Theodore Roosevelt
1901 – 1909
William Howard Taft
1909 – 1913
Woodrow Wilson
1913 – 1921
The Progressive Presidents
Roosevelt’s ‘Square Deal’
• “Wild Man”…but favored a strong central gov’t. whose
executive could act as the ‘steward of the people’.
• Slow, methodical change - mostly to protect America against
more radical changes
• Modernized the Presidency by using the office as a ‘Bully
Pulpit’ – a forum from which to lead.
• Supported a few African Americans – Invited for dinner
Booker T. Washington to White House – Criticized for it.
• Energetic personality gave America confidence and Roosevelt
was America’s mediator for the public good.
Roosevelt and Business
• TR believed in Free Enterprise – not anti-business
• Goal was to prevent abuses of power so he favored
regulation – not destruction of trusts.
• He wanted power for government to investigate and
publicize cases of abuse.
• Power of public opinion pressure would end abuses
• Government would then handle the largest abuses.
Fair Minded Mediator
Sherman Anti-Trust Act Invoked
• Northern Securities Company, a Railroad Monopoly dissolved
J.P. Morgan, ”…send your man to see my man and they can fix it up.”
Government had always sided with Business…
• United MineWorkers Strike – Roosevelt asks Owners to agree to
federal mediation. Owners, “NO” . TR threatens Fed Troops and
said miners needed a ‘Square Deal’.
Roosevelt acted to break up Trusts, Pools and Monopolies 44 times
during his presidency, and acted on behalf of labor as well.
TR’s Lasting Reforms
• 1902 - Newlands (National Reclamation) Act – Federal Funds
for Dams, Canals reservoirs and cheap hydroelectric power
in the West – all badly needed by western cities.
• 1906 - Meat Inspection Act - Cleanliness Forced in response
to the book by Upton Sinclair, ‘The Jungle’.
• Pure Food and Drug Act – Required truth in labeling
• Conservation – Set aside millions of acres for national parks.
• Gifford Pinchot, Dir. Nat’l Forest Service served to… manage
nations’ use of land rationally.
Taft Follows-Up Weakly
• TR’s hand picked successor - a former conservative judge
acceptable to whole Republican party.
• Business believed he’d look out for them, & Progressives
thought he’d continue Roosevelt’s policies of reform.
• Couldn’t keep anyone happy. Troubled Presidency.
• Reverses conservation policy, & fires Gifford Pinchot
• Breaks up trusts and angers the whole Republican party.
‘Bull Moose’ Party
• Election of 1912 :
Party divided & Taft’s policies anger Roosevelt
Roosevelt runs again citing need for ‘New Nationalism’
and feeling fit as a Bull Moose!
Republicans shun Roosevelt & re-nominate Taft.
Roosevelt runs a 3rd Party campaign & Republicans lose
• Woodrow Wilson, Democrat, son of a Georgia preacher, and
former President of Princeton University and Governor of
New Jersey…wins the Presidency.
Taft’s Accomplishments
• Reduced abuses of Big Business – 90 Anti-trust suits
• 1st Tax on Corporate Profits
• Achieved Mine Safety Legislation
• Interstate Commerce Commission regulates
telephone and telegraphs.
• 8 hour workday
Wilson’s “New Freedom”
• Attacked Trusts, High Tariffs and High Finance of Mergers
Wall Street controlled the banks
• Believed Government not bigger business smaller
for greater freedom for citizens.
• High tariffs protected business, reduced competition and hurt
the public with higher prices.
• Controlled administration trusted few aides. Brought more
power to Presidency .
1st President to read his own State of the Union Address
Wilson’s Reforms
• Tariffs – Underwood Tariff Act – 1913
Greatly reduces tariffs - tax on imported goods
• 16th Amendment – 1913 Legalized Income Tax
To make up for lost tariff revenues
• Banking – Federal Reserve Act - 1913
Federal Reserve Banking System
Manages money supply, controls inflation
• Business – Clayton Anti-Trust Act - 1914
Breaks up “interlocking directorates” & No stock buys if monopoly
Bank & Wall St. execs cannot serve on each others’ Boards
- Federal Trade Commission – 1914
Watch for violations of Clayton Act
Wilson’s Accomplishments
• Government Reform
Initiated & passed the 1st Federal Income Tax.
Increased likelihood for more social reform with this change
• Social Reform
Women’s Suffrage – 19th Amendment – 1920
Supported, passed & ratified during the Wilson Administration.
Progressivism Ends
3 Presidents changed America’s social ideology in 20 years.
• Society was more civil, people cared for one another.
• Morality improved – Prohibition 20th Amendment passed
prohibiting the interstate transport & sale of alcohol.
• Politics was clean – people could vote without threat of reprisal
• Business was forever changed. Could no longer so people’s dominate
lives because of the anti-trust legislation.
• Government more responsive to people with the initiative,
referendum and recall available to them.