1912: The Election that Changed the Century

Ms. Susan M. PojerMs. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Horace Greeley HS

Chappaqua, NYChappaqua, NY

Ms. Susan M. PojerMs. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Horace Greeley HS

Chappaqua, NYChappaqua, NY

The Republican

Party &

President William H.

Taft

The Republican

Party &

President William H.

Taft

Keepthe

Whistle

Blowing

Keepthe

Whistle

Blowing

Taft was Taft was determined to determined to defeat TR and preserve the defeat TR and preserve the conservative heart of the Republican conservative heart of the Republican Party.Party.

Come, Mr. President. You Can’t Have

the Stage ALL of the Time!

Come, Mr. President. You Can’t Have

the Stage ALL of the Time!

Republican Party Platform

Republican Party PlatformHigh import tariffs.High import tariffs.

Put limitations on female and child Put limitations on female and child labor.labor.

Workman’s Compensation Laws.Workman’s Compensation Laws.

Against initiative, referendum, and Against initiative, referendum, and recall.recall.

Against “bad” trusts.Against “bad” trusts.

Creation of a Federal Trade Creation of a Federal Trade Commission.Commission.

Stay on the gold standard.Stay on the gold standard.

Conservation of natural resources Conservation of natural resources because they are finite.because they are finite.

The GOPAfterthe

Circus

The GOPAfterthe

CircusTR TR The Republican The Republican

Party must stand for Party must stand for the rights of the rights of humanity, or else it must stand for humanity, or else it must stand for special privilege.special privilege.

The Progressive

Party &Former

President Theodore Roosevelt

The Progressive

Party &Former

President Theodore Roosevelt

People should risePeople should riseabove their sectarianabove their sectarianinterests to promote the general good.interests to promote the general good.

Theodore Roosevelt atOsawatomie, KS: New Nationalism

Theodore Roosevelt atOsawatomie, KS: New Nationalism

Big business requires big Big business requires big government.government.

TheAnti-Third-Term

Principle

TheAnti-Third-Term

Principle

The “Bull

Moose”Party:The

LatestArrivalat the

Political Zoo

The “Bull

Moose”Party:The

LatestArrivalat the

Political Zoo

We stand at We stand at Armageddon, Armageddon,

and we battle for the and we battle for the Lord!Lord!

ONWARD, CHRISTIAN ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS!SOLDIERS!

Progressive Party Platform

Progressive Party PlatformWomen’s suffrage.Women’s suffrage.

Graduated income tax.Graduated income tax.

Inheritance tax for the rich.Inheritance tax for the rich.

Lower tariffs.Lower tariffs.

Limits on campaign Limits on campaign spending.spending.

Currency reform.Currency reform.

Minimum wage laws.Minimum wage laws.

Social insurance.Social insurance.

Abolition of child labor.Abolition of child labor.

Workmen’s compensation.Workmen’s compensation.

NNeeww

NNaattiioonnaalliissmm

NNeeww

NNaattiioonnaalliissmm

The Socialist Party

& Eugene V. Debs

The Socialist Party

& Eugene V. Debs

The issue is Socialism The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism. I am versus Capitalism. I am for Socialism because I for Socialism because I am for humanity.am for humanity.

“The Working Class Candidates”

“The Working Class Candidates”

Eugene V. Debs Emil Seigel for President for Vice-President

Growth of the Socialist VoteGrowth of the Socialist VoteYear

Socialist Party

Socialist Labor Party Total

1888   2,068 2,068

1890   13,704 13,704

1892   21,512 21,512

1894   30,020 30,020

1896   36,275 36,274

1898   82,204 82,204

1900 96,931 33,405 130,336

1902 223,494 53,763 277,257

1904 408,230 33,546 441,776

1906 331,043 20,265 351,308

1908 424,488 14,021 438,509

1910 607,674 34,115 641,789

1912 901,873901,873

The Industrial Worker: I. W. W.

The Industrial Worker: I. W. W.

The first American labor group to open its The first American labor group to open its membership to all wage-earning workers, membership to all wage-earning workers, regardless of skill, nationality, race, sex, or regardless of skill, nationality, race, sex, or gender.gender.

