Progressivism under Taft HW — Guided Reading 17

Progressivism under Taft HW: - Guided Reading 17. 4. 5 - quiz tomorrow [10 MC, matching; 5 people and 5 legislation] Taft, right, was Roosevelt’s War Secretary 27 th President of the United States got stuck in the White House bathtub and had to be helped out

Election of 1908 • TR promised not to seek 3 rd term handpicked William Howard Taft (TR’s Sec’y of War) to succeed him • popularity of TR led to election of Taft - expected to carry on TR’s policies ü Taft: 321 WJB: 162

Payne-Aldrich Tariff • Taft campaigned to not raise tariffs • Payne-Aldrich Tariff passed raised rates on tax - progressives wanted lower rates on imports increase competition/lower prices - conservatives happy w/ increased rates protect big business • split in Republican Party begins

Conservation (Ballinger-Pinchot controversy) • Taft appointed Ballinger Sec’y of the Interior - removed 1 million acres of preserved land to sell publicly • Pinchot, Chief of US Forest Service, criticized Ballinger - Taft fired Pinchot - progressives outraged • Republican split widens

Republicans Split between… The Progressives The Conservatives lower tariffs, conservation, reform higher tariffs, land for development, support of business

Taft’s Reforms • broke twice as many trusts as TR • 8 hour for federal employees • supported 16 th (federal income tax) • supported 17 th Amendment (direct election of senators)

Election of 1912 • TR runs against Taft (both Republicans) - Rep Party backs Taft - progressive Reps split and support TR’s New Nationalism (“Bull Moose”) Party • Woodrow Wilson (Dem) wins Presidency

Election of 1912

Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom What polices does Woodrow Wilson bring to the White House?

New Freedom Plan • attack triple wall of privilege tariffs, banks, and trusts 1. 1913: Underwood Act: lowered tariff [more comp for big bus] 2. 1914: cont’d Anti-Trust measures including the Clayton Antitrust Act - Federal Trade Commission prohibit unfair business tactics 3. Federal Reserve Act: 12 regional banks able to provide relief to banks w/in region • Signed many labor laws protecting workers, esp. children

Amendments Under Wilson • Wilson signed the following Amendments while President: • • • 16 th Amendment: Federal Income Tax 17 th Amendment: Direct Election of Senators 18 th Amendment: Prohibition of Alcohol • 19 th Amendment: Women’s suffrage

Disappointing Civil Rights Record • Wilson won support of NAACP during election • After elected, he opposed federal anti-lynching laws & allowed segregation to spread • African Americans & liberal whites felt betrayed