Chapter 8 Rumblings for Reform: The Progressive Period

■ #2 Urban, State and National Reform

■ Essential QuestionEssential Question:–How did progressives bring reform

to urban & state governments?

■ Warm-Up Question:Warm-Up Question:–How effective were progressive

reformers in addressing:(a) Problems in cities?(b) Discrimination against

African-Americans?(c) Inequalities against women?

Gilded Age Politics

Government Reform■City, state, & national governments

were in need of reform:–Corrupt political machines

controlled city governments–Monopolists used their wealth to

influence politicians, encourage monopolies, & fight labor laws

–Political positions were gained based on patronage not merit

–Corruption scandals plagued the national government

Quick Class Discussion:What problems existed within the

city, state, & national governments?

Urban Government Reform ■In the 1880s, reformers began to

demand change in city gov’ts:–Reformers tried to end patronage

(appointment based on loyalty) by passing the Pendleton Act which required merit-based exams

–Reformers tried to make gov’t more efficient & break the power of machines by shifting power to city commissions & managers

After a hurricane destroyed the city of Galveston, Texas…

After a hurricane destroyed the city of Galveston, Texas…

• Natural disasters sometimes played an important role in prompting reform of city governments. In 1900, a hurricane and tidal wave almost demolished Galveston, Texas. The politicians on the city council botched the huge relief and rebuilding job so badly that the Texas legislature appointed a five-member commission of experts to take over. Each expert took charge of a different city department, and soon Galveston was rebuilt. This success prompted the city to adopt the commission idea as a form of government, and by 1917, 500 cities had followed Galveston's example. Another natural disaster—a flood in Dayton, Ohio, in 1913—led to the widespread adoption of the council-manager form of government. Staunton, Virginia, had already pioneered this system, in which people elected a city council to make laws. The council in turn appointed a manager, typically a person with training and experience in public administration, to run the city’s departments. By 1925, managers were administering nearly 250 cities.

…politicians created the 1st city commission gov’t

Rather than 1 mayor making all decisions, a committee oversaw

different aspects of local government

These changes were much more efficient & less corrupt than traditional city gov’ts

Some cities created their own government-run water, gas, electricity utility companies

Other cities adopted this model, but added a trained city manager to carry out the day-to-day operation of government

Progressive Reform in the States■Progressive reformers impacted

state governments too:

–Most states created commissions to oversee state spending

–States began regulating railroads & other big businesses to help workers & promote competition

–States passed laws limiting work hours for children & women

Progressive Reform in the States■The most significant state reform

was governor Robert La Follette’s “Wisconsin Idea”:–Used academic “experts” from

the University of Wisconsin to help create state laws

–Wisconsin was the 1st state to create an income tax, form industrial commissions, & regulate railroads

Progressives helped make state governments more democratic

Referendum: Citizens vote to

increase taxes for new programs

State of Texas

Initiative: Citizens can put an

issue on a state ballot & vote to

make it a law

Recall:Citizens

can vote to remove an

elected official

Progressive Reform in the States■Progressives helped make state

governments more democratic:

–Most states had direct primary elections to allow voters to choose candidates, not parties

–In 1912, the 17th Amendment was ratified which allowed for the direct election of Senators by the people

Direct Primary Elections

National Progressive Reform: Presidents Theodore Roosevelt,

William Howard Taft, & Woodrow Wilson

President Theodore Roosevelt■VP Theodore Roosevelt became

president after the assassination of William McKinley in 1901

■TR was a different kind of president–He thought the gov’t ought to take

responsibility for the welfare of the American people

–His agenda of progressive reform was called the “Square Deal”

– http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/theodore-roosevelt/videos/theodore-roosevelts-acts-and-legacy

Theodore Roosevelt: A “Modern” President

“It is the duty of the president to act upon the

theory that he is the steward of the people, and…to assume that he has the legal right to do whatever the needs of

the people demand, unless the Constitution or the laws explicitly forbid

him to do it”

■TR was committed to a series of reforms:–Breaking up harmful

monopolies (called “trustbusting”)

–Regulating businesses such as railroads & the meat industry

–Conservation of natural resources

Trustbusting■During the Gilded Age, Congress

passed a series of laws designed to keep big business in check:–The Interstate Commerce

