Theodore Roosevelt:

 

TR assumed the presidency after McKinley was assassinated in 1901

 

Led the Rough Riders in the Spanish American war and had tremendous physical

        energy

 

He held several government posts in New York State and at the national level and came from a wealthy family background

 

TR believed that the presidency should be used to further the interests of the people

 

He used the office of president to provide strong leadership to pursue progressive goals

 

The Square Deal: Roosevelt’s belief that government should

        assure honesty and fairness in government and business

        give greater economic opportunity to the individual

        overall: afford ALL groups business, labor, farmers, consumers a “square

                deal”

 

He easily won re-election in 1904 which spurred him on to more vigorous reforms

 

Roosevelt believed progressive reforms were needed to save democratic-capitalism

        opposed radicals and Socialists who wanted to end capitalism

        opposed wealthy men who resisted change and abused their power

 

TR was known as a “trustbuster” because he initiated over 40 anti-trust suits including a victory over the Northern Securities Company, a railroad trust

 

TR settled the Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 by bringing union leaders and owners to the White House and mediating the dispute through a presidential arbitration commission

 

The Union wanted union recognition, higher wages, and shorter hours; owners refused arbitration

 

TR threatened to nationalize the mines and then owners submitted to arbitration

 

The commission gave some moderate reforms to the workers and TR was viewed as a friend of labor

 

TR helped conserve natural resources by:

        increasing national reserves of forests, coal lands, and waterpower sites

        securing passage of the Newlands Act (to finance irrigation)

        holding a governor’s conference in the White House

 

TR helped pass several laws to protect the consumer:

        Pure Food and Drug Act 1906

        Meat Inspection Act 1906

        Hepburn Act 1906 (which expanded the power of the ICC)

 

In foreign affairs TR:

        modernized the army

        built a strong navy

        aided the Panamanians in their revolt against Colombia

        added the ROOSEVELT COROLLARY to the Monroe Doctrine: America would

                be the policeman of the hemisphere by “speaking softly and carrying

                a big stick”

        Negotiated a settlement of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 in

                Portsmouth

        Negotiated the Gentleman’s Agreement with Japan to limit immigration

 

In 1908, TR recommended that Taft (TR’s secretary of war) be nominated and he went on to win the election

 

Taft was basically a conservative that alienated many progressives and did not use the full powers of the presidency to defend his programs

 

However, Taft did initiate twice as many anti-trust suits as TR, Congress proposed the 16th and 17th amendments during his tenure, and he increased the number of federal employees under the civil service; all progressive ideas

 

TR ran again for office in 1912 under the Progressive or “Bull Moose” party but he lost to Woodrow Wilson