CHAPTER 9

THE PROGRESSIVE ERA

SECTION 1

•THE ORIGINS OF PROGRESSIVISM

FOUR GOALS OF PROGRESSIVISM

• THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WAS AIMED TO RESTORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND CORRECT INJUSTICES IN AMERICAN LIFE.

• THE 4 MAIN GOALS OF ALL PROGRESSIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

• PROTECT SOCIAL WELFARE

• PROMOTING MORAL IMPROVEMENT

• CREATING ECONOMIC REFORM

• FOSTERING EFFICIENCY

PROTECTING SOCIAL WELFARE

• THEY WERE TRYING TO SOFTEN THE HARSH CONDITIONS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION

• THE SOCIAL GOSPEL MOVEMENT AND SETTLEMENT HOUSE MOVEMENT HELPED THE POOR THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS, CHURCHES, AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROJECTS

• YMCA BUILT LIBRARIES, POOLS, SPONSORED CLASSES AMONG OTHER ITEMS

• FLORENCE KELLEY BECAME AN ADVOCATE OF BETTERING LIVES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

• SHE PILOTED THE 1ST CHILD LABOR LAWS AND LIMITATION IN WOMEN’S WORKING HOURS IN THE ILLINOIS FACTORY ACT OF 1893

PROMOTING MORAL IMPROVEMENT

• SOME PEOPLE FELT MORALITY WAS THE KEY TO REFORM NOT FIXING THE WORKPLACE

• BY IMPROVING PEOPLES PERSONAL BEHAVIOR THEIR QUALITY OF LIVES WOULD IMPROVE AS WOULD SOCIETY IMPROVE ALSO

• PROHIBITION WAS A PROGRAM OF THIS TYPE BECAUSE IT BANNED ALCOHOL

• THE (WCTU) WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION SPEARHEADED THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT

• FRANCES WILLARD WAS A KEY MEMBER OF THE WCTU THAT PEOPLE FOLLOWED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ALCOHOL

• PROHIBITION CAUSED MANY TENSIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

CREATING ECONOMIC REFORM

• DUE TO THE ECONOMIC PANIC OF 1893 MANY ECONOMIC REFORMERS QUESTIONED CAPITALISM AND EMBRACED SOCIALISM

• EUGENE V. DEBS ORGANIZED THE AMERICAN SOCIALIST PARTY IN 1901 DUE TO THE UNEVEN BALANCE IN BIG BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS, AND LABORERS

• MOST PROGRESSIVES DISTANCED THEMSELVES FROM SOCIALISM BUT STILL SAW THE POINT OF THE IMBALANCE IN SOCIETY ECONOMICALLY

• MUCKRAKERS WERE JOURNALISTS THAT EXPOSED BUSINESSES DIRTY DEALINGS

FOSTERING EFFICIENCY

• THERE WAS A PUSH TO FIND OUT THE MOST EFFICIENT TO RUN BUSINESS

• PEOPLE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT WORKING SHORTER SHIFTS MADE THEM MORE PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE WORKERS WERE NOT AS TIRED AND BECAME MORE PRODUCTIVE

• LOUIS D. BRANDEIS STUDIED THIS CONCEPT

• HENRY FORD CHANGED HIS WORK HOURS OF EMPLOYEES FROM 10 HOUR DAYS TO 8 HOUR DAYS AND BUMPED PAY UP TO $5 A DAY.

CLEANING UP LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WERE VERY CORRUPT AND FULL OF POLITICAL BOSSES WHO AWARDED JOBS TO FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS NOT DESERVING PEOPLE

• ONE OF THE EVENTS THAT HELPED CHANGE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WAS WHEN A HURRICANE ALMOST WIPED OUT GALVESTON, TEXAS IN 1900.

• THE CITY GOVERNMENT MESSED UP THE REBUILDING EFFORT SO BAD THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAD TO PUT TOGETHER A COMMISSION TO GO IN AND FIX THE CITY AND GET IT RUNNING PROPERLY AGAIN

• BY 1917 500 CITIES HAD FOLLOWED THIS METHOD

CLEANING UP LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• ANOTHER NATURAL DISASTER IN 1913 IN DAYTON, OHIO LED TO THE WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF COUNCIL-MANAGER FOR OF GOVERNMENT

• IN SOME CITIES MAYORS LED REFORM BY CHANGING POLICIES WITH FAIRER TAX STRUCTURE, LOW WORK RELIEF FOR THE UNEMPLOYED, BUILDING SCHOOLS, AND PARKS.