Commission (ICC) was formed in 1886 to regulate railroads

–The Sherman Anti-Trust Act in 1890 made it illegal for companies to restrict trade

■But neither of these laws were strict enough to control monopolies

Trustbusting■Roosevelt saw the benefit of

efficient monopolies, but wanted to control bad trusts:–In 1902, the gov’t ordered the

Northern Securities Company (a giant railroad monopoly) broken up because it violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act

–The Roosevelt administration “busted” 25 trusts in 7 years

Theodore Roosevelt,

the Trustbuster

RESTRAINT

Supporting Workers■In 1902, the United Mine Workers

went on strike to demand higher pay & an eight-hour work day

–The anthracite coal strike lasted 11 months & threatened the nation as winter approached

Supporting Workers■Unlike the Gilded Age presidents,

TR did not side with the owners & break up the strike–TR forced both

sides to arbitrate or face gov’t seizure of the coal mine

–The result was a “square deal” for both sides

Regulating Business■When muckraker Upton Sinclair’s

The Jungle was published, Roosevelt pushed for regulation of the meat packing industry

–Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act in 1906

–To ban harmful products & end false medicine claims, the Pure Food & Drug Act passed in 1906

Quick Class Discussion: Why did The Jungle generate so much outrage from Americans & politicians?

Read excerpts from The Jungle

Unregulated Food & Medicines:The Need for the Pure Food & Drug Act

Conservation of the Environment■During the Gilded Age, corporations

clear-cut forests & viewed America’s natural resources as endless

■Roosevelt began the 1st national environmental conservation program–The gov’t protected 195 million

acres as off limits to businesses–The Reclamation Service to place

natural resources (oil, trees, coal) under federal protection

National Parks and Forests

The Legacy of Theodore Roosevelt■In 1908, Roosevelt decided not

to run for re-election as president■TR’s presidency was important

because for the first time, the national government:–Regulated big business–Protected the environment–Assumed responsibility for the

welfare of workers & consumers

When Roosevelt decided not to run for re-election in

1908, his successor to the presidency was Republican

William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft

The Presidency of Taft■Like TR, Taft believed that the

U.S. needed progressive reform:–In his 4 years as president,

Taft helped break up twice as many monopolies as Roosevelt

–Created the Children’s Bureau & pushed for child labor laws

–Helped create safety codes for coal miners & railroad workers

The Presidency of Taft■But, Taft did not always trust the

gov’t to solve problems & often sided with conservative Republicans–He angered progressives when he

supported a high tariff which helped monopolies

–He allowed a cabinet secretary to sell 1 million acres of conservation land to businesses

■Progressive politicians hoped that TR would run for president again

Progressives (& Roosevelt) began to view Taft as having made a mess of TR’s reforms

The Election of 1912■TR decided to run for president in

1912 but the Republican Party picked Taft as their candidate–TR created the Progressive

(“Bull Moose”) Party–Taft was the Republican nominee

& the Democrats ran a reform governor, Woodrow Wilson

■Republican voters were divided in whom to support: Roosevelt or Taft

The Election of 1912 & the Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party)

I’m feeling as fit as a “bull moose”

The Election of 1912With the Republicans divided, Democrat

Woodrow Wilson won the election of 1912

Republicans divided by a Bull moose equals a Democratic victory!

President Woodrow Wilson■President Wilson oversaw a great

wave of progressive reforms:–1616thth Amendment Amendment created the

1st income tax in U.S. history–1717thth Amendment Amendment allowed for the

direct-election of U.S. Senators–1818thth Amendment Amendment outlawed

alcohol (prohibition) –1919thth Amendment Amendment granted women

the right to vote (suffrage) ““ Pro

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President Woodrow Wilson■President Wilson oversaw a great

wave of progressive reforms:–Created the Federal Reserve to

regulate the economy by adjusting the money supply & interest rates

–The Clayton Anti-Trust Act limited the ability of companies to form monopolies & protected workers’ right to strike

–The Federal Trade Commission monitored unfair business practices

The Federal Reserve SystemThe “Fed” regulates

the amount of money in circulation

to help keep the economy strong

Progressivism at The National Level

The End of Progressive Reform■The Progressive Era (1890-1920)

brought major changes:–Gov’t regulation of big business–Improvements in U.S. cities–More democracy for the people

■But, the outbreak of World War I in Europe distracted Americans & brought an end to the Progressive Era