Chapter 19
Political Reform
And
the Progressive
Era
Political Corruption
The Gilded Age was
infamous for corrupt
political dealings. None,
however, were more
remarkable than the
political organization of
William Marcy “Boss”
Tweed in New York City.
Tweed employed
bribery, graft and
fraudulent elections to
steal as much as $200
million from the city.
Cartoonist Thomas Nast would portray Tweed as the crook he was in
various New York City newspapers. Tweed, whose political machine
greatly depended on the voting of illiterate immigrants was furious
saying, “They may not be able to read but they can understand them
damn pictures.” Partly due to the impact of Nast’s pictures, Tweed’s
political machine fell apart. He was arrested, convicted and died in
prison in 1878.
What other famous caricature did Thomas Nast create?
Thomas Nast “invented”
the image popularly
recognized as Santa
Claus. Nast first drew
Santa Claus for the
1862 Christmas season
Harper’s Weekly cover
and center-fold
illustration to
memorialize the family
sacrifices of the Union
during the early and, for
the north, darkest days
of the Civil War. Nast’s
Santa appeared as a
kindly figure
representing Christmas,
the holiday celebrating
the birth of Christ.
Election of 1880
After the fraudulent election of 1876, the Republican
Party narrowly won the presidential election of 1880.
Congressman James Garfield of Ohio defeated Civil
War General Winfield Scott Hancock.
Garfield Administration
Garfield began his
administration involved in a
conflict within his own party,
the Republicans, over Civil
Service reform and the
spoils system. Garfield
wanted to continue the
attempts by Rutherford B.
Hayes for government
reform.
However, a part of the
Republican party, including
Vice President Chester
Arthur, opposed Civil Service
reform.
Assassination
On July 2, 1881, while walking through a railway station in
Washington D.C., President Garfield was shot by a disgruntled
office seeker, Charles Guiteau. There is debate whether
Garfield was mortally wounded or if improper medical treatment
caused his death. He died on September 19, 1881.
Civil Service Reform
A backlash of Garfield’s assassination was a
public cry for civil service reform. Ironically,
President Arthur supported this reform
movement.
In 1883, Congress passed the Pendleton Act
which established a Civil Service Commission
which made appointments to federal jobs on
the basis of competitive examinations and not
on political influence.
Controlling Big Business
The Sherman
Antitrust Act of
1890 was a law
passed which
prohibited business
from limiting or
destroying
competition.
It made monopolies
illegal.
Election of 1896
The Presidential election of 1896 featured Ohio
Republican William McKinley running against the
Democratic and Populist Party candidate from
Nebraska, William Jennings Bryan.
Assassination
On September 6, 1901, while attending the Pan American
Exposition in Buffalo, New York, President McKinley is shot by
Leon Czolgosz. The bullet wound to his stomach was not fatal but
due to improper medical treatment, he died on September 14,
1901.
Theodore Roosevelt
Upon the death of McKinley,
Vice President Theodore
Roosevelt became president.
At the age of 41, he was and
still is, the youngest man
ever to be president.
Previously Governor of New
York and Assistant
Secretary of the Navy,
Roosevelt was a real
headache to the bosses of
the Republican Party. He was
made Vice-President in order
to put him in a position with
no political power, now he is
president.
Coal Miners Strike 1902
Roosevelt was an unusual type of Republican in that,
while he favored the success of big business, he
insisted on fair treatment of the consumer and the
working man.
In 1902, coal miners in Pennsylvania went on strike
demanding a 20% raise, a nine hour workday and the
right to form a union. The strike was into its fifth
month and winter was approaching. Roosevelt
demanded an end to the strike.
In the past, how were strikes settled by the Federal
Government?
Federal Arbitration
Roosevelt invited representatives of both sides,
workers and owners, to the White House. He would
sit down with them to arbitrate and they would settle
the strike. The workers received a 10% raise, a nine
hour workday and agreed to wait three years to form
a union. Roosevelt’s negotiations were successful.
Trust Buster
In an effort to help
consumers and stop the
unfair practices of
trusts, Roosevelt used
the Sherman Anti-Trust
Act of 1890 to break up
as many trusts as
possible. During his
administration, he was
responsible for breaking
up to 44 different
trusts.
Health
Roosevelt was influenced by Upton Sinclair’s book “The Jungle”
and launched an investigation of the meatpacking industry. This
resulted in the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 and the Food and
Drug Act of 1906. As a result of these laws, all meat had to be
inspected and packaged following the guidelines of the federal
government and all ingredients within a product must be listed
on the label.
