The Progressive Era
The Progressive EraA time for change?Promise of America vs.
Reality of America#gildedageproblemsWhat was the promise?What was
reality?Power to change comes through passing better lawsBetter
laws better lives better worldPROMISEREALITYSocial equalityEconomic
opportunityDemocratic governmentPrejudice &
discriminationRobber Barons/wealth vs. workers/povertyPatronage,
political machinesElements of reformA common spirit of the
ageUrban- Indus. Rev increased social problemsExpanded role of gov.
increase PUBLIC INTEREST OVER PRIVATE GREEDGov = agency of human
welfare
The roots of progressivismMovement grew out of . . .Urban
charity- improvements to sewage, housing, transportationLocal
reformers- organization, audits, budgets, restructure of
officesImprovements in health, education, working
conditionsMugwumpsReformers who fought spoils system through CSR
(support to Dem. Cleveland, 84)Populist Movement Power to the
middle class!SocialismFar left disagreements w/ progressives desire
to counter appeal of socialism
The progressive playersSuffragettesWomen reformersMuckrakers:
feeding the publicJournalists who raised public awareness of
scandals, social illsJohn Bunyan, Pilgrims ProgressHenry Demarest
Lloyd, 1894Wealth Against Commonwealth, vs. Standard OilJacob Riis,
1890How the Other Half Lives, vs. NY slumsLincoln Steffens, 1904The
Shame of the Cities, vs. municipal corruptionIda Tarbell,
1904Expose- History of the Standard Oil CompanyUpton Sinclair,The
Jungle, vs. Chicago Meat PackingFlorence KelleyAnti-Sweat
shopMuckrakers, con.Easy to expose, difficult to changeBelieved . .
.Share facts expose corruption bring gov. closer to the people =
CHANGE
The Shaping of americaWhat are the
problems?UrbanizationIndustrializationImmigrationClass
distinctionChangesFrom rural urbanChanging population,
assimilationPolitical machines & Robber Barons = power,
influence over governmentMore so than democratic processThe
politics of progressivism what did they have in mind?Belief in. .
.The Democratic ProcessGov. RegulationHostile to anyone misusing
powerAbility to create model society for rest of the worldOpposed.
. .Injustice, privilege, misuse of power, trustsNo development of a
3rd party of Progressives (ex: Greenbackers, Populists)Rather, work
within parties Target: democracyReform aimed at local, state,
national levels of gov.
Problems:Rule by wealthy for wealthyPolitical machines = control
of power, influence of businessPatronage System
SOLUTIONS:Reform @ local levelsDirect PrimariesDirect election
of Senators17th Amend., 1913Secret ballotPower to the people!
(Oregon)ReferendumCitizens directly vote on proposed laws w/out
going to legis.RecallDemand of special election to remove elected
officialInitiative Citizens introduce legislatureREFORMCity
LevelUse business as model for city government = efficiency
progressivesScientific management Principles of Scientific
Management, Frederick Taylor 11Heads of city dept. selected by city
manager OR board of commissioners City Manager PlanCity manager
hired to run each department of the city, report back to city
councilCity Commission PlanExperts in different fields hired for
specific aspects of city governmentState LevelWisconsin =
Laboratory of DemocracyRobert La Follette = Progressive Gov. of
Wisconsin smash corporations, but merely to drive them out of
politics and then to treat them exactly the same as other people
are treated.
The Wisconsin ideaState regulation of RRsTaxes, setting
ratesDirect ElectionsBosses control selection of convention
delegates control of who is chosen for officeRLF: ALL party members
vote for a candidate to run in general election voters nominating
party candidatesBreaking power of trustsPeople have power to
influence legislation instead of big business
TARGET: SOCIAL INJUSTICESolutionNational American Woman Suffrage
Assoc. (NAWSA, 1890)National Association of Colored Women (NACW,
1896)Liquor- 18th Amendment (1919) 19th Amendment (1920)Suffrage
for Women 1st granted right to vote in WY (1869)1916- Jeannette
Rankin = 1st female in House of Rep.National Child Labor Committee
investigate child labor conditions. Push for reform to wages,
working hours, age limits, etc.Bunting v. Oregon (1917)10 hr.
workday for men, laws passed for workers compensation (for families
of hurt or killed), benefits for workers
TARGET: ABUSE OF POWERsolutionTrust-bustingSherman Anti-Trust
Act (1890) + Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) + ICC/FTCIncome Taxes =
16th Amendment (1913)Purpose to redistribute wealthTARGET: ABUSE OF
PRIVILEGE Solution:Lower tariffsLower price of manufactured
goodsUse executive power + federal laws to break power of
monopolies, robber barronsCorruption @ state/local levelICC =
Interstate Commerce CommissionRegulatory AgencyTARGET:
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLOITATIONSolution: conservationSet land aside for
preservation & to develop for PUBLIC goodAntiquities Law of
1906- allows Pres. To set aside public natural areas for
parks/conservation lands 230 mil. Acres of land preservedArbor Day-
4/29The playersGifford Pinchot, John Muir, John Audubon, Teddy
RooseveltNational parksEx: YosemiteProgressive presidentsTeddy
Roosevelt: 1901- 1909Pres. responsibility to set legislative agenda
for CongressSquare DealPrevious Pres.- side with owners in labor
conflictHayes, RR Strike, 77Cleveland, Pullman Strike, 94TR take
neutral stance- desired a square deal for bothAnthracite Coal
Strike, 1902Mediation? FailedThreats to take over mines w/ federal
troopsCommission created- compromise made b/t both10% wage
increase, 9-hour workdayNo owner recognition of union,RRElkins Act,
1903NO REBATES!Hepburn Act, 1906Set just and reasonable
ratesIncrease regulatory powers of ICCTrustsGood vs. Bad
TrustsEnforce Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)Northern Securities
Company, Standard OilSC upholds TR action of breaking
trustsConsumer ProtectionRole of Muckraker SinclairPure Food and
Drug Act, 1906Meat Inspection Act, 1906ConservationForest Reserve
Act (1891) 150 million acres into national reservesNo ability to
sell to private interest groupsNewlands Reclamation Act (1902)- $
from sale of public land used for irrigation projects in
westNational Conservation Commission (1908)Gifford Pinchot-
director of U.S. Forest ServiceWilliam H. Taft:
1909-1913Trust-bustingU.S. Steel Merger approved by TR TR vs. Taft
(persona attack?)2x as many antitrust cases as TRConservationBureau
of MinesAppalachians into national forest reservesFederal oil land
set asideMann-Elkins Act (1910)ICC- power to suspend RR rates, over
see phone/telegraph/cable companies16th AmendmentIncome
taxRepublicans splitTaft lost Progressive support because . .
