Progressivism Definition of Progressivism A movement of the people to curb the powers of the special interests When did it occur? Where did Progressivism originate? Who were the Progressives? Middle Class urban professionals in between the ultra rich above and the mob below What were the main goals of the Progressives? 1. Control the trusts 2. Head off socialism by improving life and labor Who were the Muckrakers? What is the importance of: McClure s magazine:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Tarbell--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lincoln Steffens--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upton Sinclair----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jane Adams-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert LaFollette------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Role of Women in Progressivism: Progressives tried to solve problems related to: a. government: corruption, big city bosses b. Business: unsafe conditions, long hours etc. c. social life: city slums; see Jacob Riis, Slums of the City, aka How the Other Half Lives. 6
Progressive Presidents Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1908 A Revival of the Power of the Presidency How Progressive was Theodore Roosevelt? 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike TR promises a Square Deal for management and labor Workers: Mitchell the only gentlemen there Owners: Baer Roosevelt s action in the coal strike: first President to intervene impartially in a labor dispute ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roosevelt and the Trusts Roosevelt s rule of reason: bigness does not mean badness. His goal: regulation not destruction Trust-Busting: Roosevelt: 44 trusts prosecuted in 71/2 years Taft: 99 trusts prosecuted in 4 years 1902 Northern Securities Case Roosevelt invokes Sherman anti-trust act Reaction of J.P. Morgan --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roosevelt and Conservation Roosevelt s administration set aside more acres of forest than all the former Presidents combined 1900: 45 million acres in government preserves 1908: 195 million acres Election of 1904 Democrats: Parker: conservative candidate if the impetuous party Republicans: Roosevelt: impetuous candidate of the conservative party Roosevelt wins by 57% of the vote: 7.6 million to 5.1 million Roosevelt s impetuous promise Election of 1908 Taft: Roosevelt s hand-picked successor Taft as President: politics makes me sick! an aura of fumble, bumble and stumble 7 Taft s effectiveness as a reformer was nullified by his ineptitude as a politician
Taft wants to lower the existing 57% tariff 1. Tariff: Payne-Aldrich tariff But the Senate adds on 847 amendments; result: Payne-Aldrich actually higher than previous tariff Cartoon: Please Senator. Aldrich! 2. Ballinger-Pinchot controversy Ballinger: Secretary of the Interior Pinchot: Chief of Forestry Issue: was Roosevelt s removal of acres of forest and mineral reserves legal? Result of this controversy for Taft? 1910 Roosevelt returns from Africa New Nationalism speech at Osawatomie, Kansas Roosevelt preaches advanced Progressive program now: which includes? Election of 1912 Roosevelt: My hat is in the ring, the fight is on, I am stripped to the buff! LaFollette early leader 1912 Roosevelt announces candidacy and wins all 13 state primaries but Taft wins the nomination because the President controls the party machinery and delegates Roosevelt: Progressive or Bull Moose party We fight in honorable fashion for the good of mankind, fearless of the future, with unflinching hearts, we stand at Armageddon and we battle for the Lord. Roosevelt s huge political mistake? Democratic candidate: Woodrow Wilson Wilson s New Freedom: government should intervene to regulate or restore competition Roosevelt s New Nationalism: government should regulate monopolies: For more government control Where is Taft in all this? 8
Election Results: Republicans Bull Moose = Democratic victory Taft 23% Roosevelt 27% Wilson 44% Woodrow Wilson as President: a longing to do immortal work A British Liberal in Progressive America Roosevelt had outflanked Congress and Taft had given in to it but Wilson determined to lead Congress like a British Prime Minister. Wilson s impressive legislative record: 1913 1. Underwood-Simons Tariff: down to 27% 2. Federal Reserve Act 3. Clayton Anti-trust Act 4. Federal Trade Commission Act 1914: Wilson announces that his program is complete Until 1916 Wilson opposed the advanced Progressive program But 1916 legislation 1. Federal Farm Loan Act 2. Workers Compensation: for federal employees 3. Keating-Owen Act: against child labor in interstate commerce 4. Adamson Act: 8 hour day for interstate railroad workers 9
1. need for a canal 2. Location: Panama or Nicaragua Progressive Foreign Policy French Failure in Panama 1. Ferdinand de Lesseps: French engineer- had built the Suez Canal 2. French lease on Panamanian land to expire in 1904 Philippe Banua-Varilla 1. agent extraordinaire of the French Canal Co. 2. Philippe convinces US Senate a. to choose Panama b. to purchase French lease for $40,000,000 1902 US Treaty with Colombia: Hay-Herran Treaty 1. US offers Colombia $10,000,000 2. Colombian Senate rejects the Treaty; wants $25,000,000 3. President Roosevelt s reaction: The blackmailers of Bogata must not be allowed to further bar a highway of civilization! Nov. 3, 1903 Revolt in Panama against Colombia Role of USS Nashville Us-Panama Treaty: Hay-Banua-Varilla Treaty Roosevelt s boast: 1903 All canal negotiations were conducted with the highest, finest, And nicest standards of governmental ethics. 1911: I took Panama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roosevelt s Big Stick in the Caribbean 1904 Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: preventive intervention Occasion: Venezuela defaults on loans to England, Germany and Italy Corollary: Chronic wrongdoing may require intervention by some civilized nation and in the western hemisphere the adherence of the US to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of wrong-doing to the exercise of an international police power. From 1903 on: frequent meddling by US in Caribbean region, especially in Cuba, Panama, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua etc. 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt initiates Good Neighbor Policy for Latin America 10