotiate softly, backed by threat of big stick …

10. Order and Efficiency • Domestic social issues, he sought orderly, well-defined relationships—no gray area—everyone knew their part. 1) Maximum degree of personal freedom for each individual; 2) Competitive opportunities for businessmen and industrialists (equalize the playing field give everyone equal opportunity to prosper—did not however believe in a welfare state—sort of survival of the fittest—as long as opportunity is equal);

11. Order and Efficiency 3) Federal government setting the tone and direction of national life (leaders are to be morally correct and honest—so will citizenry—lead by example); The Presidency was a “Bully Pulpit” to preach these three themes; Society was the body and all parts, the President was the ‘Brain’ –lead morally and righteously; “The welfare of each of us is dependent upon the welfare of all of us …” ie how can the country prosper if the much of the citizenry is not prospering?

12. Order and Efficiency Extended to Foreign Policy; viewed the nations of the world as divided into three groups. • Few great wealthy powers (U.S., Great Britain, Germany, and Japan); • Smaller civilized European states (Scandinavia and Italy); • Lesser nations (Africa, Asia, and Latin America) • Great Power were the upholders of order—sometimes had to act regrettably to maintain order (International Police System)

13. Faith in Power • To be a benevolent Policeman and not a Bully, one needed to moral and upright and be an Honest broker; • At all times, also be prepared and righteous; • Children needed to be loved but also disciplined

14. Preparedness • Foundation of strength; Large population; preserved and protected natural Resources ; strong moral Fiber; 2) Sacrifice and die if necessary for one’s country; 3) Militarily prepared strong Navy and Army.

15. Righteousness Roosevelt judged other nations as he judged America and himself: righteousness and morality; Equated righteousness with order; Power should have self-restraint; Only use force in a righteous cause—then as last resort.

16. Roosevelt on War “War, like peace, is properly a means to an end: righteousness. Neither war nor peace in itself is righteous. Righteousness, when triumphant, brings peace.” Used force a lot in Latin America. “It is certain that the only way successfully to oppose the might which is the servant of wrong is by means of the might that is the servant of right.”

17. Roosevelt and the Panama Canal Truly it was needed; when the USS Oregon sailing from San Francisco to Cuba in 1898 took a month to arrive on station, T.R. immediately began pushing for a Canal Zone waterway. French had begun, but failed Financially; Roosevelt offered $40 million for the rights to continue the dig.

18. Panama Canal • $40 million for the dig and $10 million to Columbia for the land—Panama a Columbian province; • Instigated and assisted a growing independence movement in Panama against Columbia; • U.S. quickly recognized Panama as an independent country—they also got $10 million; Columbia got nothing; America got the Canal Zone.

19. Lasting Issues Teller Amendment—Henry Teller of Colorado proposed the following: the United States "hereby disclaims any disposition of intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island except for pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to its people." This therefore quelled any anxiety of annexation.

20. Platt Amendment • The Platt Amendment allowed Cuba only a limited right to conduct its own foreign and debt policies. It gave the United States an open door to intervene in Cuban affairs and define land claims. • Cuba also agreed to sell or lease to the United States "lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon.“ • Which is why we have Git-Mo.

21. Roosevelt Corollary • The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 set a legal precedence of American hegemony in the Western hemisphere (mainly the Caribbean). • The Corollary fundamentally established American Hegemony in the region with the might of the American Navy and American nationalism. • As long as everyone acts “orderly and prosperous” and pays it debts, America will be an ally and protector—if one does not honor her obligations, to maintain order America will take corrective measures—not Europe, but America.

22. William Howard Taft • A conciliator not a confrontation person; allowed trusts and Corporations to regain ground Roosevelt had restricted by regulation; • By 1909, Conservatives called Teddy out of retirement to run on the “Bull Moose” Platform party

23. Taft’s Accomplishments • The Ballinger-Pinchot controversy and the conservative split were issues; • However, he added to the conservation of public lands, regulated safety standards for mines and railroads (OSHA), created a children’s bureau (child labor laws etc …), 8 hr work day for federal employees

24. Bull Moose Party • TR came back from Africa and ran as an independent against Taft and Woodrow Wilson; Ran on platform of Suffrage, Child labor, environmental Conservation, workman’s Comp (1st contract with America) • Fragmented the republican party, allowing Wilson to win the Presidency

25. 1912 Election results

26. Woodrow Wilson: Politics of Morality • Very complex character. • President of Princeton • 1st PhD in Political Science at The Johns Hopkins University. • Gov. New Jersey; very ambitious; somewhat self-righteous. • Not a realist concerning Foreign or domestic policies— • Believed that the American system would save the World

27. Wilson’s American System • 1) American economic Goods • 2) America’s democratic political structure • 3) America’s blend of morality and Christianity • Wilson stated, “when properly directed, there is no people in the world not fitted for self-government.” • Of course America was that rightful and dutiful director of self-government.

28. President Wilson • Wilson was determined that the U.S. provide a framework where economics, politics, and democracy were closely related. • The Global market must act as a new frontier for the American System; he also determined to direct other nations’ affairs so that they too, could achieve par with the United States—as long as they remained true to the American System paradigm—otherwise he was willing to interfere even more than Roosevelt.

29. President Wilson • Constantly interfered in the Caribbean and Central America; he sent troops into Mexico after Poncho Villa though it was a civil war; • He tried to avoid European issues during WWI, but after Germany repeatedly violated American neutrality, he had no choice.

30. President Wilson • Preached a firm political and social benevolence, but segregated the Civil Service,Failed the League of Nations push; 14 points. • Did believe in free enterprise and competition; Underwood-Simmons tariff— reformed government and made it more visible and responsible to the public; • Pushed through the 16 and 17th amendments—Income Tax and Direct election of senators

31. Wilson Legacy • Women’s Suffrage; Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914. Ended exclusiveness of contracts—everyone was guaranteed equal opportunity to bid for services; No more undercutting other businesses to freeze them out (Rockefeller and Carnegie). • Labor Unions and Agriculture cooperatives no longer restricted by underhanded dealings and legal semantics from participating in free trade contracts;

32. Wilson Legacy • Injunctions against labor now illegal, peaceful picketing and strikes now legal; Boycotts also legal. • Set the stage for Labor to have a peaceful and legal voice to combat corporate greed and injustice. • Expanded role of Gov’t. Led America through WWI—”Make the world safe for democracy.”