Unit 4:
Imperialism
and
Progressivism
Chapter 13
The Progressive Movement
I. The Roots of Progressivism
A. Introduction
1. Progressivism: a political movement that
crossed party lines. Progressives believed
that rapid industrialization and urbanization
had created many social problems and that
gov’t should take a more active role in
dealing with these problems
Intro to
Progressivism
2. Sources of Progressive Reform
a. Industrialization, with all its increase in
productivity & the # of consumer goods
created:
- unemployment and labor unrest, poor
working conditions
- wasteful use of natural resources
- abuses of corporate power
b. Growing cities magnified problems of poverty,
disease, squalid living conditions, crime &
corruption
c. Influx of immigrants & rise of new
managerial/middle class upset traditional class
alignments
d. Economic Depression (1893-1897) convinced
many that = opportunity was out of reach for
many Americans
Tenement Slum Living
Poor working conditions, child labor
3. Roots of Progressivism Who is pushing for reform?
a. Liberal Republicans of 1870s, Mugwumps
of 1880s, Populists in late 1800s
4. Diffs btwn Populism & Progressivism
a. Populism grew in rural areas
Progressivism grew in cities
b. Populists = poor & uneducated
Progressives = middle class, welleducated, both political parties
c. Populists = more radical/socialist
Progressives = moderate/compromised
d. Populism = failed
Progressivism = success!
5. The solution? Solve social problems through
active gov’t leadership! The Progressive Era
T. Roosevelt
W. H. Taft
W. Wilson
B. The Rise of Progressivism
1. Who were the Progressives?
a. New middle class composed of young
professionals - journalists, social
workers, educators, politicians, clergy –
mainly urban
b. Muckrakers - journalists who attacked
corruption and scandal & investigated
social conditions
- published articles in popular magazines
- led to public debate over
social/economic problems & put
pressure on politicians to introduce
reforms
Exposing Corruption in Gov’t
Lincoln Steffens
Exposed city
political machines
in The Shame of
the Cities
David Graham Phillips
Criticized how $ influenced the
Senate in
Treason of the Senate
Exposing Corruption in Big Biz
Ida Tarbell
Exposed
corruption in Big
Biz in The History
of Standard Oil
Exposing Social Welfare problems
Jacob Riis
Exposed poverty,
crime, disease in
immigrant
neighborhoods in
How the Other
Half Lives
John Spargo
Criticized child labor in
The Bitter Cry of the
Children
View of the Ewen Breaker of the Pa. Coal Co. The dust was so dense at times
as to obscure the view. This dust penetrated the utmost recesses of the boys'
lungs. A kind of slave-driver sometimes stands over the boys, prodding or
kicking them into obedience. S. Pittston, Pa.
Upton
Sinclair
Exposed health and
safety problems in
the meat-packing
industry in The
Jungle
c. Political Cartoonists
d. Political Reformers – those opposed to
traditional party politics
e. Socialists - frustrated workers who
promised to destroy capitalism. Led by
Eugene Debs (who polled 900,000 votes
for President in 1912).
- rejected by most Progressives as too
extreme in their goals and methods
- Progressives (& most Americans) believed in
the superiority of the US system of free
enterprise
Socialism
The Socialist Ticket 1912
C. 4 Groups of Progressives
1. Efficiency Progressives – goal to make
gov’t more efficient
a. Scientific management applied to gov’t
- run gov’t more like a biz
b. City gov’t required EXPERTS, not
POLITICIANS (to head essential city
services)
- change system to prevent boss or
“machine” rule
- support commission plan or
council /mgr plan (pg 421)
- specialists should run city depts
- prompted by Galveston, TX
hurricane of 1900
Replacing the City Machines
2. Democracy Progressives - goal to make
US more democratic – make elected officials
more responsive to voters
a. State level reform efforts championed
by Robert La Follette of Wisconsin
(Lab. Of Democracy)
1) Problem: party bosses indirectly
controlled which candidates were
chosen to run for office
Solution: Direct Primary – voters
given control over candidates
(voters decide who becomes the
candidate in presidential election)
2) Problem: state legislatures
unresponsive to voters
Solution: Election reforms to
bring direct democracy to voters
“Fighting Bob”
La Follette
Initiative – allowed voters to
“initiate” laws in state leg.
