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American Presidents of the Reform Era
Roosevelt to Wilsonand the Election of 1912
Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
• President, 1901-09– Youngest President at
age 43
• New York
• Republican
Roosevelt’s Presidency• Domestic Issues - “Bully Activist”
– “Square Deal” - Business Reform• “Trust-buster”
– Environmentalist• 194 million acres for National Parks
– Public Health• Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)• Yellow Fever
William Howard Taft
• President, 1909-13
• Ohio
• Republican
• Weighed 300 pounds
Taft Presidency, 1908-1912• Series of reforms
– Anti-trust cases– Tariff reductions– Strengthened Interstate Commerce Act
• Although TR earned the name “Trust-buster”, Taft actually broke apart more trusts
Taft and Roosevelt
• Teddy Roosevelt more and more disenchanted with his successor– Taft fired TR’s Chief of Forest Service
• 1910 Midterm Elections– Democrats take House
Taft and Roosevelt
• Taft Anti-trust case criticizes TR policy– US Steel– Roosevelt declares for nomination
• Increasing split among Republicans– Conservative camp– Progressive camp
• Robert LaFollette
Republican Convention
LaFollette Roosevelt Taft
Republican Convention
Roosevelt Taft
“Fathead!”
“Dumber than a guinea pig”
“Demagogue!”
“Dangerous Egoist”
Republican Convention
• Progressive wing (TR & LaFollette) split delegate vote
• Taft takes Conservatives
• TR and allies walk out and vow to start new party - The Progressive Party
Democratic Convention
• Highly contested
• William J. Bryan backs Wilson
• Wilson wins on 46th ballot
Campaign• Teddy Roosevelt and
Progressive Party– “Bull Moose” Party
• “New Nationalism”– Government involvement in the
economy– Guarantee social justice– Protecting labor– Women’s suffrage
Campaign
• Taft– Incumbents traditionally
did not campaign
• Surrogates back conservative platform– Some reform– Maintain tariffs
Campaign• Wilson and the Democrats
• “New Freedom”– Reform, but not radical– Government not to interfere too much in
economy– Reduce tariffs– Good government– Women’s suffrage a state issue
Campaign• Eugene V. Debs• Candidate in 1904 and 1908, as
well as 1912
• Socialist– Government ownership of some
industry– Sweeping labor reforms– Women’s suffrage
Results
Wilson’s Presidency
• Domestic Issues– 18th Amendment: Prohibition– 19th Amendment: Votes for Women– Federal Reserve System– Federal Farm Loan Act– Some support for Labor Unions