economic reform in the progressive era

Economic ReformEconomic ReformWorking ConditionsWorking ConditionsLife in the TenementsLife in the TenementsTrustsTrustsEnvironmentEnvironmentFood and DrugsFood and Drugs

A woman worker in a New A woman worker in a New England cigar box factoryEngland cigar box factory

Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston, Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston, 1910.1910.

Progressives became Progressives became concerned about:concerned about:

* * long hours long hours

** poor wages poor wages

for factory workers, for factory workers, damaging their health, damaging their health, their children.their children.

Women like Women like Florence Florence KelleyKelley began to lobby began to lobby for for protective protective legislationlegislation for women for women and children. and children.

Child LaborChild LaborAn immigrant An immigrant family doing family doing piecework in a piecework in a dirty, poorly dirty, poorly lighted New York lighted New York City tenement. City tenement. Hine wrote that Hine wrote that ""Pauline 6 years Pauline 6 years old, works after old, works after school.school. Peter, 8 works Peter, 8 works until 8 p.m. until 8 p.m. Mike 12 years Mike 12 years old, until 10 p.m.old, until 10 p.m. Father keeps a Father keeps a rag shop."rag shop."

Lewis HineLewis Hine

Child Labor in AmericaChild Labor in America

Jacob RiisJacob Riis

““How the Other Half Lives”How the Other Half Lives”

Tenement Tenement House YardHouse Yard

Room in a Tenement, 1910Room in a Tenement, 1910

Twelve year old boy (who had sworn he was sixteen) Twelve year old boy (who had sworn he was sixteen) pulling threadspulling threads

Knee-pants at forty-five cents a dozen - a Ludlow Knee-pants at forty-five cents a dozen - a Ludlow Street sweat shopStreet sweat shop

Necktie workshop in a Division Street tenement, Necktie workshop in a Division Street tenement, 18891889

In a seven-cent lodging-houseIn a seven-cent lodging-house

Lodgers in a crowded tenement - five cents a spotLodgers in a crowded tenement - five cents a spot

Street Cleaning, Fourth StreetStreet Cleaning, Fourth Street

Street Arabs in Street Arabs in Sleeping Sleeping QuartersQuarters

Street Arabs in sleeping quarters [areaway, Mulberry Street Arabs in sleeping quarters [areaway, Mulberry Street]Street]

Street Arabs in sleeping quarters [a church corner, Street Arabs in sleeping quarters [a church corner, Mulberry StreetMulberry Street

Street Arabs in night quartersStreet Arabs in night quarters

Beginning in 1902, Beginning in 1902, McClure’s MagazineMcClure’s Magazine, under , under the leadership of its owner the leadership of its owner Samuel S. McClure, was the Samuel S. McClure, was the most prominent of the most prominent of the Progressive “muckraking” Progressive “muckraking” journals. Selling for 10 cents journals. Selling for 10 cents an issue, it reached a wide an issue, it reached a wide audience with its vivid audience with its vivid accounts of corruption in accounts of corruption in high places. Ida Tarbell was high places. Ida Tarbell was an editor of an editor of McClure’sMcClure’s from from 1894 to 1906.1894 to 1906.

McClure’s MagazineMcClure’s Magazine

““muckraking” journalmuckraking” journal

Minimum WageMinimum Wage

Massachusetts 1912Massachusetts 1912Oregon 1915Oregon 1915$8.25 / week w/ exceptions for “slow” $8.25 / week w/ exceptions for “slow”

workers and childrenworkers and children

Not until 1930’s would this be popularNot until 1930’s would this be popular

Ida M. Tarbell (1857-1944).Ida M. Tarbell (1857-1944). Ida M. TarbellIda M. Tarbell

Muckraker that combined Muckraker that combined investigative reporting investigative reporting attacks on privilegeattacks on privilege. .

Published a history of the Published a history of the Standard Oil CompanyStandard Oil Company

Derricks in oil field near Tuft, in California.Derricks in oil field near Tuft, in California. The advent of the gasoline-The advent of the gasoline-powered automobile, powered automobile, creating an increasing creating an increasing demand for oil, and the demand for oil, and the discovery of new oil fields discovery of new oil fields in the West, led to in the West, led to opportunities for extensive opportunities for extensive fraud and stock swindles fraud and stock swindles as well as to cut-throat as well as to cut-throat competition and corporate competition and corporate takeover attemptstakeover attempts. . In the 1890s, Union Oil of In the 1890s, Union Oil of California was able to resist California was able to resist takeover bids by Standard takeover bids by Standard Oil, but in 1900 John D. Oil, but in 1900 John D. Rockefeller was able to buy Rockefeller was able to buy out another company in out another company in southern California, southern California, renaming it Standard Oil of renaming it Standard Oil of California.California.

