Iris Feng 1/18/11
Ch 21 The Rise of Progressivism
Opening (565)
The progressivism was like a response
to the rapid growth in Indus, urb,
immigrationreminds me of the
reform era (Prison, temperance, edu
reform). This time the issue was more
serious. The governments (municipal,
state, federal) were all involved in
supporting/opposing the reform.
People who desired change would love
this, while others despised itmight
lead to another or even a more serious
social chaos, instability in government
and economics.
MI The social chaos and political
conflicts in the late 19th – early 20th
century brought progressivism, a
series of ideas and movements
innovated to help shape the society
 Ways to deal w. W/races/
 Ways to govern cities and
regulate $
 Define the role of political
party and machines
 How society responds to
immigration/ provide sense of
community
MI The battle over reform  met
opposition from conservatisms, and
even more radical ppl
 political battle, created
distinctive diff
 Introduce new cultures and
ideas
The economic crisis and political issues industrialization, urbanization, and immigration created
led to a social chaos which also led to the emergence of progressivism. The series of reform
movements shaped the condition of America in the early 20th century. Progressives won few
victories but brought major changes to America.
KT
Progressivism (566)
Antimonopoly
Social cohesion
Faith in Knowledge
Muckrakers
at 1st optimistic, believed society should be in constant
progress/impr/growth. Cnt do in old beliefslike social Dar, natural
laws, but in direct involvement in social/$ issues. Progressives didn’t
always have beliefs in common.
Against concentrated power/ Disperse wealth. Appealed to lower nd
even working class. Helped gov to stop trusts
Idea that indiv success is dependent on the wellbeing of the whole
society. Helped W, Poor, sometimes Blacks.
Knowledge leads to social order, more humane society. Better gov,
experts than bosses, unskilled amateurs.
Radical journalistsknown to expose social corruptness, injustice to
public. Reporters:
 Ida Tarbell – Standard Oil Trust
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
Social Gospel (567)
Influence of
Environment (568)
Settlement Houses
(569)
Rise of Social Science
(571)
New Middle Class
Prof Reform (572)
It was remarkable for
W to play a prominent
role in reform causes
b/c even by early 20th
century, majority of W
could not vote/hold
public office/enter prof
fields, and they lived
under the influence of
traditional
ideaslimited oppor.
Progr. showed W’s
ability and proved it to
the society.
Female-Dominated
Profs
Socioeconomic
Origins of the New
Woman (573)
Lincoln Steffens – machine gov, bosses in big cities like
Minneapolis, Cleveland.
Simulated political reform, inspired ppl to take action
Movement w/in religion (protestant/catholic)  social responsibility,
justice.
 Father John Ryan – Catholic liberal helped to expand Catholic
welfare organization
 Walter Rauschenbusch
Added spiritual element to the reform, gave poor a sense of belongings
1 of the strongest element. William Sumner once said ppl’s fate is
related to their success. Progressives argued these were the result of
bad environment which needed impr.
In response to crowded envir, the idea of ~ was brought from Engl. Hull
House was the 1st model built by Jane Addams.
Helped immig to relate back to their cultures and assimilate to Ame
ways and middle-class style. Encouraged W roles and introduced
another reform – profession of social works prof training 4
workers/scientific study, experts.
Social work prof everything could be solved scientifically. Could only
provide stability thru knowledge, expertise.
Thorstein Veblen –A Theory of the Leisure Class (1899)- attack industrial
tycoons. Believed only intelligent ppl (scientists) could govern the
nation thru “machine process” (e.g. Taylorism, assembly lines)
Inspired edu, social sci, sci techq reforms and to build poli/$ inst. to
govern society.
Prof like teachers, scientists, managers created ~. In late 1880, there
were not much requr 4 prof (e.g, ppl who could read/write could bcome
a teacher). Pressure for proreform
 American Medical Asso. (572) - By 1920, 2/3 of doctors were
members. AMA placed high standards to doctors (laws-only
give license to doctors approved by a prof)
 National Asso of Manufacturers - Businessmen created ~ in
1895 and US chamber of commerce in 1912
 Bring medical students outside classrooms to labs and clinics
 Lawyers  prof bar asso/law school
 Farmers introduced scientific farming technq.
Protected prof from other ppl, but most of time excluded W, Bl, immig.
Took adv of professionalism since the supply ↓, demand↑(few ppl
were in the prof field).
Traditional beliefs/laws limited W oppor, but most middle class W who
went to colleges did entered profs. Few Wlawyers, physicians,
managers. Most W did “helping” prof teaching!!! (Majority),
settlement houses, social work. Others nurse, librarians, searching
oppor in W colleges.
w/ children going to school early, household appliances introduced, W
spent less and less time @ home. Gave less birth, longer life span. 10%
of W did not marry, most of them were mid class and successful reform
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GFWC
Black W clubs
Public Spaces for W
(574)
W movement (574-5)
Women’s Trade
Union League (575)
Women’s Suffrage
Anti-W’s Suffrage
(576)
NAWSA (W suffrage)
figure. Some W had close relationship Boston marriage. ↑ Divorce
rate. Pursuit higher edu (college)
W in 20th centuryindp, looking @ outside world
General Federation of Women’s Clubs, formed in 1892. Members ↑
over 1million by 1917. 1st centered around cultural issues, then moved
focus to exerting influence in social issues esp some W were from
↑class.