Referendum – in some states,
let voters accept or reject measures
proposed by state leg.
Recall – enabled voters to remove
unsatisfactory elected officials from
office
Recall in Action:
CA 2003 – Davis OUT, Arnold IN!
b. Federal level reform efforts
Problem: US Constitution stipulates
that each state leg. elect 2 senators to
DC – but machines or trusts influenced
election of those Senators – repaid
their supporters with fed. contracts &
jobs
Solution: 17th Amendment to the
Constitution = direct election of Senators
by all state voters
c. Women’s suffrage
Problem: 50% of US population
disenfranchised
Solution: 19th Amendment to the
Constitution = women’s suffrage
Women’s Suffrage
Women’s Suffrage Seneca Falls Convention (1848)
–1st women’s rights convention
– Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton
14th 15th Amendments (18681870): expanded calls for
women’s vote
National Women’s Suffrage Assoc
(NWSA) – pushed for
constitutional amendment
allowing women’s suffrage –
Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton (Susan B arrested
Susan B. Anthony
for voting in 1872 presidential
election)
Opposition to
Women’s
Suffrage
• Suffragists considered
unfeminine/immoral
• Some attacked
• Early movement weakened
by focus on abolitionist mvmt
Propaganda against
women’s suffrage
Women’s Suffrage
American Woman Suffage Assoc(AWSA) - gain women’s suffrage by
convincing state gov’ts to give
women’s suffrage before trying to
amend constitution – Lucy Stone,
Julia Ward Howe
By 1900, only WY, ID, UT and CO had
granted women full voting rights
National American Woman Suffrage
Assoc (1890) – a combo of the
NWSA & AWSA – little progress
initially
After 1910 – more progress as middle
class women demand voting rights to
promote social reforms & labor class
women demand voting rights to
ensure passage of labor laws to
protect women
Women’s Suffrage Movement
Women’s Suffrage Washington March - March 3,
Alice Paul
1913 – (day before W.
Wilson’s inauguration)
organized by Alice Paul who
believed that protests were
necessary to force Pres. Wilson
to act on women’s suffrage
1915 “Winning Plan” – organized
as the final push to gain voting
rights. NAWSA supports
Wilson in 1916, Wilson calls for
all states to give women
suffrage
19th Amendment – June 1919
passed by Senate – Aug 1920 ratified
The Washington March
March 13, 1913
The Washington March
March 13, 1913
3. Social Welfare Progressives - goal to
address social problems such as: illiteracy,
alcohol abuse, child labor, safety
a. Created charities
ex. Jane Addams – settlement houses
provided various services to the
poor (Hull House)
b. Pushed for new laws to fix social probs
1) Problem: In 1900 ~ 2m kids under
16 worked outside the home.
Solution: National Child Labor
Committee - goal to end child labor
- some states establish minimum
work age/ max work hrs
- compulsory ed. Laws
Labor conditions
2) Problem: Many adult workers
labored in difficult and dangerous
conditions.
Solution: creation of health &
safety codes: building codes,
workers’ compensation laws,
zoning laws - made work
environment safer for workers
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
film
zoning laws and building codes
regulate how land and buildings
can be used - separate biz from
residential
Triangle Shirtwaist Company
Temperance Mvmt
3) Problem: alcohol responsible for
many problems: loss of
productivity in the workplace,
spousal & child abuse
Solution: temperance movement moderation or elimination of alcohol.
In 1874 the Women’s Christian
Temperance Union (WCTU) ; AntiSaloon League temperance movement
worked to reduce alcohol consumption
1st, but later pushed for prohibition–
laws banning the manufacture, sale,
& consumption of alcohol
(18th amendment)
WCTU
4. Big Biz Progressives- goal to regulate/reform
Big Biz
- Pushed for new laws to regulate biz
Problem: wealth in the hands of too few –
monopolies/trusts/holding companies too
powerful – too much political pwr
Solution:
a. ICC strengthened
b. Consumer laws passed
c. FTC set up to regulate biz
d. Sherman Anti-trust Act
e. biz licensing
f. regulate public utilities (so they set fair
rates)
II. Theodore Roosevelt (R)
(1901-1908) #26
A. Introduction
Teddy Roosevelt
1. age 42 – Youngest US President
2. Social Darwinist = int’l affairs; Progressive in
domestic affairs – believed gov’t should
balance needs of competing grps
a. Square Deal = promise of fair & equal
treatment for all
b. Adopt reforms to maintain an efficient
society that could compete successfully
against other nations
The Square Deal
B. Roosevelt’s Reforms
1. Trusts – Necessary & Efficient, but some
hurting public interest – should be
supervised, not destroyed
ex. Northern Securities Case: TR used Sherman
Anti-trust Act to attack a RR monopoly.
