T.R. And Taft
The Roots of Progressive Politics
“In Life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: hit the line
hard”
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
A. Background
B. Political Rise
C. T.R. as a Progressive
1. Essential Conservatism
2. Importance as a Progressive
D. Trust Busting
1. TR’s attitude
a. Northern Securities Case
b. Other Trust Busting by TR and Taft
E. Labor
1. TR’s Attitude
*first Pres to use government to
influence for rather than vs. labor
2. Coal Strike [1902]
3. TR and Settlement
F. Railroad Regulation
1. Pressure for
2. Elkins Act [1903]
3. Hepburn Act [1906]
4. Mann-Elkins Act [1910]
G. Conservation
1. Importance
2. Actions
H. Misc. Reforms under TR and Taft
1. Pure Food and Drug Act
2. Income Tax [16th Amendment 1913]
3. Direct Election of Senators [17th
Amendment 1913]
Election of 1904
A. Republicans
1. T.R.
B. Democrats
2. Judge Alton B. Parker [NY]
C. Result
Parker
1. Business supported TR
2. Democrats only carried solid South
Panic of 1907
A. Causes
1. over speculation
2. temporary loss of
business confidence
3. inelasticity of credit
and money system
B. Significance
1. Business victories
over government
control
Election of 1908
A. Reps-William Howard Taft (VP)
B. Dems-Bryan again
1. TR had stolen most of his reform
thunder
C. Result
1. Although the Democrats lost it showed
a strengthening base
William Howard Taft
Roosevelt and Taft Foreign Policy
A. Roosevelt
1. The Panama Canal
2. Caribbean
Intervention
3. Far East
4. Ties with Great
Britain
TR’s Return & 1910 Congressional
Elections
A. TR’s Reactions
1. Rift
B. Campaign of 1910
1. TR Speeches “New
Nationalism”
2. Inner Squabbling
Fight for Republican Nomination
A. LaFollette Candidacy
B. Influence of U.S.
Steel
1. forced TR to decide
to run
C. TR’s Candidacy
D. Rep. Convention
Wright Brothers Fly
December 17,1903
San Francisco Earthquake-1906
Ford Assembly Line circa 1908
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory FireMarch 25, 1911..146 Killed
Titanic Sinks-April 14, 1912…1500
killed
Republican Split and the Election of
1912
A. Taft and his Administration
1. The man
2. The Politician
B. Taft Offends the Progressives
1. Payne-Aldrich Act
2. Ballinger-Pinchot Controversy
3. Revolt in Congress
TR is “dee-lighted” to throw his hat into the ring of the 1912 presidential
elections
Campaign of 1912
A. Democrats
1. Woodrow Wilson
B. Republicans
1. Taft
C. Progressives
1. Roosevelt
a. shooting
D. Results