How does the government help improve your everyday life?

1. How does the government help improve your everyday life?

2. Political Progressivism • Initiative: voters could initiate laws • Referendum: voters could vote proposed bills into law • Recall: Where voters can vote out a politician • Secret Ballot: avoid intimidation at the polls. • 17th Amendment: Direct election of senators

3. Progressivism in the Cities/States • City-Manager System • Local Progressives cracked down on: • “Slumlords" • Rampant prostitution • Juvenile delinquency. • States attacked big trusts on energy and water (utility socialism)

4. Progressive Women • Muller v. Oregon (1908): Laws protecting female workers were indeed constitutional. • Lochnerv. New York (1905): Court struck down a 10-hour workday for bakers.

5. Anti-Alcohol Movement • Francis Willard, founder of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) • 1 Million women members • Joined with other anti-saloon groups • In 1914, 1/2 of Americans lived in dry areas. • 1919: 18th Amendment (AKA Prohibition) that banned alcohol

6. Progressive President: TR • TR’s Square Deal • For the common man • control of the corporations • consumer protection • conservation of natural resources.

7. Changing the Economics • A strike took place in 1902 at coal mines of Pennsylvania. • Asked for 20% pay increase and a reduction of work hours from 10 to 9 hours. • Strike led to coal shortagegovt involved as a neutral party • Roosevelt finally threatened to use federal troops to operate the minesa10% increase and the 9 hour day. • The Bureau of Corporations created to investigate interstate trade and became important for breaking trusts

8. TR Corrals the Corporations • The Interstate Commerce Commission (1887) not working. • Elkins Act (1903): banned rebates awarded by railroaders. • Considered a trust buster. • TR's most noteworthy target was the Northern Securities Company run by J.P. Morgan and James Hill. • TR allowed the "good trusts" to survive.

9. TR’s New Nationalism • Social insurance, to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled. • Limited injunctions in strikes. • A minimum wage law for women. • An 8 hour workday. • A federal securities commission. • Farm relief. • Workers' compensation for work-related injuries. • An inheritance tax. • Federal income tax (16th Amendment) • The political reforms proposed included • Women's suffrage (19th Amendment) • Direct election of Senators(17th Amendment) • Primary elections for state and federal nominations.

10. The Muckrakers Find the Dirt • Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle-showed how bad meatpacking industry was. • Meat Inspection Act (1906): meat inspected by U.S.D.A. • The Pure Food and Drug Act was also passed

11. Taft Follows TR • Riding on TR's popularity, Taft won the election easily • Socialist candidate Euguene Debs captured 420,000 votes • Taft: A Round Peg in a Square Hole • Taft took a hands-off approach toward Congress • A “mild progressive”  more inclined toward the status quo than reform.

12. Taft Splits the Republican Party • Two main issues split the Republican party: (1) the tariff and (2) conservation of lands. • Old-school Republicans were high-tariff • New/Progressive Republicans were low tariff. • Taft, as the mild Progressive, had promised to lower the tariffin the end the tariff increased tariffs! • TR decided to run against Taft (ran as a ProgressiveBull Moose Party) • Ironically, Taft had been harder on trusts than TR! • TR and Taft split the voteWoodrow Wilson became 1st Democrat in 16 yrs

13. New Freedom Policy • Supported small business • Sought to bust all trusts, not distinguishing good or bad. • Did not include social welfare programs • Ensured a Jeffersonian style of government and economy