Muckrakers
The press exposed corruption and other problems. President
Roosevelt compared reporters who uncovered problems to raking
up dirt or muck in stables. Muckraker became a term for a
crusading journalist.
Muckrakers
Ida Tarbell’s work
led to demands for
more control on
business.
She investigated and
accused oil baron
John D. Rockefeller
of unfair business
practices which
almost broke up
Standard Oil.
Muckrakers
Jacob Riis, a photographer and writer, exposed the
horrible living conditions in tenements and slums
which he published in his book, “How the Other Half
Lives”
Conservation
In order to protect
America’s natural
resources, Roosevelt set
aside 148 million acres
of forest reserves and
80 million acres of
water resources. He
established more than
50 wildlife sanctuaries
and several national
parks.
No Third Term
Although he could have
easily won a third term
as president, Roosevelt
kept with the tradition
established by
Washington and chose
not to run for
reelection. He virtually
handpicked his
successor, his political
ally and best friend,
William Howard Taft.
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft made some contributions
to the Progressive Era. He broke up trusts,
gave government workers an eight hour
workday and established a child labor office.
However, he did not, in Theodore Roosevelt’s
opinion, sufficiently build upon the foundation
that was created for him. Roosevelt felt he
could have done much more. Since Taft did
not, Roosevelt felt he would have to run for
president again.
Election of 1912
Roosevelt ran for
president again in 1912.
Because of his
relationship with the
Republican Party
leadership, he did not
receive the nomination
from that political
party. The Republicans
nominated Taft.
Roosevelt, not to be
stopped, formed his own
party, The Progressive
Party, otherwise called
The “Bull Moose Party”
Election of 1912
Roosevelt
Political
Party
Progressive
Popular
Vote
4.1 million
Electoral
Vote
88
Taft
Republican
3.4 million
8
Wilson
Democrat
6.3 million
435
Debs
Socialist
900,000
0
Roosevelt and Taft split the Republican Party vote
allowing Wilson to be elected. It would be the last
time a third party candidate received more votes
than a major party candidate.
Woodrow Wilson
In a surprising turn of
events, Woodrow Wilson
was elected president in
1912. Formerly, he had
been a teacher and then
president of Princeton
University. In 1910, he
was elected governor of
New Jersey. During his
two terms of office,
there would be more
Progressive reforms,
which Wilson called New
Freedom, than in both
administrations of Taft
and Roosevelt.
Constitutional Amendments
16th Amendment
The 16th Amendment created a federal
income tax of 1% on annual incomes
ranging from $4000 to $500,000.
Annual incomes over $500,00 would pay
6%.
The new federal income tax would
generate more money for the federal
government.
Constitutional Amendments
17th Amendment
The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913, required
the direct election of senators by the people.
Financial Reform
In order to fight trusts and promote greater
competition in business, Wilson proposed and got
passed several pieces of legislation.
The Clayton Anti-Trust Act
One company cannot acquire the stock of another
company for the purposes of creating a monopoly. If a
company violates this law, the officers of the
company can be prosecuted.
Free Trade Commission
An office of the federal government which investigates
companies and corporations for illegal or unfair
business practices.
Financial Reform
The Federal Reserve System
The Federal Reserve System divides the
country into 12 districts. Each district
has a Federal Reserve Bank to which all
national and state banks belong. The
purpose of this system is for the
federal government to keep greater
control over the flow of money, protect
banks and consumer deposits.
Social Reform
The 18th Amendment
to the Constitution
declaring Prohibition
was passed in 1919.
The sale,
distribution and
manufacturing of
alcohol would be
illegal in the United
States.
Women and Reform
In 1848, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton and Lucretia
Mott held the first
women’s rights
convention in Seneca
Falls, NY. This became
known as the Seneca
Falls Convention.
They wanted women to
be able to participate in
all public issues on an
equal basis with men.
Women and Reform
In the early 1900’s,
more than 5 million
women were working
outside the home.
Earning wages gave
them power.
Carrie Chapman
Catt, a suffragist,
worked to get
women the right to
vote on a state by
state basis.
Women and Reform
Suffragists such
as Alice Paul
protested directly
to President
Wilson for an
amendment
granting women
the right to vote.
Political Reform
Finally, in 1920,
the 19th
Amendment was
ratified giving
women the right
to vote.