TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S SQUARE DEAL

• When President William McKinley was assassinated 6 months into his second term, Theodore Roosevelt became the nations 26th presidentMcKinley was assassinated by an

anarchist in Buffalo in September of 1901

THE MODERN PRESIDENT

• When Roosevelt was thrust into the presidency in 1901, he became the youngest president ever at age 42

• He quickly established himself as a modern president who could influence the media and shape legislation

A “Square Deal” for Labor 1902 Anthracite COAL STRIKE

• In 1902 140,000 coal miners in Pennsylvania went on strike for increased wages, a 9-hour work day, and the right to unionize

• Mine owners refused to bargain

• Roosevelt served as Mediator - called in both sides and settled the dispute

• Thereafter, when a strike threatened public welfare, the federal government was expected to step in and help

TRUSTBUSTING• By 1900, Trusts – legal bodies

created to hold stock in many companies – controlled 80% of U.S. industries

• TR believed in “Good Trusts” and “Bad Trusts” - J.P. Morgan’s Northern Securities Co. & Standard Oil

• Roosevelt filed 44 antitrust suits under the Sherman Antitrust Act

• Truly more of a trust regulator than a “trustbuster”

Railroad Regulation

Increased power of ICC

1. Elkins Act (1903) - railroads couldn’t grant “rebates” to favored customers

2. Hepburn Act - ICC could set “just and reasonable” rates

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Consumer Protection:“THE JUNGLE” LEADS TO

FOOD REGULATION

• After reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Roosevelt pushed for passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906

• The Act mandated cleaner conditions for meatpacking plants

PURE FOOD AND DRUG ACT

• In response to unregulated claims and unhealthy products, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906

• The Act halted the sale of contaminated foods and medicines (some for children contained opium) and called for truth in labeling

The Pure Food and Drug Act took medicines with cocaine and other

harmful ingredients off the market

ROOSEVELT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• Before Roosevelt’s presidency, the federal government paid very little attention to the nation’s natural resources

• Roosevelt made conservation a primary concern of his administration

Roosevelt, left, was an avid outdoorsman – here he is with author

John Muir at Yosemite Park

ROOSEVELT’S ENVIROMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Roosevelt set aside 150 million acres of forest reserves

• Won passage of Newlands Reclamation Act in 1902 - irrigation projects out west

• Established National Conservation Commission under Gifford Pinchot

• He also set aside 1.5 million acres of water-power sites and he established 50 wildlife sanctuaries and several national parks

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

ROOSEVELT AND CIVIL RIGHTS

• Roosevelt failed to support Civil Rights for African Americans

• He did, however, support a few individuals such as Booker T. Washington

Panama: The King’s Panama: The King’s CrownCrown

Panama: The King’s Panama: The King’s CrownCrown1850 1850 Clayton-Clayton-

BulwerBulwer Treaty Treaty. (joint US . (joint US -Britain control)-Britain control)

1901 1901 Hay-Hay-PauncefortePaunceforte Treaty Treaty. (Britain . (Britain out)out)

Philippe Bunau-Varilla,Philippe Bunau-Varilla,agent provocateur.agent provocateur.

Dr. Walter ReedDr. Walter Reed

Colonel W. Goethals.Colonel W. Goethals.

1903 1903 Hay-Bunau-Hay-Bunau- Varilla Treaty Varilla Treaty..

Panama CanalPanama CanalPanama CanalPanama Canal

TR in Panama(Construction begins in 1904

completed in 1914)

TR in Panama(Construction begins in 1904

completed in 1914)

Speak Softly,Speak Softly,But Carry a Big Stick!But Carry a Big Stick!

Speak Softly,Speak Softly,But Carry a Big Stick!But Carry a Big Stick!