Few W clubs included Blacks. The excluded ones formed their
ownmostly around the issue of lynching and segregation
Few accepted Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s idea in Women and Economics
(1898) – gender role was past tense, should be get rid of. Most went 4 a
moderate move  define ~ w/ challenging the existing male
dominance. Gave W oppor to express themselves (impossible b4 under
men’s rule)
Attracted massive oppo:
 Imp force to influence state/federal laws regarding W/child
labor; govt inspection of condition of workplace; policies
toward Indians; making and selling of alcohol; pension 4 widows
w/ kids mother’s pension; 1912, forced Congress to est
Children’s Bureau – protect kids.
Worked w/ GFWC. Consisted of F union members and upp W  raise
$ to support strikes, protective legs 4 W.
In general, worked w/ M reformers. Appealed to M and W reformers
b/c W were the weak group of society and they used “nurturing” (giving
birth and raising) and “protective to attract support.
Largest reform movement of the progressive era, even in Ame history.
Viewed as a radical move. Elizabeth Cady Staton believed W’s rights =
M’s rights, and the role of mother, wife was incidental. challenged
many M + W’s traditional beliefs. Antisuffrage movement soon
emerged, led by M, supported by W. (newspaper, organ., petition to
legisl
Mostly M but also w. support of many W believed suffrage = divorce,
neglecting kids
Anna Howard Shaw, Boston social worker, + Carrie Capman Catt, Iowa
journalist National American Woman Suffrage Ass. Members grew
over 2 mill by 1917 b/c repu of Jane Addams and reform leaders started
to take things moderately. Argued:
 Role of housewife, mother would bring a diff way, sensitivities
to public, thus politics.
 Would help temperance move since W was the largest
supporters.
 Help Stop war b/c maternal influence.
Conservative argu
 If let B, immigrants vote, then it def lead to voting 4 W. Some
supported b/c they believed suffrage 4 W would support the
constituency to disfranchise immg, Bs. Supporter – Florence
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Aftermath
= Rights
Amendments
Reforming Govt
(577)
Attacking Party Rule
Secret Ballot
Municipal Reform
Commission Plan
(Municipal) (578)
City-Manager Plan
(Municipal)
Tom Johnson (580)
Statehouse
Progressivism
Kelley.
Victory 4 W suffrage. 1910, Washington – 1st state. Then CA nd others.
Mostly in the West b/c absence of Catholics. In East, it led to battles b/t
Catho and Protestants over the issue. In 1913, Illinois – 1st state (East),
the Michigan and NY. 39 states allowed voting in some election, 15 in
full by 1919. In 1920, 19th amendment finally guaranteed W’s political
rights thruout US.
Some feminists like Alice Paul were not happy w/ the result b/c they
wanted a clear, legal protection of W’s rights, and no discrimination b/c
of sex. But other prominent leaders like Addams, Kelley, and Catt didn’t
want ~. Addams despised it b/c she thought it would ruin the right (19th)
they had fought hard to achieve.
19th amend., in fact, did nothing than promising W’s right to vote. W did
not rly join politics as a coherent force for reform. Also many black W
was excluded from the law. But it was an imp step of expanding political
rights/justice to W.
Many believed gov’t was essential to stop some private interest
company that was harming the nation, but since gov’t/political parties
@ the time was considered corrupt, many reformers wanted ~ by
attacking the parties.
Attacks from Greenbackism, populism, and now the independent
Republicans (mugwumps) against Repub and Demo controlling public
life. Believed could be achieved in 2 ways:
 power of ppldirect voting @ polls
 Or  power of nonpartisan/officials
A success of reformers. Many states started to adopt this in 1890s. B4,
political parties had printed ballots. Now, it removed parties’ influence
on voter’s will.
Municipal=city. Municipal gov’t bcame 1st target of reformers (attracted
large group of middle-class progressives). They faced oppo from
machines, bosses, businessmen, sometimes newspaper, and workingclass (b/c they needed support from machines). But reformers gradually
gained political power b/c  in #, and corruption of gov leadership.
Started in Galveston, TX old gov failed, reformers/ nonpartisan
commission took charter of city. Other states soon followed. 400 cities
Elected officials chose prof manager/engineers to control the govt. 45
cities.
-In other cities, reformers achievednonpartisan election, win support
of mayor than whole council, etc
Major Reform of Cleveland. Had a conflict w/ streetcar (private
interests) b/c it lowered the $ of railroads and other utilities. Wanted to
have municipal ownership on some utilities. After he died, Baker bcame
mayorCleveland=best governed city.
