Transcript Roosevelt & Wilson in the Age of Morality

Roosevelt
Wilson
Progressivism
And the
Age of
Morality
(Chapters 21 and 22)
Progressive Presidents
• Pres. 1901-1909; tough
western individualist;
moralist at heart.
• Also a realist and
masterful Politician;
• Instinctively grasp what
the American people
would and would not
tolerate from a political
leader.
Teddy Roosevelt
• Born to a life of privilege; New York Patrician.
• Dutch descent; Mother was a Bulloch from
Georgia—her Father and Uncle were Officers in
the Confederate Army.
• Also they were Southern Ambassadors in
England, trying to procure material for Navy;
• He had Asthma real bad as a kid—assumed hard
physical exercise and mind over body would cure
him; a fascinating character.
Teddy Roosevelt
• Very progressive, hard working, erudite, and
believed much could be accomplished by sheer
will alone; determined conservationist. (John
Muir)
• First President to accrue immense power for the
executive; until Roosevelt, if the Constitution did
not explicitly state executive privilege, then the
President could not do it;
• Teddy, assumed if it did not explicitly deny the
right or the prerogative, then the Pres. Can do it.
Roosevelt
• Issues of the day;
Demon Rum, Suffrage,
Gold and Silver
Currency issues;
• Prostitution is an issue;
Reformers and Women’s
Leagues help establish
the Mann Act (1910) to
curb prostitution, Helped
establish the Pure Food
and Drug Act (1906)
Roosevelt’s Progressivism
• Solid republican committed to change and moral
reform;
• Believed in a square deal for all Americans;
• First President to interfere in labor issues and
thwart the Anthracite coal strike (took the side of
the workers); Insisted on railroad regulation and
uniformity; negotiated peace during the RussoJapanese War; Won the Nobel Peace prize;
• Unfortunately he he was slow to act if at all
concerning race relations;
Roosevelt and Progressivism
• Always asked
Washington's advice
before pursuing race
relations policy; yet he did
nothing when the 1906
race riots erupted in
Atlanta; yet he embraced
Ida B. Welles’ Antilynching policy and
helped push it through
congress; “Unjustly” or
with improper evidence
discharged the African
Americans accused in the
Brownsville riots (1906)
Trust Buster
• EC Knight vs United States—Supreme Court
ruled that Federal Law only applied to interstate
commerce (transporting goods and services) and
not to the manufacturing of the raw material into
finished product;
• Roosevelt wanted to advance the corporation for
in essence they were good—made things efficient
and cheaper; however, wanted them to remember
the human part of the business—make them fair,
regulated and more moral—conduct not size was
the measuring stick of a good or bad trust.
Roosevelt Presidency
• Foreign Policy—two distinct generalizations:
• 1) Sought in international affairs the same goals
he sought in domestic affairs—saw no difference;
• 2) Constantly stressed two related principles:
a) A quest for order and efficiency
b) A faith in power (used correctly)
African proverb: “Walk softly and carry a big stick,
and you will go far.” This was his plan for order
and efficiency—Big Stick diplomacy—negotiate
softly, backed by threat of big stick …
Order and Efficiency
• Domestic social issues, he sought orderly, welldefined relationships—no gray area—everyone
knew their part.
1) Maximum degree of personal freedom for each
individual;
2) Competitive opportunities for businessmen and
industrialists (equalize the playing field give
everyone equal opportunity to prosper—did not
however believe in a welfare state—sort of
survival of the fittest—as long as opportunity is
equal);
Order and Efficiency
3) Federal government setting the tone and direction of
national life (leaders are to be morally correct and
honest—so will citizenry—lead by example);
The Presidency was a “Bully Pulpit” to preach these three
themes;
Society was the body and all parts, the President was the
‘Brain’ –lead morally and righteously;
“The welfare of each of us is dependent upon the welfare of
all of us …” ie how can the country prosper if the much
of the citizenry is not prospering?
Order and Efficiency
Extended to Foreign Policy; viewed the nations of
the world as divided into three groups.
1) Few great wealthy powers (U.S., Great Britain,
Germany, and Japan);
2) Smaller civilized European states (Scandinavia
and Italy);
3) Lesser nations (Africa, Asia, and Latin America)
4) Great Power were the upholders of order—
sometimes had to act regrettably to maintain
order (International Police System)
Faith in Power
• To be a benevolent
Policeman and not a
Bully, one needed to
moral and upright and
be an Honest broker;
• At all times, also be
prepared and righteous;
• Children needed to be
loved but also
disciplined
Preparedness
1) Foundation of strength;
Large population; preserved
and protected natural
Resources ; strong moral
Fiber;
2) Sacrifice and die if
necessary for one’s country;
3) Militarily prepared
strong Navy and Army.
Righteousness
Roosevelt judged other
nations as he judged
America and himself:
righteousness and
morality;
Equated righteousness with
order; Power should have
self-restraint;
Only use force in a righteous
cause—then as last resort.
Roosevelt on War
“War, like peace, is properly a means to an end:
righteousness. Neither war nor peace in itself is
righteous. Righteousness, when triumphant, brings
peace.”