Supreme Ct orders company dissolved
TR earns reputation as a trustbuster!
2. Establishes Gov’t as broker btwn grps in
society
ex. Coal Strike of 1902 – prices climbing, impending
shortage. TR believes this an ex. of pursuit of
pvt interest at expense of nation. Orders
arbitration. Owners refuse. TR threatens to
send in army to run mines – mine owners accept
arbitration
TR the Trustbuster
3. Bureau of Corporations – new fed. Agency to
investigate corps & publicize results
a. goal to keep big biz from abusing pwr thru
knowledge & facts
b. TR exercised ability to regulate big biz w/o
sacrificing the efficiency of trusts
- B of C investigation of US Steel: possible
anti-trust law suit. USS offered to open acct
books – in exchange, gov’t would allow USS to
correct probs privately w/o going to court
4. Acts of Congress
a. Expedition Act – anti-trust suits given
precedent in court dockets
b. Hepburn Act – gave ICC pwr to set RR
rates, inspect books
C. Social Welfare Action
1. Issues?
a. Patent Medicine Biz
- variety of potions passed off as curealls etc.
- many = just household mixtures.
others = dangerous compounds
b. Food/Meat
- Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle –
exposed appalling conditions in
meatpacking industry
The Jungle
Magic Potions!
2. Solutions?
a. Pure Food & Drug Act (1906) –
prohibited manuf./sale/ship. Of impure or
falsely labeled food, drugs, liquors,
medicines – required contents on labels
b. Meat Inspection Act (1906) – gave gov’t
pwr to inspect meat packing plants:
checked meat & set standards for
cleanliness etc.
Meat Reform
D. Conservation (TRs most enduring
legacy)
1. Issues?
a. US resources being used up at alarming
rate
- lumber co.s cutting, not replanting
- oil co. let oil/nat. gas gush out unused
b. Mismanagement of resources
- ranchers overgrazing
- mining co.s gouging huge holes in
earth
2. TR supports conservation
a. Land development in West
- Newlands Reclamations Act: sale of
western lands used for irrigation
projects – build dams
b. Gifford Pinchot
1) US Forest Service (Pinchot in
charge)
2) believed trained experts in forestry &
resource mgmt should apply
scientific mgmt to conserve forests
3) rejected laissez-faire philosophy of
leaving preservation up to lumber
cos. (lumber cos would conserve to
ensure future profits)
E. TR’s Legacy
1. Americans look to the fed. Gov’t to solve
nation’s economic & social problems
2. Executive Branch grew in power
- ICC sets rates
- Ag Dept inspects food
- Bureau of Corps monitors biz
- antitrust suits etc
III. William Howard Taft (R)
(1909-1913) #27
A. Introduction
1. picked by TR as his successor (was TRs
Sec. of War) – defeats William Jennings Bryan
(D) in 1908 election (WJB lost for 3rd time  )
2. Taft hated politics – wanted law career
a. Very diff from TR: agreed to become Pres
b/c his wife and TR wanted him to.
b. Had many progressive ideas, but conflict w/
progressives over his personality &
approach to politics
B. Taft lost credibility w/ progressives
over 3 issues:
1. Tariffs
a. Taft believed tariffs should be reduced as
US biz no longer needed special
protection; believed lower tariffs would
bring lower prices to consumers; drop in
revenue from tariffs could be made up w/
taxes
b. Bill to lower introduced – but in Senate,
head of Senate committee, supporter of
high tariffs, rewrote it (The Payne-Aldrich
Tariff)
- didn’t reduce tariffs much & raised
tariffs on some goods!