The Toll on the EnvironmentThe Toll on the Environment

Cartoon, economic influence of Standard Oil.Cartoon, economic influence of Standard Oil.

This political cartoon, inspired by Ida Tarbell’s exposé of the insidious extent This political cartoon, inspired by Ida Tarbell’s exposé of the insidious extent of the political and economic influence of Standard Oil, shows the company of the political and economic influence of Standard Oil, shows the company as a many-tentacled octupus winding around the steel, copper, and shipping as a many-tentacled octupus winding around the steel, copper, and shipping industries, and around a state house, the Capitol, and reaching for the White industries, and around a state house, the Capitol, and reaching for the White House. Lithograph in House. Lithograph in PuckPuck, September 7, 1904., September 7, 1904.

Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt As president from 1901 to 1909, As president from 1901 to 1909,

Roosevelt Roosevelt drastically changed drastically changed American perception of presidentsAmerican perception of presidents. .

he simply he simply wanted government to wanted government to regulate industryregulate industry to make sure it to make sure it

served a larger public and national served a larger public and national interest.interest.

This idea came to be called the “New Nationalism.” While “TR” This idea came to be called the “New Nationalism.” While “TR” acted to break up certain trusts, he only did this when he thought acted to break up certain trusts, he only did this when he thought

their power would harm the country. their power would harm the country.

Natural Resources: Natural Resources: Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt - key leader of - key leader of conservation conservation movementmovement. . -expanded the expanded the nation’s forest nation’s forest preservespreserves- established five new established five new national parksnational parks-John Muir in John Muir in Yosemite National Yosemite National Park.Park.

Like other Progressives, Roosevelt worried about the harm done by Like other Progressives, Roosevelt worried about the harm done by unchecked private companies – such as the mining operation shown unchecked private companies – such as the mining operation shown here.here. In a 1907 speech he said, “The conservation of our natural In a 1907 speech he said, “The conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which underlies almost every other problem of our national life.” underlies almost every other problem of our national life.” Roosevelt was Roosevelt was not opposed to industrial development. His fear was not that we were not opposed to industrial development. His fear was not that we were using our natural resources, but that we were wasting them, to the using our natural resources, but that we were wasting them, to the detriment of the nation’s power and prestige.detriment of the nation’s power and prestige.

Upton Sinclair (1878-1968)Upton Sinclair (1878-1968)Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair (1878-1968), (1878-1968), an ardent Socialist, used an ardent Socialist, used fiction to work for industrial fiction to work for industrial reform. His novel reform. His novel The The JungleJungle (1906) argued (1906) argued passionately for the need to passionately for the need to transform production from transform production from monopoly ownership to monopoly ownership to control by the workers, but control by the workers, but most readers ignored the most readers ignored the Socialist message in their Socialist message in their outraged reaction against outraged reaction against Sinclair’s brutally graphic Sinclair’s brutally graphic depictions of the unsafe depictions of the unsafe practices of the meat practices of the meat packing industry. Sinclair packing industry. Sinclair (right) is shown here in (right) is shown here in May, 1914, picketing the May, 1914, picketing the Rockefeller building in New Rockefeller building in New York City.York City.

Workers in a Chicago meat packing plant in 1905. When the revelations of Workers in a Chicago meat packing plant in 1905. When the revelations of unsanitary conditions in the meat packing industry in Upton Sinclair's novel The unsanitary conditions in the meat packing industry in Upton Sinclair's novel The

Jungle (1906) shocked Americans into demanding regulation of the food Jungle (1906) shocked Americans into demanding regulation of the food industry, Roosevelt played a key role in the fashioning of a Pure Food and Drug industry, Roosevelt played a key role in the fashioning of a Pure Food and Drug Act, and a Meat Inspection Act, both in 1906. Reformers had been demanding Act, and a Meat Inspection Act, both in 1906. Reformers had been demanding

federal regulation of patent medicines and processed meats for some time. federal regulation of patent medicines and processed meats for some time. Theodore Roosevelt worked with the largest meat packers to design Theodore Roosevelt worked with the largest meat packers to design

compromise legislation under which government inspectors were allowed into compromise legislation under which government inspectors were allowed into the packing houses, but meat packers could appeal their decisions in court.the packing houses, but meat packers could appeal their decisions in court.

Food ContaminationFood Contamination