The Progressives in Government

Working within the Government  

 Progressives and “muckraker” writers attacked city corruption, corporate greed, poor living and working conditions, alcohol, and women’s right to vote. Each of these ills saw laws and/or Amendments passed to attempt to better the condition.

REVIEW: The Targets of Progressive Reformers  (Optimism and possibility of  improving society) 

1. Living and working conditions in the growing urban centers
2. Transforming individuals – Indians (Dawes Act/Indian Schools and Immigrants/Settlement Houses)
3. Racial Tensions and reactions to Jim Crow - Booker T Washington visits the White House 
   Ida Wells - Lynchings: Without Sanctuary Website   PBS Jim Crow Interactive Lynching Map
4. Labor issues - Child Labor, Women’s Labor
5. Extended voting rights women: Suffrage Image  and Suffrage Map
6. Making government more responsive and less corrupt. This includes concern about concentrated power in government and the "organized corruption of the Boss system

City Reforms
Progressive reform began at the local or city level because it was easier to implement than at the vast state or national level. Urban corruption from political machines was a major focus, resulting in the reorganization of local government using the commissioner-and city-manager-styles of management.

City Commissioner Plan  -    Experts in different fields to run a single aspect of city government ( Example Police Commissioner)

State Reforms
Reform governors such as Theodore Roosevelt of New York, Robert LaFollete of Wisconsin, and Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, all helped get reforms passed in their respective states. In addition, reforms first proposed by the Populist Party were enacted in order to make state governments more responsive to the needs of the people. 

Secret Ballot  -      Privacy at the ballot box ensures that citizens can cast votes without party bosses knowing how they voted.

Recall -  Allows voters to petition to have an elected representative removed from office.   2012 Wisconsin Recall 

Federal Reforms
During the Progressive Era, the Federal Government passed an enormous amount of legislation designed to conserve the environment, tighten past economic regulations, preserve the health and safety of American citizens, and generally provide needed capitalist reforms.

Federal Trade Act (1914) - Established the Federal Trade Commission to investigates unfair business practices including monopolistic activity and inaccurate product labeling.

Other notable Federal Acts

Newlands Reclamation Act  (1902)    

Elkins Act  (1903)  

Pure Food and Drug Act  (1906/1911)       

Meat Inspection Act (1906)   

Hepburn Act (1906) 

Federal Reserve Act  (1913)    

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)    

518 History - Teddy Roosevelt becomes President
Vibrant, Visible, and Accsessible

“Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fairness, and commonsense… we must treat each man on his worth and merits as a man. We must see that each is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less.” The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us.”

Theodore Roosevelt
New York State Fair, Syracuse 

Theodore Roosevelt

Like to present himself as an ordinary man, not very accurate…Descendant of NY Dutch aristocracy. Intelligent and active; had a number of health defects – he was weak and bookish as a child – begins a transformation in his teens to a ideal manly type through an intense fitness regime – the strenuous life

Constructs a Horatio Alger tale about himself, despite his patrician background – presenting himself as a moral exemplar - Immature, dynamic personality – wants to be the center of attention. TR creates an outside power base using the press to promote his image and joins the governing class in NYS politics. Middle class readership fascinated with the wealth and well-placed “culture of celebrity” The Western persona - only allows photos of him on horseback and hunting (no golf or tennis) drawing on the western myth!!!     TR is never anonymous

Ideas and Politics

Loyal to the Republican Party and a team player, however he is part of the reforming wing of NYS politics – Police commissioner of NY

A blend of ideas - Hamiltonian – uses the government to create a strong state and stimulate the idea of national greatness and dash of Jeffersonian – faith in the people and a faith in larger democratic participation.

Federal Reforms
During the Progressive Era, the Federal Government passed an enormous amount of legislation designed to conserve the environment, tighten past economic regulations, preserve the health and safety of American citizens, and generally provide needed capitalist reforms.