The Progressive Movement
(Key Concepts) First major phase of “liberalism” in the 20th C
Grassroots and government reformers attempted to address abuses and deficiencies in American life at the local, state, and federal levels
Important reforms were enacted by Congress to correct abuses in business, the economy, and the environment
Women and African-Americans organized to improve their conditions and status, but they continued to experience hard times
Five 20C Reform Periods(An Historical Perspective)
The Progressive Era (1900-1920)— Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson
The New Deal (1933-1945)—Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Fair Deal (1945-1953)—Harry S. Truman
The New Frontier (1961-63)—John F. Kennedy
The Great Society (1963-69)—Lyndon B. Johnson
Barack Obama (?)
“Liberalism”(The Positive View)
It is the true expression of American democracy—as established by Jefferson, Jackson, and later 20C presidents (the continuation of human “progress,” thus the name)
It represents an alliance between the public and government to guard against and correct abuses of capital. A balancing of public interests and corporate interests.
“Liberalism”Goals
To alleviate immediate short-term economic, political and social problems
To bring about significant fundamental changes within existing economic, political, and social relationships and institutions
ECONOMIC: Control corporate behavior; check abuses practiced by large corporations
POLITICAL: Extend or protect political rights of previously disenfranchised groups; make public officials more accountable; attack corruption and abuse of power of public officials
SOCIAL: Protect and promote the human and social rights of deprived groups in society
The “Progressives” Reformers A variety of groups, individuals
and movements Mostly middle class Most leaders were
“professionals” Some in government (some not) Some combined Protestant
religion with humanitarian work (the “Social Gospel Movement”)
Ideas of The “Progressives”
Rejected laissez-faire AND radicalism
Had a systematic and pragmatic approach to solving societal problems
Viewed government as a positive force for change (to combat monopolies and corruption)
Government could neutralize special interests
To instill order and stability to American institutions and social life
Bradwell v. Illinois
Admitted women to the Illinois bar.
1873
Minor v. Happersett
The Supreme Court ruled that states had the authority to deny women the right to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment (1920) made denial of the vote on the basis of gender unconstitutional.
1875
How the Other Half Lives (1890)
One of the earliest examples of muckraking
Photos of urban poverty evoked an emotional response from the public
Jacob Riis
Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt
(1901-1908) Leader of Progressivism at the turn of the 20th century
Supported regulation of big business, conservation of resources and a “square deal” for ordinary people
Greatly expanded the role and authority of the presidency in national government
Teddy Roosevelt (Republican and Progressive)
Square Deal (1904) Theodore (Teddy)
Roosevelt
The Octopus (1901) Frank Norris’s
novel Exposed corrupt
politicians conspiring with the powerful Southern Pacific Railroad to exploit California workers
Frank Norris
Newlands Reclamation Act (1902)
Effort to extend federal assistance to farmers and ranchers who worked the arid lands of the West
Sponsored by Rep. Francis G. Newlands (Nevada)
Newlands Reclamation Act (1902)
Self-perpetuating funding system established
The federal government would plan, construct and manage irrigation projects for the purpose of reclaiming marginal lands
Money for projects generated by the sale of public land
On-going expenses of project supported by fees paid by farmers and ranchers for use of water
Northern Securities Co. v. U.S.1902
President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the Justice Department to bring suit against this railroad monopoly
The Supreme Court dissolved the company It was ruled in violation of the Sherman
Antitrust Act Case earned Roosevelt the title of “trust-
buster”
Theodore Roosevelt; “trust-buster”
(Mann-)Elkins Act (1903) Strengthened the
Interstate Commerce Act of 1887
Required railroad companies to charge only the published rate
Made illegal secret rebates
Actually favored by the railroad companies because it minimized the effects of a rate war between railroad companies that was driving down profits
The Shame of the Cities (1904)
Lincoln Steffens Managing editor
of McClure’s magazine
Exposed corruption in government, business and labor
Articles appeared in book form Lincoln Steffens
History of Standard Oil (1904)
Ida Tarbell targeted the company’s abuses
