Chapter 6

The Progressive Movement

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Welcome to:The Progressive Era

1890 -1920

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The Roots of Progressivism

Recall The Populists….

• Poor, uneducated, rural farmers

Populist Problems

• overproduction = falling crop prices

• high tariffs = lack of export sales

• tight money supply = high interest rates =

hard to pay their debts

• victimized by banks, RRs, big biz =

farmers paid higher rates3

Populist Demands and Reforms (How did

they think their problems could be solved?)

• Coinage of silver: to increase $ supply

and lower interest rates

• more gov’t regulation of big biz

• Gov’t ownership of RRs

• lower tariffs

• graduated income tax

• Direct election of SenatorsPopulist Legacy?

• fail to get desired reforms or improve the

economic condition of farmers, but....others

will take on their cause & call for reform!4

Enter the Progressives……Progressivism: a political movement that

crossed party lines. Progressives believed

that rapid industrialization and urbanization

had created many social problems and that

government should take a more active role in

dealing with these problems

Intro to Progressivism

Yikes!

5

Who are the Progressives? Who is pushing

for reform?

define reform:

• Middle-class, urban, educated Americans

• Both Political Parties call for reform (recall the

significance of Third Parties!)

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II. The Rise of Progressivism

A. The Problems 1890 +

1. Industrialization, with all its increase in productivity & the # of consumer goods created:

a. unemployment and labor unrest, poor working conditions

b. wasteful use of natural resources

c. abuses of corporate power

2. Urbanization – rapid growth of cities magnified problems of poverty, disease, squalid living conditions, crime & corruption

3. Laissez-Faire – free market lacked the ability to address those problems

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Tenement Slum Living

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Poor working conditions, child labor

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B. The solution? Solve social problems through

active Government leadership! (bye bye Laissez-Faire)

T. Roosevelt

W. Wilson

W. H. Taft

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C. The Reformers1. Muckrakers - journalists who attacked

corruption and scandal & investigated social

conditions (term muckraker: raked up the “muck” or

dirt of American life)

- published articles in popular magazines

- led to public debate over

social/economic problems & put

pressure on politicians to introduce

reforms

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Muckraking

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1) Lincoln Steffens

Exposed city

political machines

in The Shame of

the Cities

a. Exposing Corruption in Gov’t

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2) David Graham PhillipsCriticized how $ influenced the

Senate in Treason of the Senate

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1) Ida Tarbell

Exposed

corruption in Big

Biz in The History

of Standard Oil

b. Exposing Corruption in Big Biz

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2) Frank Norris

Exposed the suffering

caused by corrupt and

greedy turn-of-the-century

RR monopolies in The

Octopus: A California

Story

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1) Jacob Riis

Exposed poverty,

crime, disease in

immigrant tenement

neighborhoods in

How the Other Half

Lives

c. Exposing Social Welfare problems

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2) John SpargoCriticized 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.

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3) Upton

SinclairExposed health and

safety problems in

the meat-packing

industry in The

Jungle

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2. Political Cartoonists – especially effective

since there was high illiteracy (couldn’t read the

newspaper, but could understand the cartoons)

a. Thomas Nast: favorite target? Boss Tweed

and Political Machines

b. Frederick Opper: favorite

target? Trusts and social ills

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3. Political Reformers – those opposed to

traditional party politics

4. Socialists - frustrated workers who promised

to destroy capitalism. Led by

Eugene Debs (who polled 900,000 votes

for President in 1912).

a. socialism is rejected by most Progressives as

too extreme in their goals and methods

b. Progressives want some gov’t regulation of biz

and industry. Socialists want gov’t ownership of

some biz and industry

c. Progressives (& most Americans) believed in

the superiority of the US system of free

enterprise (capitalism, market economy)

Socialism

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The Socialist Ticket 1912

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D. 4 Groups of Progressives 1. Efficiency Progressives – goal to make

city gov’t more efficient

a. Scientific management applied to gov’t - run gov’t more like a business

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

- specialists should run city depts

- prompted by Galveston, TX hurricane of 1900 24

Replacing the City Machines

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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

(Laboratory 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)

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2) Problem: state legislatures

unresponsive to voters

Solution: Election reforms to

bring direct democracy to voters

Initiative – allowed voters to

“initiate” laws in state legislature

Referendum – in some states,

let voters accept or reject measures

proposed by state legislature

Recall – enabled voters to remove

unsatisfactory elected officials from

office before their term was up

“Fighting Bob”

La Follette

Recall in Action:

CA 2003 – Davis OUT, Arnold IN!

