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