As a result, Standard Oil was successfully prosecuted in 1911
Ida Tarbell
Lochner v. New York1905
Invalidated New York state regulations limiting night work hours in bakeries
The court contended that the law was a violation of the work contract between employer and employee (“Liberty of contract”)
Niagara Movement/NAACP (1905)
Impatient response to Booker T. Washington’s accommodation of white prejudice
More militant African-Americans met in Niagara Falls
Called for equal opportunity, equal justice and an end to segregation
Led to the founding of the NAACP
W.E.B. DuBois
Hepburn Act (1906) Put teeth in regulatory power of the
Interstate Commerce Commission by increasing members from five to seven
Allowed it to determine reasonable railroad rates upon the complaint of a shipper
Gave commission power to inspect railroad companies’ records and outlaw free passes, which were often used to influence politicians
Forbade railroads to haul commodities they had produced themselves
The Jungle (1906) Novel depicting
the filth in Chicago’s slaughterhouses
Publication helped President Roosevelt pressure Congress to enact meat inspection and pure food and drug legislation
Socialist journalistUpton Sinclair
Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
Lobbyists representing medicine makers and well-funded “beef trust” opposed the bill
Some Southerner senators opposed as unconstitutional
Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
Created Food and Drug Administration, which was entrusted with the responsibility of testing all foods and drugs for human consumption
Required prescriptions from licensed physicians before a patient could purchase certain drugs
Required label warnings on habit-forming drugs
Meat Inspection Act (1906)
Companion measure to the Pure Food and Drug Act
Brought reforms to processing of cattle, sheep, horses, swine and goats destined for human consumption
Meat Inspection Act (1906)
All animals required to pass an inspection by the U.S. Drug Administration prior to slaughter
All carcasses subject to post-mortem inspection
Cleanliness standards established for slaughterhouses and processing plants
Muller v. Oregon1908
Oregon law set maximum of 10 hours a day for women laundry workers
Louis Brandeis, lawyer for the National Consumers’ League, argued that long working hours were dangerous to the health of women and society
Came with economic and sociological evidence Upheld by the Supreme Court Ruling encouraged states to pass legislation to
protect women and children in the workplace
Louis Brandeis
William Howard Taft(1909-1912)
27th President Served as first
governor-general of the Philippines
And Secretary of State under Roosevelt
Chosen by TR as candidate to succeed him
Defeated William Jennings Bryan in 1908
Actually dismantled twice as many trusts as Roosevelt
William Howard Taft (Republican)
Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909)
Taft had pledged to lower tariffs Rep. Sereno E. Payne (NY) introduce bill
to lower tariffs Sen. Nelson W. Aldrich (RI) (and other
protectionists) added amendments As passed it was a high protective tariff
(up to 40 percent on imports) Supported by conservatives, but opposed
by progressives Taft supported the conservative wing on
the issue and refused to veto the bill
Ballinger/Pinchot Affair (1909)
Gifford Pinchot, chief of the Interior Department’s Division of Forestry and avid conservationist (and a friend of TR) became involved in a dispute with President Taft’s Secretary of the Interior, Richard Ballinger
Gifford Pincho (the “father” of conservation)
Ballinger/Pinchot Affair (1909)
Pinchot accused Ballinger of abandoning Roosevelt’s conservation policies by plundering and selling public lands
Controversy centered on disposition of public lands in Alaska
Secretary of the Interior, Richard Ballinger
Ballinger/Pinchot Affair (1909)
President Taft backed his Secretary and removed Pinchot
Theodore Roosevelt (and other progressives in Congress) supported Pinchot
Although Ballinger later resigned, he and Taft were criticized for putting the interests of private industry over the good of the nation
Teddy Roosevelt (left) with good friend, Gifford Pinchot
Ballinger/Pinchot Affair (1909)
Mann-Elkins Act (1910) Strengthene
d the Interstate Commerce Commission by giving it power to regulate the new communications industry
Also given more authority to regulate railroad companies’ short- and long-haul rates
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911)
Tragic death of 150 women employees (mostly immigrants) at New York’s Triangle Shirtwaist Company
Caused by the absence of fire escapes
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911)
Led to passage of stricter building codes and factory-inspection laws
