Progressives and Reform Another age of reform

Progressives and Reform Another age of reform…

The Middle Class saw the nation threatened in many ways…. The economic and political power of trusts n Unsafe products n Labor uprisings n Rising number of immigrants n Poverty and slums n Political corruption n

Progressivism (1900 – 1918) n n Roosevelt – WWI, a progressive war Not a unified program – many contradictions The idea? use the government as an agency of human welfare” A mood of middle class urban America to address societal ills of urbanization and industrialization – Status anxiety and powerlessness led to gov’t action n power of trusts which denied opportunity n The threat of the growing radicalism of the working class

Different from antebellum reform Earlier reforms: temperance, schools, nativism, asylums, n outside of government, led by women and voluntary associations, supported by whigs, provide institutions and environments that would lead to reform, perfectionism n

n Values (note contradictions) – Crolyism – no interest in laissez-faire; sought government responses – Social gospel – optimism – Pragmatism: practical, compromising, research based – Not revolutionary – conservative! – Increased democracy – power of the people (women? ) not the trusts

Inspired by Muckrakers n n n Riis – How the Other Half Lives Ida Tarbell Upton Sinclair

Promote Democracy n Wrestle power from “the interests” – Direct primary – Initiative and referendum – 17 th Amendment – Support of women’s suffrage n But increased residency requirements to limit immigrants

Efficiency in Government n n City-manager system – a professional manager who ran the city for the elected government Role of experts (opposite of Jackson!) – research departments, connection with universities (Wisconsin Model)

Social Justice n n n Private ethics and accountability no longer sufficient Safety legislation esp after Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911) 146 died. Labor legislation – National Child Labor Committee (1904) – state legislation banning labor of underage children (editorials stating the US would be a nation of sissies” ) – National Consumers League (Florence Kelley) – state laws to limit the hours of wives and mothers n n n Lochner v. NY (1905) workers had liberty of contract and could choose any hours they chose Muller v. Oregon (1910) more than 10 hours detrimental to women who were weak. Bunting v. Oregon (1917) 10 hour day for both men and women

Social Reform n Prohibition not temperance – General success in rural states – the 18 th Amendment n Censor movies and regulate dancehalls

African Americans n n Du. Bois – education for talented 10%, full citizenship and voting rights Niagara Conference NAACP (white progressives and Afr. Ams. ) attempt to use courts to pursue change Ida Wells

n But! Birth of a n Nation black men were “half child, half animal” Wilson –increasing segregation in government

Reform – 2 models n n New nationalism (Roosevelt) – allow businesses to grow and benefit from economies of scale but regulate them (promote efficiency and regulation) New Freedom (Wilson) – businesses and government should remain small (promote freedom)

Roosevelt Square deal for labor, capital and the public n Three C’s: conservation of natural resources, consumer protection and control of resources n A MODERATE RESPONSIVE TO PUBLIC DEMANDS n

n FRIEND OF LABOR – Intervened in anthracite coal strike (threatened to seize mines) when corporate leaders refused to negotiate. (1902) – NOTE DIFFERENCE! n suffering as winter approached without coal n Approved settlement gave the unions 10% instead of 20% but did not recognize a closed shop n Created: Department of Commerce and Labor

Taming Businesses n Trust Busting mostly symbolic – Established Bureau of Corporations to investigate trusts – goal help business reform itself rather than initiate suits – Broke the Northern Securities Corporation – it abused the people, engaged in stock fraud and defied Roosevelt A BAD TRUST – Initiated 44 anti-trust suits including beef and oil but gave blessing to GOOD TRUSTS (eg Tennessee coal and Iron by US Steel) – Business supported R in 04 – Taft “busted” twice as many trusts

n Warmup: Explain the cartoon? What does it imply regarding Roosevelt’s policies?

n n Supported Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act (accurate ingredient labeling and prohibited the sale of adulterated food). Both acts pleased business Railroad reforms – Elkins Act to impose fines on those who gave or accepted rebates – Hepburn Act outlawed free passes and enable the ICC to nullify existing rates

n Race Relations n Conservation not preservation – Appointed a black man as head of a Charleston custom house, summoned Washington to the White House, closed a Miss. post office rather than dismiss a black post mistress – Did set aside 125 M acres – Appointed Gifford Pinchot as head of new US Forest Service to encourage responsible use of timberlands – Allowed Hetch-Hetchy Valley to be flooded for a resovoir

William Howard Taft Roosevelt’s chosen heir n You do Taft! Pay close attention to why Progressives turned against him! n n Conservation n Trustbusting n Payne Aldrich Tariff n Alliance with Old Guard Republicans and split of the party

Wilson Note the election of 1912: the candidates, the results n War against the triple wall of privilege – banks, trusts and tariff n – Ready to appeal directly to the people or called congress into special session

n Tariff Reform – forced American trusts to compete with foreign industries – Called Congress into special session – Spoke to public and criticized tariff lobby – Underwood Simmons Tariff (1913) lowered duties on 958 items and average duty fell from 40% to 29% n UST also levied a new income tax – When previously?

n Trust Regulation – Created Federal Trade Commission with power to define “unfair trade practices” and issue “cease and desist orders” – Clayton Antitrust Act which outlawed discriminatory pricing and ended use of injunctions unless “necessary to prevent irreparable injury to property”

n Banking – The Glass Owen Federal Reserve Act – A new banking system with 12 Federal Reserve Banks to act as a bank for banks and promote a more flexible currency system – By determining the interest rates paid by banks to borrow money and by requiring different levels of reserves they could promote a more flexible currency (control deflation and inflation)

n BUT – Declined to support a suffrage amendment at first – Sympathized with the Klan – ordered segregation in federal departments – Withheld support form federal child labor legislation – Suspended free speech during WWI

PROGRESSIVES GO TO WAR! THE WORLD WAR I ERA SELECTED TOPICS A 22 w 9. 2. 13

World War I n Wilson’s idealistic and progressive (active pursuit of democracy and justice) goals and actions during World War I. – reluctance to enter war and insistence on neutrality rights

Continued insistence on rights of neutral to trade (strict accountability) eventual Arabic Hy Sussex pledges) and n 1917 – “peace without victory” n Pledge that war effort was to “make the world safe for democracy, ” not conquest; initial resistance to war guilt. n Understanding that US would need to be involved to ensure a “progressive peace” n – 1/8/18 – 14 Points: abolish secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, liberate colonies, self-determination for minority groups in Europe, League of Nations to defend the independence and territorial integrity of all.

THE ROAD TO WAR n n Not business profits! Unrestricted submarine warfare (1917) Zimmerman telegram Russian Revolution (1917) – “The world must be made safe for democracy” (April 2, 1917) German Foreign Minister Alfred Zimmermann Wilson announcing the breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany, Feb. 3, 1917 U. S. Losses to the German Submarine Campaign, 19161918