Socialist Party PlatformSocialist Party Platform

Government ownership of Government ownership of railroads and utilities.railroads and utilities.

Guaranteed income tax.Guaranteed income tax.

No tariffs.No tariffs.

8-hour work day.8-hour work day.

Better housing.Better housing.

Government inspection of Government inspection of factories.factories.

Women’s suffrage.Women’s suffrage.

The Democratic Party &Governor Woodrow

Wilson (NJ)

The Democratic Party &Governor Woodrow

Wilson (NJ)

Could he Could he rescue the rescue the Democratic Democratic Party from Party from “Bryanism”??“Bryanism”??

The ReformGovern

orof NJ:

It TakesTime

to Remov

ethe

Grime

The ReformGovern

orof NJ:

It TakesTime

to Remov

ethe

Grime

Which

Wayto

Jump?

Which

Wayto

Jump?

Democratic Party Platform

Democratic Party PlatformGovernment control of the Government control of the

monopolies monopolies trusts in general were bad trusts in general were bad eliminate them!! eliminate them!!

Tariff reduction.Tariff reduction.

One-term President.One-term President.

Direct election of Senators.Direct election of Senators.

Create a Department of Labor.Create a Department of Labor.

Strengthen the Sherman Anti-Strengthen the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.Trust Act.

Did NOT support women’s Did NOT support women’s suffrage.suffrage.

Opposed to a central bank.Opposed to a central bank.

NNeeww

FFrreeeeddoomm

NNeeww

FFrreeeeddoomm

The “Seas” [of Opportunity]

Open Up for the Democrats

The “Seas” [of Opportunity]

Open Up for the Democrats

UpAgain

st the

Hurdles

UpAgain

st the

Hurdles

As Big As a BalloonAs Big As a Balloon

Tariff ReformTariff Reform

ConservationIssue:

TheBallinge

r-PinchotControv

ersy

ConservationIssue:

TheBallinge

r-PinchotControv

ersy

The Unanswerable Argument for Suffrage

The Unanswerable Argument for Suffrage

Never Again!Never Again!

Taft Abandons Support for Women’s Taft Abandons Support for Women’s SuffrageSuffrage

TR&

Women’s

Suffrage:

The Militan

t Recruit

TR&

Women’s

Suffrage:

The Militan

t Recruit

Woman Suffrage Before 1920

Woman Suffrage Before 1920

Songs of the Sunny South

Songs of the Sunny South

Lynching

& theRaceIssue

Lynching

& theRaceIssue

Trying to Catch the Colored Vote

Trying to Catch the Colored Vote

Mr. Lewis Gets His Share

Mr. Lewis Gets His Share

An Actual 1912 BallotAn Actual 1912 Ballot

Election ResultsElection Results

By 1912, 100,000 fewer people had voted By 1912, 100,000 fewer people had voted for Wilson than had voted for Bryan in for Wilson than had voted for Bryan in 1908.1908.

The 1912 election marked the apogee of The 1912 election marked the apogee of the Socialist movement in America.the Socialist movement in America.

Oh, That ThisToo, Too

Solid SouthWould Melt!

Oh, That ThisToo, Too

Solid SouthWould Melt!

GOP Divided by Bull Moose

Equals Democratic Victory!

GOP Divided by Bull Moose

Equals Democratic Victory!

On Uncle Sam’s FarmOn Uncle Sam’s Farm

The Democratic party took control of The Democratic party took control of the Senate for the first time in 20 the Senate for the first time in 20 years.years.

TheGOP:

AnExtinctAnimal

?

TheGOP:

AnExtinctAnimal

?

For Further ReadingFor Further Reading

BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY

““1912—Competing Visions for 1912—Competing Visions for America.”America.”Ohio State University.Ohio State University.http://history.osu.edu/projects/1912/

HarpWeek/Elections. “Election of HarpWeek/Elections. “Election of 1912.”1912.”http://www.elections.harpweek.comhttp://www.elections.harpweek.com//