Standard Oil Co. v. U.S.1911
Limited Sherman Anti-Trust Act Law reached only to unreasonable
“restraints of trade”
New Freedom (1912) Woodrow
Wilson’s political and economic reform program proposed during the election of 1912
Goal: To reduce corporate power and return the government to the people
Woodrow Wilson
New Freedom (1912) Wilson proposed
to lower tariffs Revise the
monetary system Break up
monopolies Reinvigorate the
free enterprise system
Woodrow Wilson
New Nationalism (1912) Progressive
political platform of Theodore Roosevelt during the election of 1912
Emphasized political, social and economic reform to be coordinated by the federal government
New Nationalism (1912) Program stressed
increase in safety and welfare laws and taxation of businesses
Roosevelt argued that monopolies and big business should not be destroyed (as Wilson proposed), but controlled by regulatory commissions
Underwood Tariff Act (1913)
First bill since the Civil War to lower tariff rates
Lowered tariffs on hundreds of items that could be produced more cheaply in the United States than abroad
Reduced rates of the Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909) by about 10%
Included income tax to make up for the loss of revenues
Rep. Oscar W. Underwood (AL)
16th Amendment (1913) Created federal
income tax The Supreme
Court had ruled in Pollock v. Farmers Loan and Trust Company (1895) that the Income Tax Act of 1893 was unconstitutional
Seventeenth Amendment
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures…
Woodrow Wilson
1913
17th Amendment (1913) Provided for
direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote
Replaced method prescribed in the U.S. Constitution: selection by state legislatures
James Madison,turning over in his grave
Federal Reserve Actaka Glass-Owen bill
(1913) Created banking system of the United States
Most important job of the “Fed” is to manage the country’s supply of money
Seven-member Federal Reserve Board appointed by the president for 14-year (staggered) terms
Nation divided into 12 Federal Reserve Bank districts
Federal Trade Commission Act (1914)
Established government agency to prevent unfair business practices and maintain competitive economy
FTC controls radio (now also TV) advertising
Regulates labeling and packaging
Five commissioners, appointed by the president, serve seven-year terms
Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)
Intended to plug loopholes in the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890
Prohibited price discrimination and interlocking directorates for the purpose of eliminating competition
Recognized legality of boycotts and strikes and stated that unions were not monopolies under antitrust laws
Guinn v. U.S.1915
Invalidated grandfather clause
18th Amendment (1919) Some reformers
blamed alcohol for many of society’s problems
Prohibited the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” within the United States
Repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment
Nineteenth Amendment
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Woodrow Wilson
1919
Adkins v. Children’s Hospital1923
Held that a maximum ten-hour workday for women workers in Washington DC was unconstitutional
Political Reformsat Local Level
“Home-rule” charters—took away power from corrupt state governments; gave local governments authority to draw up own plans for government
City-manager system or commission system—placed executive and legislative powers in the hands of a small elected commission that managed the city like a business (to de-politicize city government)
Political Reformsat Local Level
“Gas and water socialism”—public (municipal) ownership of utilities
Minimum wage and maximum hours—established for city employees
Recreation and day-care—some cities funded such centers
Political Reformsat State Level
Child labor laws—attempts to ban child labor
Minimum wage and maximum hours—to protect women and laborers
Workers’ compensation—to protect against on-the-job accidents
Political Reformsat State Level
Pensions—for widows and children of husbands/fathers killed on the job
Building codes—to protect workers against hazardous working conditions (especially after Triangle Shirtwaist Fire)
Political Reformsat State Level
Business regulation—railroads, insurance companies and food industry
Graduated income tax—imposed on businesses, replacing inequitable fixed income tax
Political Reformsat State Level
initiative—allows citizens to place issues on the ballot through petition, bypassing state legislatures
referendum—legislatures ”refer” issues to a vote obtain citizen approval
Recall— allows removal of a public officials before the end of a term through petition
Direct primary—allows voting to nominate presidential candidates