Roosevelt Revives the Presidency

Chapter 15

Roosevelt

Square Deal—Roosevelt: “every man has a square deal, no less and no more”Roosevelt reform programs called this

Social DarwinismOnly the fittest surviveRoosevelt believed in both progressivism and Social

Darwinism

Roosevelt takes on trusts

Believed trusts and other large business organizations were very efficient and essential to Am. prosperity BUT

Concerned monopolies hurt pub. interest

NY Sun: Roosevelt “bring wealth to its knees”

Roosevelt: “we draw the line against misconduct, not against wealth”Called “trustbuster”

1st target: Northern Securities

J.P. Morgan’s railroad holding company

Merged existing railroad systems

No northwest competition

Farmers feared it would raise rates and hurt their profits

Sued under Sherman Anti Trust Act

(1904) Northern Securities v. United States = Did violate Anti Trust Act

The Coal Strike of 1902

United Mine WorkersSTRIKE (want increased pay, reduced hrs, union

recognition) 15,000 anthracite miners in east Pen

Coal prices UPRoosevelt: private interests at nation’s expensePossible coal shortages

Shut down factories Homes unheated

The Coal Strike of 1902

Roosevelt urged arbitration

Union owners agreed, mine owners did not

Roosevelt threatened to have the army run the mines, THEN the mine owners accepted the deal

Regulating Big Business

Believed most trusts were good for the economy

Wanted to regulated w/out breaking up trusts

Fed agency to investigate corps and publicize results Department of Commerce and Labor Investigates: U.S. Steel

U.S. Steel

“Gentlemen’s agreement” Company would open record books for investigation

and if there’s a problem comp would be told privately and fix w/out legal action

Also made with other companies

Hepburn Act (1906)

Strengthen Interstate Commerce Commission Set railroad rates

Eventually became supporter of railraods

By 1920s: set rates to ensure profits

Consumer Protection

Samuel Hopkins AdamsPatent medicine businessClaim to cure, but really just alcohol, colored water,

sugar ORCaffeine, opium, cocaine, and other dangerous

compounds

Food Dangerous preservatives “Embalmed meat”

Food

1906—Upton Sinclair “The JungleSlaughterhouses of Chicago; appalling conditions of

meat packingMany people become vegetarians

Meat Inspection Act (1906)Fed. inspection of meat (under interstate commerce)Agriculture Dept set standards

Pure Food and Drug ActProhibited the manufacture, sale, or shipment of

impure of falsely labeled food and drugs