MR.
HAWKINSONS US HISTORY I
117-4
THE PAST IS PROLOGUE
Novembers Studies
By Charles Hawkinson
When he first arrived on the
political scene in 1881 at the age
of 23, Theodore Roosevelt gave
no hint of the Progressive he
would later become. In the
various elective and appointive
positions, he held at the
municipal, state, and federal
levels during the 1880s and
1890s, Roosevelt considered
himself nothing more (and
nothing less) than an
independent Republican
reformer, following in the
tradition of national-minded
statesmen such as George
Washington, Alexander
Hamilton, Henry Clay, and, of
course, Abraham Lincoln.
Issue #17-4
November
Newsletter
Nov 1, 2017
IN THIS ISSUE
Key Takeaways:
As President, Roosevelt pushed
executive powers to new limits,
arguing that the rise of
industrial capitalism had
rendered limited government
obsolete.
Theodore Roosevelt and Progressivism
Roosevelts stewardship theory
unmoored presidential power
from the Constitution and made
it directly accountable to the
people.
Roosevelt continued until his
death to press for Progressive
reforms that would move the
country closer to the social
democracies of Europe.
NOVEMBERNEWSLETTER | Issue#
When Woodrow Wilson, a
Democrat won the election of 1912
he received only 42% of the vote.
The Progressive candidates;
Roosevelt, Taft and Debs totaled
58% of the vote. Clearly America
still sought progressive change.
Wilson, an educator and the son of a
Presbyterian Minister, recognized
this and embarked on a program to
continue Progressive reform called
the "New Freedom."
I. Woodrow Wilson - The "New
Freedom" reforms:
A. Tariff Reform
1. Underwood Tariff of 1913
-First lowering of tariffs since
the Civil War
-Went against the protectionist
lobby
B. Business Reform - Wilson's
program was known as the New
Freedom. (The phrase came
after the campaign, as the title of
a book of his speeches, and as
the slogan for his
administration's policies.)
Wilson believed government's
role was to create a level playing
field. Then individual energy
and business competition would
give Americans lives both
decent and free from big-
brother intrusions. His solution
for monopoly was antitrust
prosecution and break-up.
1. Federal Trade Act (1914)
-Set up FTC or Federal Trade
Commission to investigate and
halt unfair and illegal business
practices. The FTC could put a
halt to these illegal business
2
practices by issuing what is
known as a "cease and desist
order."
2. Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)
-Declared certain businesses
illegal (interlocking directorates,
trusts, horizontal mergers)
-Unions and the Grange were
not subject to antitrust laws.
This made unions legal!
-Strikes, boycotts, picketing and
the collection of strike benefit
funds ruled legal
Woodrow Wilson and Progressivism
C. Banking Reform - Needed
elastic currency, ability to
control the amount of $ in
circulation.
1. Creation of Federal Reserve
System
- Federal Reserve Banks in 12
districts would print and coin
money as well as set interest
rates. In this way the "Fed," as it
was called, could control the
money supply and effect the
value of currency. The more
money in circulation the lower
the value and inflation went up.
The less money in circulation
the greater the value and this
would lower inflation.
2. Federal Farm Loan Act set up
Farm Loan Banks to support
farmers.