Progressive Government Reform Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson 1900-1920
Reform needed at the LOCAL level
GALVESTON TEXAS: REFORM COMES FROM DISASTER In September 1900 a hurricane slammed into Galveston almost head on. Waves were higher than 15 feet and winds howled at 130 miles per hour. By the time the storm passed, more than 8,000 people were dead, countless were injured and half of the island's homes had been swept away. 4
CITY MANAGER FORM OF CITY GOVERNMENT GAINS POPULARITY AFTER FLOODS IN DAYTON OHIO IN 1913. A COLLEGE EDUCATED HIGHLY PAID PROFESSIONAL IS HIRED TO RUN THE CITY THIS LOWERS THE RISK OF CORRUPTION. 5 5
Solutions at the LOCAL Level 1. PUBLIC ownership of gas and water utilities. 2. Commission form of government - experts appointed to head cities. 3. Council form of government - elected council that sets laws. 4. Appointed manager, not elected mayor run city. (Masters degree today)
Progressive mayors and Governors elected Robert La Follette, Governor of Wisconsin Seth Low, Mayor of New York
Al Smith, Governor of New York First Catholic to run for president, 1928
REFORMS AT THE STATE LEVEL }SECRET BALLOT: NO ONE CAN KNOW HOW A CITIZEN VOTED
}INITIATIVE: THIS ALLOWED THE VOTING PUBLIC TO PETITION STATE GOVERNMENTS TO CONSIDER BILLS WANTED BY THE PEOPLE } REFERENDUM: GAVE THE VOTERS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE IF A PROPOSED STATE LAW SHOULD BE PASSED
}RECALL: VOTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMOVE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES FROM OFFICE } DIRECT PRIMARY: CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE ARE CHOSEN BY THE VOTERS INSTEAD OF POLITICIANS OR BOSSES
Supreme Court supports Progressive Legislation Muller vs Oregon 1908 "That woman's physical structure and the performance of maternal functions place her at a disadvantage in the struggle for subsistence is obvious. This is especially true when the burdens of motherhood are upon her. Even when they are not, by abundant testimony of the medical fraternity continuance for a long time on her feet at work, repeating this from day to day, tends to injurious effects upon the body, and as healthy mothers are essential to vigorous offspring, the physical well-being of woman becomes an object of public interest and care in order to preserve the strength and vigor of the race."
Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909 Kicked upward to be vice president so that New York machine would be rid of his reforms President after William McKinley assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz
Earlier toy bears had been mostly on four legs Teddy Bears
Conservation "Leave it as it is. You can not improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. Establishment of National Parks and Forests
Consumerism These rats were nuisances, and the packers would put poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, bread, and meat would go into the hoppers together. Meat Inspection Act Food and Drug Administration
Square Deal There was no heat upon the killing beds; if you put your hand upon the blade of your knife, you would run a chance of leaving your skin on it Now and then, when the bosses were not looking, you would see them plunging their feet and ankles into the steaming hot carcass of the steer. A fair shake for the American people Called for Universal Health Care Regulation of Railroads
Trust Busting
T.R. and Unions Coal Miners strike 1905 arm twisting The first president to take labor s side in an industrial relations dispute.
Teddy Bear and Billy Possum
William Howard Taft 1909-1913 Busted more trusts than T.R. Workingmen's Compensation Child and Women Labor Federal Trade Commission
Progressive Party Bull Moose Republicans seen as too much in the pocket of Big Business Progressives for civil rights, women s suffrage, income tax, political reforms
Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay
1908 election 321-162 William H. Taft Republican William J. Bryan Democratic
1912 Election Taft Republican 8 Roosevelt Progressive (Bull Moose) 88 Wilson Democrat 435
Chief Justice Taft 1921-1930
Woodrow Wilson 1913-1921 Reform governor of New Jersey It takes time to remove the grime
Clayton Antitrust Act Strengthened Sherman Antitrust Act The act restricted the use of the injunction against labor, and it legalized peaceful strikes, picketing, and boycotts. It declared that "the labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce."
Other Reforms Underwood Tariff -- lowered tariff rates Graduated income tax (16 th amendment) Now income tax, not tariffs, will pay for Federal Government Direct election of senators
Federal Reserve
Districts Federal Reserve Bank Letter Number Boston A 1 New York City B 2 Philadelphia C 3 Cleveland D 4 Richmond E 5 Atlanta F 6 Chicago G 7 St. Louis H 8 Minneapolis I 9 Kansas City, MO J 10 Dallas K 11 San Francisco L 12
Guides Monetary Policy Open Market Operations Buy and sell bonds Discount Rate The rate of interest charged to their member banks Reserve Ratio. This is the amount of money that member banks are required to have set on reserve
18 th Amendment PROHIBITION
19 TH AMENDMENT WOMEN GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE Susan B Anthony 1820-1906 Alice Paul 1885-1977
Wilson- brought Segregation to Washington D.C.
Plessy vs. Ferguson 1896 Segregation is constitutional as long as separate but equal While T.R. invited Booker T. Washington to the White House for dinner, Woodrow Wilson brought Jim Crow to Washington.
Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois Letter to President Wilson we beg to ask the President of the United States and the leader of the Democratic Party a few plain questions: 1. Do you want Negro votes? 2. Do you think that "Jim Crow" civil service will get these votes?
Supreme Court opposes Progressive reforms Hammer vs. Dagenhart 1918 Found the Keating-Owen Act of 1917 (Child Labor) unconstitutional Oliver Wendell Holmes dissent: The notion that prohibition is any less prohibition when applied to things now thought evil I do not understand...to say that it is permissible as against strong drink but not as against the product of ruined lives."
19 th Amendment 1920 While women won the right to vote under W.W., it was only after being force fed. Wilson was adamant against rights for women, African- Americans, non WASPs