1) Taft trapped! If he vetoed it,
he would upset
conservative Republicans,
if he signed it, he would
anger progressives
2) Signed it & said it was the
best tariff bill ever!
2. The House Revolt
a. Joseph Cannon was Speaker of
the House
- anti-progressive
- controlled committee
assignments, order of biz, etc
b. Progressives in Congress decided he
must be removed, from rules committee
at least
- Progs asked for Taft’s support in this
issue – he refused
3. Conservation
a. Taft gets caught up in spat btwn Sec of
Interior Richard Ballinger & Chief
Forester Pinchot over leasing public
land in Alaska to pvt developers
b. Taft supports Ballinger. Pinchot goes to
Europe to tell TR that his buddy was
selling progressivism down the river
C. Taft’s Progressive Reforms
– Taft WAS a Progressive!!
1. Children’s Bureau – investigated/publicized
child labor problems
2. Mann-Elkins Act (1910) – gave ICC power
over telegraph, telephone, (wireless)
3. Conservation
a. Bureau of Mines – oversees mining
activity
b. Forest Reserve Act – expanded Nat’l
Forests
c. Protected waterpower sites from pvt
development
4. 90 Anti-trust suits (2x as many as TR)
a. TR critical: said breaking up trusts was
destroying his system of cooperation &
regulation btwn gov’t/biz
b. TR advocated allowing trusts to exist,
while increasing govts ability to regulate
them
c. TR breaks w/ Taft – decides to reenter
politics, run for Pres in 1912 election
IV. Woodrow Wilson (D)
(1913-1921) #28
A. Election of 1912
1. Taft/TR competing for Repub candicacy
a. Conservatives = Taft
b. Progressive = TR
2. Taft has more support (TR scares them when he
declares fed gov’t to be steward over public’s
welfare)
3. TR leave Rep Party” forms “Progressive Party”
aka “The Bull Moose Party”
- “New Nationalism” – more powerful nat’l
gov’t & strong exec branch to regulate
biz/trusts
4. Woodrow Wilson = Democrat, “New Freedom”
a. Progressive Dem from NJ
1) revamped election laws
2) utility regulation
3) cities changed to commissioner
form in NJ
b. Monopolies should be destroyed, not
regulated
- freedom more important than
efficiency
5. Woodrow Wilson elected
- TR & Taft split Republican Vote, so…
Democrat wins easily!
B. Wilson on the Economy
1. Tariffs
a. Wilson personally appeared before
Congress to address need to reduce
tariffs
b. Believed pressure of foreign competition
would lead US manufacturers to improve
their products & lower prices
- “constant necessity to be efficient,
economic & enterprising”
c. Underwood Tariff (1913)
1) reduced tariffs to about 30% of
value of goods. ½ 1890 rate
2) provision for income tax – direct tax
on earnings of individuals & groups
2. Banking Reform
a. To restore public confidence in banking
system
b. Federal Reserve System/Act (1913)
1) 12 Regional “bankers banks”
- bankers kept portion of their
deposits in these to cushion
against unanticipated losses
2) Board of Govs appointed by Pres.
- had pwr to raise/lower interest
rates – thus had abililty to fight
inflation by raising interest
rates & stimulate economy
during recession by lowering
interest rates
3. Anti-trust Action
a. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- investigates unfair biz practices (that
hurt competition), cease & desist
orders
b. Clayton Anti-Trust Act
- banned tying agreements, price
discrimination, volume discounts
- exempted labor from anti-trust laws
C. Federal Aid & Social Welfare
1. Child Labor
- Keating-Owen Act: prohibited
employment of children under 14 in
factories producing goods for interstate
commerce (court ruled against this)
2. Adamson Act
- 8 hr workday for RR workers
3. Federal Farm Loan Act
- 12 member banks provide farmers w/
long-term, low-interest loans
D. Legacy of Progressives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
more efficient city gov’t
more democratic state gov’t
increased biz regulation
improved working conditions
new amendments to constitution
role of gov’t to fix social & economic problems
increased
E. Limits to Progressivism: US still very
racist
1. Niagara Mvmt (1905)
2. NAACP (1910)
3. WEB DuBois – vote essential to bring about
an end to racial discrimination