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3) Problem: open ballots allow

everyone to see your vote –

voters subject to pressure and

intimidation

Solution: Secret Ballot

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b. Federal level reform efforts

1) 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

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2) Women’s suffrage. Problem: 50% of US

population disenfranchised

Solution: 19th Amendment to the

Constitution = women’s suffrage

Women’s Suffrage

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c. Women

1) The status of women: considered inferior. Couldn’t vote, serve on juries, or hold public office – their place was in the home. In most states, once married, woman lost control of her property and wages to her husband

2) The Road to Women’s Suffrage

a) Seneca Falls Convention (1848) –1st

women’s rights convention – LucretiaMott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton

b) 15th Amendment (1870) – black men vote: expanded calls for women’s vote

c) National Women’s Suffrage Assoc(NWSA) – pushed for constitutional amendment allowing women’s suffrage –Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Susan B arrested for voting in 1872 presidential election) 32

Opposition to

Women’s

Suffrage

• Suffragists considered

unfeminine/immoral

• Some attacked

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Propaganda against

women’s suffrage

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d) 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 W. Howe

e) By 1900, only WY, ID, UT and CO had

granted women full voting rights

f) National American Woman Suffrage

Assoc (1890) – a combo of the NWSA &

AWSA . 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

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Women’s Suffrage Movement

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g) Washington March - March 3, 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

h) 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

i) 1918-19 WWI: men went to fight, women

went to factories, mills and mines in

support of the war effort– support for

women’s suffrage grew

j) 19th Amendment – June 1919 passed by

Senate – Aug 1920 - ratified

Alice Paul

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The Washington March: March 13, 1913

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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 immigrants and the poor (Hull House)

b. Pushed for new laws to fix social probs

1) Problem: In 1900 ~ 2m kids under16 worked outside the home.

Solution: National Child Labor Committee - goal to end child labor

- some states establish minimum work age/ max work hrs

- compulsory education Laws Seafood Worker: young shrimp picker, age

5, and a mountain oyster shells behind

him.40

2) Problem: Many adult workers labored in difficult and dangerous conditions.

- Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Solution: creation of health & safety codes: building codes, workers’ compensation laws, zoning laws - made work environment safer for workers

a) zoning laws regulate how land and buildings can be used + separate biz from residential areas

b) building & safety codes to protect workers and improve working conditions 41

Triangle Shirtwaist Company

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3) Problem: alcohol responsible for

many problems: loss of productivity

in the workplace, industrial

accidents, spousal & child abuse

Solution: temperance movement -

moderation or elimination of

alcohol.

- Women’s ChristianTemperance

Union (WCTU) led by Frances

Willard;+ Anti-Saloon League

pushed for prohibition–

laws banning the

manufacture, sale, &

consumption of alcohol

(18th amendment) 43

WCTU

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4. Big Biz Progressives- goal to regulate/reform Big Biz

a. Pushed for new laws to regulate biz

b. Problem: wealth in the hands of too few –monopolies/trusts/holding companies too powerful – too much political power

Solution:

1) Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) strengthened

2) Consumer laws passed

3) Federal Trade Commission (FTC) set up to regulate biz

4) Sherman & Clayton Anti-trust Acts

5) biz licensing

6) regulate public utilities (so they set fair rates)

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II. Theodore Roosevelt (R)

(1901-1908) #26

A. Introduction1. 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

Teddy Roosevelt

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B. Roosevelt’s Reforms1. 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

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TR the Trustbuster

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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

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C. Social Welfare Action1. Issues?

a. Patent Medicine Biz

- variety of potions passed off as cure-

alls etc.

- many = just household mixtures.

others = dangerous compounds

b. Food/Meat

- Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle –

exposed appalling conditions in

meatpacking industry

The Jungle

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Magic Potions!

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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

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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

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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)

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E. TR’s Legacy1. 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

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III. William Howard Taft (R)(1909-1913) #27

A. Introduction1. 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 politics56

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!

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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

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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

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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 60

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

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IV. Woodrow Wilson (D)

(1913-1921) #28

A. Election of 19121. 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’lgov’t & strong exec branch to regulate biz/trusts

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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

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5. Woodrow Wilson elected

a. TR & Taft split Republican Vote, so…

Democrat wins easily!

b. example of a Third Party as an election

“spoiler”

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B. Wilson on the Economy1. 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”

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66

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

67

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

68

C. Federal Aid & Social Welfare1. 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

69

D. Legacy of Progressives1. more efficient city gov’t

2. more democratic state gov’t

3. increased biz regulation

4. improved working conditions

5. new amendments to constitution

6. role of gov’t to fix social & economic problems

increased

70

E. Limits to Progressivism: US still very

racist1. Niagara Mvmt (1905)

2. NAACP (1910)

3. WEB DuBois – vote essential to bring about

an end to racial discrimination

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