The Progressives

The Progressives

Definition of Liberalism:

Government should be more active Social problems are susceptible to government legislation and action Throw money at the problem What is ProgressivismBelief that if society (economics, democracy, community, and family) is left to its own devices without government interference society would destroy itself

The Dawn of Liberalism: Progressivism

Historians often describe the Progressive movement as the urban counterpart to Populism Important Differences :support among small businessmen professionalsmiddle-class urban reformers Populist Ideas that become ProgressivePrimary systemA secret ballot,A graduated income tax, The direct election of Senators The ProgressivesProgressive Era 1890 1920Progressives a loose knit group of reformers who believed that the government needed to take a more active role in solving societies problemsMuckrakers crusading journalist who investigated social conditions and political corruptionCommission Plan- a plan in which a citys government is divided into different departments with different functions, each placed over the control of a commissionerThe ProgressivesDirect primary all party members vote for a candidate to run in the general electionInitiative citizens can introduce legislation and ask for the legislature to vote on itReferendum allows proposed legislation to be presented to the public for approvalRecall allows voters to demand a special election to remove an elected official before their term had expiredThe ProgressivesSuffrage - the right to voteCompulsory education requirement that young children be in school instead of workTemperance the moderate use or elimination of alcoholSocialism the belief that the government should own or operate industry for the communityThe PeopleIda Tarbell The History of Standard Oil, the story of unfair business practices of Standard OilJacob Riis How the Other Half Lives, about poverty, disease, and crime in the tenementsFrederick Taylor The Principles of Scientific Management, led to the principle of efficient government. Have professionals run cities and the departmentsPeopleRobert La Follette led the Progressive wing of the Republican Party knowledge is powerElizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the first womens rights convention Seneca FallsSusan B. Anthony a leading suffragette died before women got the right to vote

PeopleAlice Paul led NAWSA organized a march on Washington for Womens Rights for Wilsons inauguration.Carrie Chapman Catt led the final charge that led to the 19th amendmentJohn Spargo The Bitter Cry of the Children about child laborEugene Debs led Socialist Party received a million votes in 1912 electionUpton Sinclair The Jungle the story of the meat packing industryIssuesGood Government Controlling business bad practices, making government professional, and more democracyDirect primariesInitiative , recall, and referendumDirect election of Senators

IssuesWomen's RightsSuffrageTried to use the 15th amendmentWomen in western states had vote in 1900Alice Paul

IssuesLaborChild Labor 1.7 million children under 16 worked outside the home. Child Labor Committee formed in 1904Health and safety codesTriangle Shirtwaist FireSafety codes, insurance for injuries on the job, health codes for food in restaurants

Temperance MovementProhibition of AlcoholThe effect of drinking on familiesWomens Christian Temperance Union 1874

Foes of Democracy - ExamplesBoss Tweed destroy democracy through political machinesJohn D. Rockefeller - destroy capitalism through monopolistic practicesImmigrants - destroy community through ending American work ethic and anarchismWorking mothers destroy the family culture

Raging ModeratesGovernment needed to be run by virtuous, well educated activist looking out for the good of societyThey like capitalism because their middle class background arose from jobs created by industryDemocracy should be an activity; especially whitesObjectivesEnd to "white slavery" (prostitution and the sweat shops) Prohibition "Americanization" of immigrants Immigration restriction legislation Anti-trust legislation Rate regulation of private utilities ObjectivesFull government ownership of private utilities Women's suffrage End to child labor Destruction of urban political machines Taylorism scientific managementPolitical reform Types of Progressive Reform Economic--"Monopoly" Structural and Political--"Efficiency" Social--"Democracy" Moral--"Purity"

Who and what Progressives likedProfessional Associations and Certification BoardsScience- History moves forward and gets betterHarmonizing No class conflictNon partisan in politics, voted for the more progressive candidateWho and what Progressives likedHuge moralist saw issues through public morality. (CPS, Anti child labor)Education the great leveler. ( Dont redistribute wealth, tax the public to educate everyone)What they didnt LikeImmigrants not properly American didnt vote right (control by machine) wrong religionAfrican Americans no real interest in changing Jim Crow lawsRadicals dont challenge capitalism, government shouldnt own industry. Dont be a socialist or communistWhat they didnt LikePopulist poor farmers who wanted the government to set pricesFeminist give the vote, however follow the Victorian model of family. Stay at home even if educated.

ReligionBelieved good works were more important than faithHull House -settled in working-class neighborhoods to try and help the poor and learn about the real world- tried to instill middle-class values and often had a paternalistic attitude toward the poor.Social Gospel - make Christian churches more responsive to social problems like poverty and prostitution YMCAPopulist

ProgressiveChangeDirect election of SenatorsDirect election of Senators17th amendmentProgressive Income TaxProgressive Income Tax16th amendmentWomens SuffrageWomens Suffrage19th amendmentProhibitionProhibition18th amendmentThe Jungle Reading'The meat will be shoveled into carts [for processing] and the man who did the shoveling will not trouble to lift out a rat even when he saw one.'--The Jungle

Mister Dooley says" Well, sir, it put th' Prisidint in a tur-rble stew. Oh, Lawd, why did I say that? Think iv but I mustn't go on. Annyhow, Tiddy was toying with a light breakfast an' idly turnin' over th' pages iv th' new book with both hands. Suddenly he rose fr'm th' table, an' cryin': 'Fm pizened,' begun throwin' sausages out iv th' window. Th' ninth wan sthruck Sinitor Biv'ridge on th' head an' made him a blond. It bounced off, exploded, an' blew a leg off a secret-service agent, an' th' scatthred fragmints desthroyed a handsome row iv ol' oak-trees. Sinitor Biv'ridge rushed in, thinkin' that th' Prisidint was bein' assassynated be his devoted followers in th' Sinit, an' discovered Tiddy engaged in a hand-tohand conflict with a potted ham.

T, ROOSEVELTW. TAFTW. WILSONTRUSTSNorthern Securities-sued NS for violating Sherman Antitrust Act-Supreme Court sides against NSU.S. Steel-sues U.S. Steel for trying to buy out Tennessee Coal and Iron-said it violated Sherman Antitrust Act

Clayton Antitrust Act-banned price discrimination

Federal Trade Commission-monitors big business-issues reports on unfair business practicesLABORCoal Strike of 1902-miners strike for months-T.R. urges arbitrationUnion agrees, owners dontT.R. threatens to call out Army to federalize mines

Childrens Bureau-investigated and publicized child labor issuesKeating-Owens Act-prohibits employment of children under 14 in factories

Adamson Act-8hr workday for RR workersBIG BUSINESSBureau of Corporations-investigated corporations-reported on activitiesHepburn ActMann-Elkins Act-strengthened regulatory power of ICC-believed monopolies needed to be destroyed not reformedSOCIAL WELFAREMeat Inspection Act-federal inspection and cleanliness standardsPure Food and Drug Act-labels for foodFederal Farm Loan Act-long term, low interest rates to farmersTARIFFSPayne-Aldrich Tariff-hardly cut tariffs at all-raised tariff on some goodsUnderwood Tariff-reduced avg. tariff on imported goods-income taxRoosevelt ExtrasConservationGifford PinchotNewlands Reclamation Act

Taft ExtrasBallinger-Pinchot ControversyGifford Pinchot-head of forestry divisionFired by Taft for insubordinationExposed to public Sec. of Interior Ballingers plan to sell public Alaskan land to private interests Wilson ExtrasFederal Reserve ActRequired banks to keep portion of deposits in regional reserve banksBoard of Governors (appt. by Pres)Set interest rates the reserve banks could charge other banksHelps regulate economy through money circulation