Chapter 29 Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad

ELECTION OF 1912 WOODROW WILSON

DEMOCRATS Background:

Progressive Governor of New Jersey

President of Princeton University

Reformer , Idealist , Elitist? stubborn when believed

was correct

ELECTION OF 1912: DEMOCRATS

Woodrow Wilson Platform: “New

Freedom” Anti-Trust Legislation Banking reform Tariff reductions Shunned social-

welfare proposals

ELECTION OF 1912: PROGRESSIVES OR “BULL MOOSERS”

Theodore Roosevelt Platform: “New

Nationalism” Trusts and Labor

unions controlled by regulatory agencies

Program of social welfare

Women’s suffrage Minimum wage Social insurance

ELECTION OF 1912: REPUBLICANS

William H. Taft Platform:

To continue moderate Progressivism

ELECTION OF 1912: RESULTS

Winner: Woodrow Wilson Wilson was a “minority”

President…no “mandate” from the people Why?

Taft and Roosevelt split the vote Taft became Chief Justice of

the Supreme Court Socialist Debs got almost a

million votes

“TRIPLE WALL OF PRIVILEGE”

“Triple Wall” Wilson wanted to attack:• The Tariff• The Banks• The Trusts

Underwood Tariff• Substantially reduced the tariff rates

The 16th Amendment• Graduated Income Tax

RESEARCHING BANKING REFORM The nation’s financial

structure, as created under the Civil War National Banking Act had proven to be glaringly ineffective, as shown by the Panic of 1907, so Wilson had Congress authorize aninvestigation to fix this.

The investigation, headed by Senator Aldrich, in effect recommended a third Bank of the United States.

Democrats heeded the findings of a House committee chaired byCongressman Arsene Pujo, which traced the tentacles of the “money monster” into the hidden vaults of American banking and business.

Louis D Brandeis’s Other People’s Money and How theBankers Use It (1914) furthermore showed the problems of Americanfinances at the time.

THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACT

Created Federal Reserve Board 12 regional banks

that issued Federal Reserve notes

Allowed for flexible money system

THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ACT

Presidential Commission examined interstate commerce laws

Root out unfair trade practices , such as false advertising and bribery

Root out unlawful competition

CLAYTON ANTI-TRUST ACT OF 1914

Outlawed interlocking directories and pure discrimination

“Magna Carta” of the labor movement• Exempted labor

unions from Anti-Trust laws (as had been called by Supreme Court’s interpretation of Sherman Act)

• Legalized strikes and peaceful picketing

WILSONIAN PROGRESSIVE ACTS

Federal Farm Loan Act Federal Government credit for farmers at low

interest rates Warehouse Act of 1916

Government loans on the security of staple crops La Follette Seaman’s Act of 1915

Living wage for merchant ships Workingman’s Compensation Act of 1916

Disability insurance for civil service employees Adamson Act

8 hour work day for federal employees

“BLACK PROGRESSIVISM”/ LOUIS BRANDEIS Wilson did not do

well with “Black Progressivism” He was born in the

South Louis Brandeis

First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

NEW DIRECTIONS IN FOREIGN POLICY

Wilson did not embrace the “Dollar Diplomacy” and “Big Stick”

Jones Act• Made Philippines a

territory, promoted independence as soon as Philippines had stable government, July 4th 1946

Wilson did not embrace the “Dollar Diplomacy” and “Big Stick”

Jones Act• Made Philippines a

territory, promoted independence as soon as Philippines had stable government, July 4th 1946

WILSON DID ACT AS AN “AGGRESSOR” A COUPLE OF TIMES

When California banned Japanese ownership of land, Wilson sent Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan to plead with legislators and tensions cooled.

When disorder broke out in Haiti in 1915, Wilson sent American Marines, and in 1916, he sent Marines to quell violence in the Dominican Republic.

In 1917, Wilson bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark.

In 1913 Mexican rebels overthrew a government friendly to the United States and placed Victoriano Huerta and Carranza and Pancho Villa in positions of power in Mexico. President Wilson refused to recognize the new Mexican government.

In 1913 Mexican rebels overthrew a government friendly to the United States and placed Victoriano Huerta and Carranza and Pancho Villa in positions of power in Mexico. President Wilson refused to recognize the new Mexican government.

Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico

Wilson ordered Marines to take Vera Cruz becauseMexicans affronted Americans. Carranza and Huerto protested bitterly. It was finally mediated by the A.B.C. Powers. Shortly after Huerto collapsed and was replaced by Carranza whom President Wilson reluctantly supported.

Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico

MORALISTIC DIPLOMACY IN MEXICO Meanwhile, “Pancho”

Villa, combination bandit/freedomfighter, murdered 16 Americans in January of 1916 in Mexico and thenkilled 19 more a month later in New Mexico. Wilson sent General John J.

Pershing to capture Villa, and he penetrated deep into Mexico, clashed with Carranza’s and Villa’s different forces, but didn’t take Villa.

World War I was starting in Europe