Theodore Roosevelt and Progressivism Essay - 499 Words

Theodore Roosevelt, like Jackson and Lincoln, believed that the president had the duty of initiating and leading Congress to implement a policy of social and economic benefit to the people at large. As he himself put it, he found the presidency quot;a bully pulpit.quot; Roosevelts policies, designed to secure a greater measure of social justice in the United States, were outlined in his first message to Congress, on December 3, 1901. Roosevelts address included demands for federal supervision and regulation of all interstate corporations; for amendment of the Interstate Commerce Act to prohibit railroads from giving special rates to shippers; for the conservation of natural resources; for federal appropriations for irrigation of†¦show more content†¦Among the new laws were the Elkins Act (1903), aimed at eliminating the discriminatory practice of secret rebates given by various railroads to certain shippers, and the Hepburn Act (1906), aimed at strengthening the Interstate Commerce Commission in its authority over railroads and other public carriers. During his administrations (after completing McKinleys administration, Roosevelt was elected in 1904), the Department of Justice instituted 43 suits against the trusts and won several important judicial decisions, including one ordering the dissolution of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey as a holding company with a monopoly on oil refining. Other domestic reforms in Roosevelts program, which he called the Square Deal, were his expansion of forest reserves and national parks; the appointment of the National Conservation Commission in 1908 to promote further conservation; and the passage of the Meat Inspection Act. Also passed was the first of the Pure Food and Drug Acts, which followed a federal investigation of packing-house conditions prompted by revelations made in Upton Sinclairs novel The Jungle (1906) (see Sinclair, Upton Beall). Roosevelt gained worldwide importance through his dramatic speeches and actions as president, his inauguration of the building of the Panama Canal, and his activities in ending the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Roosevelt declined to run for reelection in 1908 and theShow MoreRelatedProgressivism : A Great Number Of Urban Middle Class1722 Words   |  7 PagesThananun Prasertsup (Nine) History Research 420 Word Count: Progressivism in the Roosevelt Corollary From 1900 to about 1920, a great number of urban middle class people began to consider problems created by urbanization, class conflict, immigration, corruption, etc. This broad movement had large effects on American politics and the name of this time, known as the Progressive Era. Not only did the progressive movement happen in the era, Latin American economic crises also occurred. Venezuela wasRead MoreExtent to which the Republican Party Liberalized1502 Words   |  6 Pagesindustrialization made clear the socioeconomic divide between the lower and upper classes. Progressivism became a loosely connected movement of legislation, ideas, and people striving to improve the welfare of the American people and to embark on a path of sustainable modernization. Much of this was spearheaded by the federal government through liberal legislation and active reformers, such as President Theodore Roosevelt. The goal of this investigation is to determine the extent to which Republican PartyRead MoreEssay about 1912 Election1032 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween four strong candidates of the election of 1912. Each candidate held concrete platforms that would have different effects on progressivism. Americans could chose the conservative presidential incumbent William Howard Taft(R), the New Jersey governor Woodrow Wilson (D), the long-time fighter for social reform-Eugene V. Debs (S), or the former president Theodore Roosevelt of the newly formed Bull Moose Party (Progressive Party). 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