REFORM AT THE STATE LEVEL

• AT THE STATE LEVEL REFORM GOVERNORS PUSHED FOR CHANGED

• WISCONSIN’S ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE “FIGHTING BOB” LED THE FIGHT AGAINST CORPORATIONS IN POLITICS

• LA FOLLETTE’S MAJOR TARGET WAS THE RAILROAD

• REFORMERS FOUGHT CHILD LABOR AND EVENTUALLY GOT CHILD LABOR LAWS PASSED

• ANOTHER FIGHT WAS WORKING HOURS. THEY WORKED TO REDUCE WORKING HOURS TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELAX AND ENJOY LIFE

• THEY FOUGHT WOMENS RIGHTS IN WIN REDUCED WORKING HOURS AS WELL AS GETTING WORKERS COMP FOR ALL WORKERS

REFORM AT THE STATE LEVEL

• CITIZENS HAD THE RIGHT TO PUSH BILLS OR REFORMS THIS WAS CALLED AN INITIATIVE.

• VOTERS INSTEAD OF LAWMAKERS WOULD VOTE ON THIS INITIATIVE AND THIS WAS CALLED A REFERENDUM.

• A RECALL WAS PUT INTO PLACE WHERE VOTERS COULD REMOVE PUBLIC OFFICIALS FROM OFFICE IF THEY SAW NECESSARY

• 1913 THE 17TH AMENDMENT WAS PASSED ALLOWING THE PEOPLE TO ELECT SENATORS AS OPPOSED TO THEM BEING APPOINTED BY LEGISLATORS

•

SECTION 2

•WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE

WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

• BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR MARRIED WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR HOUSES AND FAMILIES

• BY THE LATE 19TH CENTURY ONLY UPPER AND MIDDLE CLASS WOMEN COULD AFFORD TO DO THIS. POORER WOMEN HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME

• ON FARMS IN THE SOUTH AND MIDWEST NOT MUCH CHANGED FOR WOMEN FROM THE PREVIOUS CENTURY THEY TOOK CARE OF THE HOME BUT JUST ADDED A FEW MORE JOBS AROUND THE HOUSE.

WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

• BY THE 20TH CENTURY 1 OUT OF EVERY 5 WOMEN HELD JOBS AND 25% OF THEM WORKED IN MANUFACTURING

• MOST WORKED IN THE GARMENT INDUSTRY AND THEY USUALLY HELD THE LEAST SKILLED POSITIONS AND RECEIVED ABOUT ½ AS MUCH PAY OR LESS AS MEN DID.

• WOMEN ALSO BEGAN TO WORK IN OFFICES, STORES, AND CLASSROOMS BECAUSE THESE JOBS REQUIRED HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND MORE WOMEN GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL THAN MEN DID.

• WOMEN ALSO DID DOMESTIC WORK (CLEANING FOR OTHER FAMILIES THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO)

WOMEN LEAD REFORM

• WOMEN BEGAN TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION AS THERE BEGAN TO POP UP WOMEN'S’ COLLEGES AROUND THE COUNTRY

• WOMEN WERE STILL EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOME DUTIES IF THEY CHOSE TO GAIN AN EDUCATION AND WORK

• EVENTUALLY BY THE LATE 19TH CENTURY MARRIAGE WAS NOT THE ONLY OPTION FOR WOMEN TO GAIN SUCCESS IN LIFE

WOMEN LEAD REFORM

• EDUCATED WOMEN HELPED UNEDUCATED FACTORY WORKERS WITH THEIR REFORMS

• ONE OF THE BIG MOVEMENTS THEY HAD IN PLACE WAS THE “SOCIAL HOUSEKEEPING” WHICH TARGETED WORKPLACE REFORM, HOUSING REFORM, EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT, AND FOOD AND DRUG LAWS.

• 1896 THE NACW (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLORED WOMEN) WAS FORMED IT WAS HEADED BY JOSEPHINE RUFFIN

• SUSAN B. ANTHONY WAS A LEADING PROPONENT OF WOMENS SUFFRAGE (RIGHT TO VOTE)

• ELIZABETH CADY STANTON FOUNDED THE (NWSA) NATIONAL WOMEN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

• THEY UNITED WITH ANOTHER GROUP AND FORMED THE (NAWSA) NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION.