Used force a lot in Latin America.
“It is certain that the only way successfully to
oppose the might which is the servant of wrong is
by means of the might that is the servant of right.”
Roosevelt and the Panama Canal
Truly it was needed; when
the USS Oregon sailing from
San Francisco to Cuba in
1898 took a month to arrive
on station, T.R. immediately
began pushing for a Canal
Zone waterway.
French had begun, but failed
Financially; Roosevelt
offered $40 million for the
rights to continue the dig.
Panama Canal
• $40 million for the dig and $10
million to Columbia for the
land—Panama a Columbian
province;
• Instigated and assisted a
growing independence
movement in Panama against
Columbia;
• U.S. quickly recognized
Panama as an independent
country—they also got $10
million; Columbia got nothing;
America got the Canal Zone.
Lasting Issues
Teller Amendment—Henry Teller of Colorado proposed the
following: the United States "hereby disclaims any
disposition of intention to exercise sovereignty,
jurisdiction, or control over said island except for
pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when
that is accomplished, to leave the government and control
of the island to its people." This therefore quelled any
anxiety of annexation.
Platt Amendment
• The Platt Amendment allowed Cuba only a limited
right to conduct its own foreign and debt policies.
It gave the United States an open door to intervene
in Cuban affairs and define land claims.
• Cuba also agreed to sell or lease to the United
States "lands necessary for coaling or naval
stations at certain specified points to be agreed
upon.“
• Which is why we have Git-Mo.
Roosevelt Corollary
• The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 set a legal precedence of
American hegemony in the Western hemisphere (mainly
the Caribbean).
• The Corollary fundamentally established American
Hegemony in the region with the might of the American
Navy and American nationalism.
• As long as everyone acts “orderly and prosperous” and
pays it debts, America will be an ally and protector—if
one does not honor her obligations, to maintain order
America will take corrective measures—not Europe, but
America.
William Howard Taft
• A conciliator not a
confrontation person;
allowed trusts and
Corporations to regain
ground Roosevelt had
restricted by regulation;
• By 1909, Conservatives
called Teddy out of
retirement to run on the
“Bull Moose” Platform
party
Taft’s Accomplishments
• The Ballinger-Pinchot
controversy and the
conservative split were
issues;
• However, he added to the
conservation of public
lands, regulated safety
standards for mines and
railroads (OSHA), created
a children’s bureau (child
labor laws etc …), 8 hr
work day for federal
employees
Bull Moose Party
• TR came back from Africa and
ran as an independent against
Taft and Woodrow Wilson;
Ran on platform of Suffrage,
Child labor, environmental
Conservation, workman’s
Comp (1st contract with America)
• Fragmented the republican
party, allowing Wilson to win
the Presidency
1912 Election results
Woodrow Wilson: Politics of Morality
• Very complex character.
• President of Princeton
• 1st PhD in Political
Science at The Johns
Hopkins University.
• Gov. New Jersey; very
ambitious; somewhat selfrighteous.
• Not a realist concerning
Foreign or domestic
policies—
• Believed that the
American system would
save the World
Wilson’s American System
• 1) American economic Goods
• 2) America’s democratic political structure
• 3) America’s blend of morality and Christianity
• Wilson stated, “when properly directed, there is
no people in the world not fitted for selfgovernment.”
• Of course America was that rightful and dutiful
director of self-government.
President Wilson
• Wilson was determined that the U.S. provide a
framework where economics, politics, and
democracy were closely related.
• The Global market must act as a new frontier for
the American System; he also determined to direct
other nations’ affairs so that they too, could
achieve par with the United States—as long as
they remained true to the American System
paradigm—otherwise he was willing to interfere
even more than Roosevelt.
President Wilson
• Constantly interfered in
the Caribbean and Central
America; he sent troops
into Mexico after Poncho
Villa though it was a civil
war;
• He tried to avoid
European issues during
WWI, but after Germany
repeatedly violated
American neutrality, he
had no choice.
President Wilson
• Preached a firm political and
social benevolence, but
segregated the Civil
Service,Failed the League of
Nations push; 14 points.
• Did believe in free enterprise
and competition; UnderwoodSimmons tariff— reformed
government and made it more
visible and responsible to the
public;
• Pushed through the 16 and 17th
amendments—Income Tax and
Direct election of senators
Wilson Legacy
• Women’s Suffrage; Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914.
Ended exclusiveness of contracts—everyone was
guaranteed equal opportunity to bid for services;
No more undercutting other businesses to freeze
them out (Rockefeller and Carnegie).
• Labor Unions and Agriculture cooperatives no
longer restricted by underhanded dealings and
legal semantics from participating in free trade
contracts;
Wilson Legacy
• Injunctions against labor
now illegal, peaceful
picketing and strikes now
legal; Boycotts also legal.
• Set the stage for Labor to
have a peaceful and legal
voice to combat corporate
greed and injustice.
• Expanded role of Gov’t.
Led America through
WWI—”Make the world
safe for democracy.”