The Progressive Movement (Key Concepts)

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)


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


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


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


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)


Business regulation—railroads, insurance companies and food industry

Graduated income tax—imposed on businesses, replacing inequitable fixed income tax


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

Documents

The Progressive Movement (Key Concepts)