• LUCY STONE AND JULIA WARD HOWE WERE PROMINENT LEADERS IF THIS UNIFIED GROUP

WOMEN LEAD REFORM

• SUFFRAGIST LEADERS TRIED TO COMBAT CONSTANT OPPOSITION

• THEY TRIED 3 WAYS TO GET THEIR MEMBERS THE RIGHT TO VOTE:

• 1. THEY TRIED TO CONVINCE STATE LEGISLATURES TO GRANT WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE WHICH ONLY WORKED IN A HANDFUL OF STATES

• 2. THEY PURSUED COURT CASES TO TEST THE 14TH AMENDMENT THEY CLAIMED WOMEN WERE CITIZENS ALSO WHICH THE SUPREME COURT AGREED WITH THEM BUT ALSO SAID THEY MAY BE CITIZENS BUT THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE

• 3. THEY PUSHED FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WHICH IT FAILED AS THEY ATTEMPTED OVER A PERIOD OF 41 YEARS UNSUCCESSFULLY

SECTION 3

•TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S SQUARE DEAL

A ROUGH RIDING PRESIDENT

• ROOSEVELT WAS INITIALLY PLACED AS VICE PRESIDENT WITH MCKINLEY BY THE BIG BUSINESS LEADERS SO AS TO NOT HAVE ANY POWER.

• THIS WORKED UNTIL MCKINLEY WAS ASSASSINATED 6 MONTHS INTO HIS 2ND TERM MAKING TEDDY ROOSEVELT PRESIDENT.

• ROOSEVELT WAS VERY AMBITIOUS AND ACHIEVED MANY THINGS. HE WAS AN AVID HORSE BACK RIDER AND MARKSMAN. WHILE IN SCHOOL AT HARVARD HE WRESTLED AND BOXED

• HE WAS AN ASPIRING NEW YORK POLITICIAN HE WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, BECAME POLICE COMMISSIONER, AND ALSO ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE U.S. NAVY

• HE LED A GROUP KNOWN AS “THE ROUGHRIDERS” INTO BATTLE AGAINST SPAIN DOWN IN CUBA AT THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL.

• AFTER THIS HE BECAME A NATIONAL HERO AND WAS ELECTED AS GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK

A ROUGH RIDING PRESIDENT

• ROOSEVELT BECAME (AND STILL IS) THE YOUNGEST PRESIDENT EVER AT THE AGE OF 42

• WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE HE LOVED TO BOX AND RIDE HORSEBACK

• HE WAS VERY BOLD IN HIS DECISIONS AND ACTIONS AND MADE THE PRESIDENCY WHAT IT IS TODAY WITH HIS ACTIONS AND POLICIES

• HE SAW THE PRESIDENCY AS A “BULLY PULPIT” TO GET THINGS DONE.

• HE PUT INTO PLACE THE SQUARE DEAL WHICH HELPED PEOPLE IF THE BIG BUSINESSES DID THEM WRONG

USING FEDERAL POWER

• ROOSEVELT FELT AMERICA NEEDED A STRONG FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS THE COUNTRY GREW

• TRUSTS WERE A BIG ISSUE IN AMERICA IN THIS TIME PERIOD

• TRUSTS WERE LEGAL BODIES CREATED TO HOLD STOCK IN MANY COMPANIES THEREFORE THEY CONTROLLED MANY COMPANIES IN A MARKET

• TRUSTS CONTROLLED 4/5 OF THE MARKET HE FILED 44 ANTITRUST LAW SUITS UNDER THE SHERMAN ANTITRUST LAW WINNING SEVERAL OF THEM AND SUCCESSFULLY BREAKING UP SEVERAL TRUSTS

1902 COAL STRIKE

• IN 1902 140,000 COAL MINERS WENT ON STRIKE DEMANDING A 20% PAY RAISE, 9 HOUR WORK DAYS, AND THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE A UNION

• AFTER5 MONTHS OF THE STRIKE ROOSEVELT CALLED BOTH SIDES TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND WORKED OUT A DEAL TO END THE STRIKE

• THIS SET A PRECEDENT MOVING FORWARD THAT IF STRIKES WERE TO OCCUR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD INTERVENE AND HELP RESOLVE IT.

RAILROAD REGULATION

• ROOSEVELT HAD CONGRESS PASS THE ELKINS ACT OF 1903 WHICH MADE IT ILLEGAL TO USE REBATES FOR RAIL ROAD SHIPPERS OR RECEIVERS BASED ON WHAT RAIL ROAD COMPANY THEY USED

• THIS ALSO SAID THEY COULD NOT CHANGE THEIR RATES WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC FIRST

• HEPBURN ACT OF 1906 PROHIBITED THE USE OF FREE RAIL ROAD PASSES

• IT ALSO GAVE THE ICC THE ABILITY TO SET A MAXIMUM RATE FOR THE RAIL ROADS.

