THE PROGRESSIVE AGE
By Chris Prato & Mike Atlas

ELECTIONS

1900- President McKinley was easily renominated at the Republican convention in Philadelphia in June 1900. The major issue at the convention was who would be the Vice Presidential candidate. Despite his reluctance to give up the governorship to New York, Theodore Roosevelt accepted the nomination. At the Democratic convention, William Jennings Bryan was nominated again. The major issue at the convention was whether to maintain Democratic support for the silver plank. Many Democrats thought that with the return of prosperity it was no longer necessary.
       The campaign itself was largely a replay of the race in 1896- with Bryan campaigning rigorously and McKinley not venturing from the White House. The issue of currency and silver was no longer relevant, and instead the campaign issues were whether the United States should give independence for the territories received in its war with Spain. Byran called for their immediate independence, while Roosevelt- who did most of the campaigning, claimed that the United States had a duty to civilize the lands first. The major issue was ultimately the issue of continued prosperity. The prosperity of the McKinley era ultimately decided the election and McKinley winning margin was higher than 1896.

1904- Theodore Roosevelt's nomination at the Republican convention in June of 1904 was without opposition. The Democrats nominated Alton Parker of New York on the first ballot at their convention. The two contestants differed very little on the issues. Thus, the contest centered on the personalities of the two candidates. Roosevelt won the election easily.

1908-   William Howard Taft was President Roosevelt's chosen successor. He received the nomination on the first ballot. At the Democratic convention in Denver, William Jenning Bryan once again received the nomination on the first ballot. The major issue of the campaign was who could best carry out the vastly popular policies of Roosevelt. Although Taft was Roosevelt's hand picked successor, Bryan claimed that he was more likely to continue Roosevelt's policies. Bryan made a major mistake when he called for the socialization of the railroads. Taft won an overwhelming victory.

1912-   The Democratic nomination for President was held in Baltimore in June. The contenders included House Speaker Champ Clarke of Missouri, Representative Oscar Underwood of Alabama, Governor Judson Harmon of Ohio and Woodrow Wilson. It took 467 ballots to nominate Wilson.
      Former President Theodore Roosevelt opposed the renomination of Taft by the Republican party, but the party professionals were solidly behind Taft. As a result, Roosevelt left the party to form his own, which he called "the Progressive" or "Bull-Mouse Party".
     The Republicans were divided between Roosevelt and Taft, thus, the election of Wilson was almost assured from the beginning. Roosevelt and Wilson both promised progressive actions on behalf of labor and against monopolies.

AMENDMENTS

Amendment 16-   (Article I, section 9, of the Constitution was modified by this amendment.)
         The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Amendment 17-   (Article I, section 3, of the Constitution was modified by this 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.
         When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
         This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

Amendment 18-   (Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919. )
         Section 1.
           After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
        Section 2.
           The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
       Section 3.
           This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Amendment 19-   (Passed by Congress June 4, 1919. Ratified August 18, 1920.)
        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.

WRITING

The Octopus - By Frank Norris, 1901: The novel tells the story of the farmers of the San Joaquin Valley and their confrontations with the railroad trust which keeps them impoverished by raising its rates whenever there is a good crop.
The History of Standard Oil - By Ida Tarbell, 1902: Tarbell was a muckraker who exposed the practices of the Standard Oil Trust owned by Rockerfeller, who made Tarbell's father bankrupt.
The Jungle - By Upton Sinclair, 1905: The Bureau of Standards did not have the statutory authority to enforce compliance with weights and measures laws. These laws were, after all, state laws. But the Bureau could direct public attention to the problem through exposure. The Progressive Era saw muckraking journalists such as Lincoln Steffens and novelists such as Upton Sinclair expose the corruption and greed associated with the new industrial economy. Between 1909 and 1911, the Bureau did some muckraking of its own, sending inspectors to every state in order to test scales, weights, and dry and liquid measures --a much larger investigation than the one launched in 1901. Reporters covered the weights and measures crusade with zest, motivating several states to enact a model weights and measures law proposed by the Bureau. A Bureau proposal to require that the net weight, measure, or numerical count of contents be printed on sealed packages was accomplished by a 1913 amendment to the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906).
The Crisis- By W.E.B. Du Bois, 1909: The Crisis publicized cases of racial inequality and called for social reforms that would ensure equal rights for African Americans.

LEGISLATION

Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902: This act was passed by Congress. It allowed money from the sales of public land to be used for irrigation and the reclamation of unusable or damaged lands.

Square Deal of 1904: The Square Deal was Roosevelt's campaign slogan for his run for the election of 1904. It called for limiting the power of trusts, promoting public health and safety, and improving public working conditions.

Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906: It called for manufatured, transporting, and patented medicines containing harmful ingredients must be stopped for the public's safety.

Meat Inspection Act of 1906: This act said that all meat shipped from one state to another must be inspected by a government official. This helped ensure the status and effectiveness of the Pure Food and Drug Act.


Danbury Hatters Case, 1908: decided in 1908 by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1902 the hatters' union instituted a nationwide boycott of the products of a nonunion hat manufacturer in Danbury, Conn., and the manufacturer brought suit against the union for unlawfully combining to restrain trade in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The Supreme Court held that the union was subject to an injunction and liable for the payment of treble damages. This precedent for federal court interference with labor activities was later modified by statutes.

NAACP founding, 1909: Founded by W.E.B. Du Bois, was founded to help African American rights. Had a magazine called, "The Crisis", which publicized cases of racial inequality and called for social reforms.

Mann - Elkins Act of 1910: Made the Interstate Commerce Commision and gave them power over the telegraph and telephone industries.

New Freedom of 1912: The was Woodrow Wilson's campaign slogan in the election of 1912. It called for the revival of small businesses where the little guy was free from big business control.

Underwood Tariff Act of 1913: This act reduced tariffs to their lowest levels in 50 years. To make up for lost revenue, the bill imposed the new concept of the Graduated Income Tax.

Federal Reserve Commission founding, 1913: Has 3 Branches: 1st - Federal Reserve Board, a cabinet of men appointed by the President. 2nd - 12 Federal Reserve Bank under mixed private and public control. 3rd - Private Banks who can borrow money from Federal Reserve Banks at intrest rates set by the board.

Federal Trade Commission founding, of 1914: backed by Woodrow Wilson in full; authorized to investigate corporations and issue cease and desist orders to those who engaged in unfair and fraudulent practices. Courts enforced the rulings.

Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914: This act clarified the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 by clearly stating what corporations couldn't do, such as to prevent monopolies from forming.     

Last updated: January 7, 2002 7:11 PM