.Payne-Aldrich TariffPromise to lower tariff in campaignPublic
defense of increased tariff through billPinchot-Ballinger
ControversyRichard Ballinger- SOI vs. PinchotOil lands Taft stands
by SOICannonNo support by Taft for Progressive effort to reduce
conservative Cannons powerMidterm electionsSupport to
conservativesSocialist PartySocialist Party of America (1901)Public
ownership of RRs, utilities, industries (oil, steel)DebsCandidate
for president, 1900 1920 (5)InfluenceJoin w/ Progs on workers comp,
min. wageMost Progs. want distanceMost want MILD, not RADICAL,
reformsEventual acceptance of socialist ideas of: public ownership
of utilities, 8-hour workday, pension plansElection of 1912Taft
vs.. TR vs. WilsonNew Nationalism (TR) vs. New Freedom (WW)NN- more
gov. regulation, womens suffrage, social welfareNF- limits on big
business, big government, end to corruption, more competition by
support for small businessesSPLIT vote Wilson takes EC
(435-88-8)Woodrow Wilson: 1909-1917A Democrat in DC2nd since CW GC
(85-89, 93-97)1st southerner since Taylor (49-50)Focus
attacks/reforms on: TRIPLE WALL OF PRIVILEGE Tariffs, banking,
trustsBelief in strong executive actively leading congressAppeal to
people for support of legislative programTariffsAddress to Congress
in person to lower tariffsUnderwoodTariff- 1913Lowered tariffsFirst
time in 50+ yearsAlso included graduated income tax- 1% - 6%Banking
ReformGold standard = inflexibleBankers influenced by Wall Street,
not public interestReject private natl bank, support national
banking systemFederal Reserve Act, 191412 district banks, Federal
Reserve BoardDollar bills issued by federally regulated banking
systemBusiness RegulationClayton Antitrust Act (1914)Strengthened
ShermanClause to exempt unions from being prosecuted as
trustsFederal Trade Commission (1914)New regulatory agency,
investigate/take action against unfair trade practicesAll
industries but banking, transportationOther ReformsFederal Farm
Loan Act, (1916)12 regional federal farm loan banksfarm loans, low
interest ratesChild Labor Act (1916)No INTERSTATE shipment of
products made by children under 14OVERTURNED BY SC- Hammer v.
Dagenhart, 1918
African Americans in the progressive eraCivil RightsMost
Progressives think in terms of white raceWilson- racist attitude of
time reflected in leadership, focus of administrationSegregation of
federal workers, buildingsRacial segregation in South, unofficially
in NorthLack of action against segregation, lynchingWashington vs.
du boisBlack action to end poverty, discriminationIssues?Economic
deprivation, exploitationDenial of civil rights
Booker T. WashingtonW.E.B. DU BOISTuskegee Institute, former
slave, southerner Atlanta Exposition, 1895Education, economic
progress (pragmatism)Learn skills, earn wages secure economic base
political/social equality
Harvard, scholar, writer, northernerThe Souls of Black Folk
(03)Vs. BTWPolitical, social rights/equality = PREREQUISITE for
economic independence Militant demands for = rights
Civil Rights organizationsNiagara Movement1905- Du Bois + black
intellectualsProgram of protest, action to secure = rights for
blacksNAACP1908- Du Bois + Niagara members + white
ProgressivesAbolish all forms of segregation, increase educational
opportunities for kids1920- largest civil rights org. (100k+
members)National Urban League1911Aid to those migrating north from
southNot Alms But OpportunitySelf-reliance, economic
advancementGreat Migration9/10 African Americans in South through
19001910-1930 = internal migration into citiesRace relationsBoll
weevil infestationJobsWWIDecrease during depressionWWII1940-1970 =
second wave northWomen, suffrage, progessivesProgressive Era =
increased activism, optimism for new generation of feminists1900
ends era of Anthony, StantonNew era sought alliance w/ male
ProgressivesCampaigning for the voteCatt = president of NAWSA,
1900Vote = broadening of democracy empowerment of women active care
for families in industrial societyWomen sensitive to social
issuesStrong voter base for Progressive reform measuresDrive @
state level push for amendment
Militant suffragistsPickets, parades, hunger strikesNational
Womens party, Congressional UnionAlice PaulSupport of Congress,
president for amendmentNo focus on state levelNineteenth
amendmentImpact of WWI 2/3 majority in Congress19th ratified in
1920Guarantee of womens right to vote in ALL electionsState,
federal, local League of Women VotersCattKeep voters informed about
candidates, issuesOther issuesMargaret SangerBirth-control
educationEspecially among poor development of planned
parenthoodEducational equalityMarriage/divorce law reformReduction
in discrimination in business, professionsDoctors, lawyersRights to
own property