Progressives turned focus to state govt. Believed to limit boss-rule legis
by  power of electorate (voters)
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Initiative and
Referendum (state)
Direct Primary and
Recall (state)
Robert la Follette
Decline of Party
Influence
Sources of Prog
Reform
Triangle Shirtwaist
Fire (582)
Western
Progressivism (583)
W.E.B. Du Bois
NAACP Founded
Populists proposed 2 changes below.
 Initiative – allow reforms to pass legs/law directly to voters
 Referendum – legis’s action is approved by voters
By 1918, >20 states adapted either or both
Effort to  power of party,  quality of elected officials (no corruption)
 Direct Primary – power to select candidatesaway from boss,
and to the ppl (also an effort to limit black voting in S)
 Recall – right of voters to remove a official @ election (like large
# of ppl sign petition)
By 1915, most states enacted DP, but Recall attracted oppo
(ex of reform success and leaderspg. 580)
Reform governor of Wisconsinturned state to “laboratory of
progressivism”. Under his leadership,
 Enacted DP, initi, referendum
 Laws of compensation to injured workers
 x 2 the tax of railroads.
 Believed reform was the responsibility of the whole society (ppl,
edu, business, prof, etc)
Reformers did lead to ~, but couldn’t totally eliminate it
 Voters turnout , only 59 % voted in 1912
Other interest groups emerged e.g. social workers, W clubs, and
settlement house.
Political pattern of 20th centuryinterest groups demanding directly
from gov than thru parties.
Majority – middle class reforms. Also working class, AA, westerners,
even party bosses. Unions pressured gov’t to pass child labor/
compensation, etc. Party bosses also influenced govt to in the benefits
for the workers in order to protect its power in the Prog era (Tammy
Hall)
1991 happened in Triangle Shirtwaist Comp, NY. Most of the workersW. Attracted public attention, investigation from state commission, and
2 Tammy Demo(imposing laws on working condition, etc). *showed the
imp of W’s edu  speak for themselves in social events.
In West, federal govt had much greater power than local/state
govsince parties were weak, made it easier to enact initiative, refer.,
recall, DP.
B4 the 21st century, many embraced Brooker Washington’s idea –self
impr rather than long social reform. But on the turn of the century the
idea led by ~ emerged.
 Blacks - full university edu, prof, fight immediately 4 civil rights
(no patient waiting). Attacked Washington’s Atlanta Comp b/c ~
believed blacks couldn’t achieve $ success w/out political gains.
Founded by Du Bois and others on Canadian side of Niagara Falls.
Victories:
 Guinn v. United States (1915) – grandfather law
unconstitutional
 Buchanan v. Worley (1917) – ruled against residential segrega.
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WCTU (585)
18th amendment
Eugenics and
Nativism (586)
Eugene Debs (587)
“Wobblies” (588)
Socialism’s Demise
The problems of
Corporate
Centralization
“Good Trusts” and
“Bad Trusts” (589)
Strategy/goal - create elite leader group to gain = for all blacks.
Supported mostly by Southern W (including White W), esp Ida Barnett
(black) on the issue of lynching nd segregation.
Women’s Christian Temperance Union, led by Frances Willard. Largest
W organization. Acted against alcohol, in the temperance movement.
Based on the effort of WCTU and Anti-Saloon League, passed ~ to
prohibit alcohol.
Eugenics – to grade races/groups based on their genetic quality.
 Madison Grant, nativist – The passing of the Great Race
(1916) Immigrants – dangerous unfit, polluting the existing
American races. Need to protect pure Anglo-Saxon race from
Europ, Hispanics, and Asians.
 Senator William Dillingham – immigration should be restricted
by nationality.
Some ppl supported b/c overpopulation, unemployment, etc. Business
supported for cheap, sufficient labor. Supporter-Theodore Roosevelt.
Nativists gained power in the beginning of WWI.
Presidential candidate in 1912 for Socialist party (supported greatly by
reformers, immigrants, intellectuals, W, Protestants.)
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)-a radical union included all
workers, support abolition of “wage slave” system. Known 4 its
violence/boming of railroads. Became a social network/ “home” of the
working class ppl. In 1917, IWW timer workers went on strikegov’t
angry b/c needed timber 4 war @ the time  passed laws to stop
union, imprisoned leaders.
Moderate socialists dominated the party, but since party didn’t support
war and the radical action other socialists had done  party declining.
Most reformers wanted federal govt to decentralize the power of big
combinations/consolidation, and create a balance b/t bigness and
competition. Louis Brandeis, 1913 Other People’s Money-despise of
bigness, urged govt to stop combination. . Bigness was a :
 Limitation of freedom of individuals
 Encouragement of abusing power
Other reformers believed bigness encouraged efficiencygov’t should
not fight bigness but should stop bad trusts and support good trusts.
Herbert Croly-The Promise of American Life 1909 – emphasized the imp
of govt over big corporations. Nationalist, Walter Lippmann-Drift and
Mastery 1914-to some business reformers, it means to find new ways of
self regulation/ to other-gov should play a more active/imp role.
-control, regulation, etc supported by Theodore Roosevelt.