The Roosevelt Corollary to The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: 1905the Monroe Doctrine: 1905The Roosevelt Corollary to The Roosevelt Corollary to

the Monroe Doctrine: 1905the Monroe Doctrine: 1905Chronic wrongdoing… Chronic wrongdoing… may in America, as may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately elsewhere, ultimately require intervention require intervention by some civilized by some civilized nation, and in the nation, and in the Western Hemisphere Western Hemisphere the adherence of the the adherence of the United States to the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may Monroe Doctrine may force the United force the United States, however States, however reluctantly, in flagrant reluctantly, in flagrant cases of suchcases of such wrongdoing or wrongdoing or impotence, to the impotence, to the exercise of an exercise of an international police international police powerpower .

Constable of the WorldConstable of the WorldConstable of the WorldConstable of the World

Elihu Root Modernizes the MilitaryElihu Root Modernizes the Military

• Replaces John Hay as Sec. of State

• Expanded army to 100,000

• Officer training schools

• Joint Chiefs of Staff - military advisors

Elihu Root

Treaty of Portsmouth: Treaty of Portsmouth: 19051905

Treaty of Portsmouth: Treaty of Portsmouth: 19051905

Nobel Peace Prize for TeddyNobel Peace Prize for Teddy

The Great White Fleet: 1907The Great White Fleet: 1907The Great White Fleet: 1907The Great White Fleet: 1907

Root-Takahira Agreement 1908

Teddy Roosevelt promised not to run for a third term

in 1908

He chose his friend and Secretary of War to carry

on his policies

William Howard Taft

PROGRESSIVISM UNDER PRESIDENT TAFT

• Republican William Howard Taft easily defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan to win the 1908 presidential election

Taft, right, was Roosevelt’s War Secretary

Teddy Roosevelt was called a “trust buster” but

the real “buster” was William Howard Taft

He won victories over 90 trusts in 4 years

…but received little credit for it.

He upset TR when he took down U. S. Steel that TR had labeled a “Good Trust”

Trouble for Taft

TariffsTaxes on imported goods $$$

Higher prices $$$

$$$$$

Consumer

Taft had promised to lower tariffs

Then the Senate passed a the Aldrich Bill - which raised many tariff rates

Taft was forced to sign off on a compromise: the Payne-Aldrich Tariff

Progressive Republicans felt

that Taft had betrayed them

“A mean trick to play on an unsuspecting elephant”

Trouble for Taft

Conservation

Made Richard A. Ballinger as Secretary of the Interior

Ballinger removed 1 million acres in Alaska from reserved list, making it available for sale

Some who protested were fired, including Gifford Pinchot, head of Forest Service

Taft’s “Dollar Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”Diplomacy”

Taft’s “Dollar Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”Diplomacy”

Improve financialImprove financialopportunities for opportunities for American businesses.American businesses.

Use private capital toUse private capital tofurther U. S. interestsfurther U. S. interestsoverseas.overseas.

Therefore, the U.S. Therefore, the U.S. should create should create stability and order stability and order abroad that would abroad that would best promote best promote America’s America’s commercial interests.commercial interests.

TAFT LOSES POWER

• Taft became unpopular, Progressive Republicans were upset that conservative Joe Cannon remained Speaker and Taft supported conservatives in the midterm elections

• By 1910, Democrats had regained control of the House of Representatives

Taft called the Presidency, “The lonesomest job in the world”

Republicans Split between…

The Progressives

lower tariffs, conservation, reform

The Conservatives

higher tariffs land for development support of business

The return of Theodore Roosevelt - 1912

Disappointed by Taft, Roosevelt decided to run again

Conservative Republicans gave nomination to Taft

Roosevelt and supporters start the Progressive Party

The “Bull Moose Party”

Called for direct election senators, state initiatives, recalls, referendums, women’s suffrage, end child labor

A nasty campaign

Puzzlewit! Fathead!

Egotist! Demagogue!

Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson, reform governor of New Jersey,

sat back and waited to pick up the pieces

supporter of small business and free market, he felt all

business monopolies were “bad”