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• AFTER READING UPTON SINCLAIR’S BOOK “THE JUNGLE” HE PUSHED FOR REGULATIONS FOR FOOD ESPECIALLY MEATS

• 1906 HE PASSED THE MEAT INSPECTION ACT WHICH INSURED MEAT WAS CLEAN AND NOT SPOILED BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO BE SOLD OR USED IN PUBLIC. THESE POLICIES WERE USED UNTIL THE 1990’S UNTIL MORE UP TO DATE PROCEDURES WERE IMPLEMENTED

• 1906 HE PASSED THE PURE FOOD AND DRUG ACT WHICH MADE SURE ALL FOODS WERE CLEAN AND NOT CONTAMINATED AND IT ALSO MADE SURE THAT ALL LABELS ON FOODS WERE ACCURATE

CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

• ROOSEVELT MADE IT A PRIORITY TO CONSERVE SOME OF AMERICAS NATURAL LAND

• AMERICA WAS DESTROYING AL OF THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES RAPIDLY AND ROOSEVELT SET OUT TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING

• 1905 HE NAMED GIFFORD PINCHOT HEAD OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE. HE ENCOURAGED ROOSEVELT TO SET ASIDE LARGE TRACTS OF LAND FOR NATIONAL CONSERVATION AND MADE IT ILLEGAL TO SELL IT OR MESS IT UP IN ANY WAY.

• HE ALSO CREATED LARGE SCALE CONSERVATION ACTS THAT CREATED WATERWAYS, DAMS AND PROTECTED THE NATURAL LANDS OF AMERICA

ROOSEVELT AND CIVIL RIGHTS

• ROOSEVELT DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND IT WAS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE OF HIS PRESIDENCY

• ROOSEVELT RESPECTED AND DEALT WITH BOOKER T. WASHINGTON WHO A LOT OF OTHER BLACKS OPPOSED DUE TO HIS POSITION THAT BLACKS WERE THE CAUSE OF THEIR OWN POVERTY AND THEY SHOULD ACCEPT SEGREGATION UNTIL THEY CAN WORK TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN SITUATION.

• W.E.B. DUBOIS WAS PARTICULARLY AGAINST WASHINGTONS VIEWS

• 1909 A GROUP OF THEM FORMED THE NAACP (NATIONAL ASSOCIATI0ON FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE)

SECTION 4

•PROGRESSIVISM UNDER TAFT

TAFT BECOMES PRESIDENT

• ROOSEVELT CHOSE NOT TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION IN 1908 SO HE HANDPICKED HIS SECRETARY OF WAR WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT TO RUN AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN IN THE 1908 ELECTION.

• TAFT WON EASILY DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT

• AS PRESIDENT HE WAS NOT WHAT ROOSEVELT ENVISIONED AS HE DID NOT PURSUE HIS PROGRESSIVE PLANS AND WAS NEVER GIVEN MUCH CREDIT FOR ANYTHING HE DID

TAFT BECOMES PRESIDENT

• HIS PLATFORM FOR THE PRESIDENCY WAS ON LOWERING TARIFFS WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF THE PROGRESSIVE AGENDA.

• TAFT EVENTUALLY SIGNED THE PAYNE-ALDRICH TARIFF WHICH WAS A COMPROMISE WITH THE SENATE IN THAT DID NOT REALLY LOWER TARIFFS AND IN SOME CASES RAISED THEM.

• THIS ANGERED PROGRESSIVES AND HIS PARTY MEMBERS AND WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE DOWN FALL OF TAFT

• HE THEN MADE IT WORSE BY STATING THIS WAS THE BEST BILL THE REPUBLICANS HAD EVER SIGNED

TAFT BECOMES PRESIDENT

• ANOTRHER THING HE DID THAT ANGERED PROGRESSIVES AND HIS PARTY WAS BY APPOINTING RICHARD A. BALLINGER HIS SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

• BALLINGER REMOVED 1 MILLION ACRES FROM THE RESERVED LIST AND MINING LIST AND SENT IT BACK TO PUBLIC DOMAIN WHICH WAS TOTALLY OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE PROGRESSIVES STOOD FOR

• WHEN PEOPLE OPPOSED BALLINGER TAFT FIRED THEM

• HE EVEN FIRED GIFFORD PINCHOT FROM THE US FORESTRY SERVICE WHICH WAS THE LAST STRAW IN TEDDY ROOSEVELTS BOOK MAKING HIM BECOME AN ANTI-TAFT GUY

• TAFT BECAME MORE OF A CONSERVATIVE AS OPPOSED TO A PROGRESSIVE WHICH HE RAN AS

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SPLITS