AP US History
The Square Deal: The Effects of Progressivism
With the Square Deal, Theodore Roosevelt and his administration were trying to address the abuses of the day as
well as reflect Progressive ideals. The phrase “Square Deal” became Theodore Roosevelt’s 1904 campaign slogan
and the program itself embraced what were known as the “3 ‘C’s”.
1. Control of Corporations
2. Consumer Protection
3. Conservation of Natural Resources
What reform was attempted by each of these Square Deal era acts? What was the result/effect of each of these
acts?
Act
Attempted Reform
Square Deal Era
Interstate Commerce Act,
1887
Regulation and Standardization of
Railroad Rates
TR put teeth into the Act:
Regulated freight rates; prohibited
rebates and price fixing; established
interstate rates for transportation of
goods
Sherman Anti-Trust Act,
1890
Limitation of power of the trusts
(control of monopolies)
TR used Act to “trustbust” several
large monopolies: Northern
Securities, Standard Oil, American
Tobacco Co., Beef Trust
Forest Reserves Act,
1891
Harrison had previously put 13
million acres into National Forest,
Cleveland - 25 and McKinley - 7
TR added 150 million acres to
National Forest system; 85 million
acres of Alaska and the Northwest
reserved for further study
Carey Irrigation Act,
1894
Gave states rights over public lands
to be reclaimed through irrigation;
was ineffective
TR increase amount of land tenfold
New Lands Reclamation Act,
1902
Irrigation projects should be
financed out of public land sales
Land Reclamation service
established; restricted use of public
land for private power concerns;
new dams constructed (Roosevelt,
Arrowrock, Hoover, Grand Coulee)
Reclamation Act,
1902
Put Federal government in business
of conservation
Federal gov’t built several dams,
tunnels, flumes, etc.; erosion of
much land halted; ponds / lakes
created
Act
Attempted Reform
Square Deal Era
Elkins Act,
1903
Establishment of Dept. of
Commerce & Labor; Bureau of
Corporations (rebates)
TR established uniform labor laws
and standards; published freight
rates; penalized shipper who
received rebates & those who gave
them; provided punishment for
violators
Expediting Act,
1903
Addition of staff to Anti-Trust
Division of Justice Department
Speeded up judicial consideration of
anti-trust cases (corporations cannot
delay trials – cases are given
precedence)
Hepburn Act,
1906
Amendment of ICC Act; put “teeth”
into Act
Established commission to enforce
ICC orders; enforcement of rate
regulations; uniform system of
bookkeeping; establish normal rates
Meat Inspection Act,
1906
All meat sold must be inspected
All meat marked by federal
inspector and graded; meat industry
cleaned up
Pure Food and Drug Act,
1906
Extension of federal inspection to all
packaged food and drugs
Truth in packaging and labeling;
medicine as well as food;
ingredients must be listed –
chemicals and additives included
National Monuments Act,
1906
5 new parks established; 50 game
refuges; 4 game preserves
Flyways protected; natural areas
preserved; beautiful areas are now
protected; financial gain to states
with parks; more areas for recreation
Inland Water-Ways Commission,
1907
Called attention to national
conservation needs and programs
National Conservation
Association,
1909
Center established for education and
research about conservation in the
US
Experts gathered to discuss national
conservations needs; nat’l index of
natural resources established; gov’t
regulations established concerning
cutting timber on federal land; water
and power development; forest fire
control; protection established for
navigable rivers and inland
waterways
National Forests Department
transferred to Department of
Agriculture