By the end of the 19th century, and following some early legislative successes, the Progressive movement began to be favored by the U.S. electorate. With polices such as the Interstate Commerce Act (1887), which required railroads to post fares, and the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890), which allowed the federal government to dissolve monopolies, the American people began to see a value in government involvement within the affairs of commerce.
In 1896, Republican William McKinley was elected the 25th President of the United States. This election is thought to be the start of the Progressive Era in American history. McKinley after serving his first term and retaining much of the support that got him elected originally, sought re-election in 1900. Due to the death of Vice-President Garret A. Hobart in 1899, McKinley named Theodore Roosevelt his Vice-President running mate in 1900. During a trip to Buffalo, New York on September 5, 1901 McKinley was shot and died eight days later on September 14, 2001. That same day Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as the 26th President.
Roosevelt has been long remembered as one of the greatest President in U.S. history. He earned the nickname “Trust-buster” by his use of the Sherman Antitrust Act to regulate or break up 44 U.S. corporations. Roosevelt also sided with many Labor Unions of the time and supported the farmers with the Elkins Act. These policies, although embraced at the time, also expanded the size of the federal government and the costs associated with maintaining it. Roosevelt, though an act of congress, also granted land rights to the federal government under the idea of “Conservation.” Although that under Roosevelt, these policies appeared to bring economic and social “fairness,” they also increased the scope and influence of the federal government which set the framework up for future expansions. In the 1908 election, after declining to campaign, Roosevelt threw his support behind William Howard Taft.
Riding on the endorsement of Roosevelt that Taft was a “genuine” progressive and adopting some of the liberal policies of his opponent, Taft won the 1908 election by a comfortable margin. Taft continued pursuing antitrust policies by initiating another 90 antitrust suits, but didn’t enjoy the same level of support that Roosevelt did. Taft also supported giving more power to judges, which demonstrated the beginning of academic elitism. During a 1909 tariff dispute, Taft proposed and income tax on corporations to settle the dispute. This initiated the 16th Amendment to the constitution which would allow congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states. The 16th Amendment was ratified in 1913, just as Taft was leaving office, and created a further increased to the powers of government.
Enter Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President. Wilson, a Democrat, may well have been the first of a long line of academic progressive presidents that will follow. Wilson served two terms as president, and oversaw a massive increase of government. During his presidency, Wilson introduced the United States to Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission, and the War Industries Board. The ink ratifying the 16th Amendment was barely dry before he passed the U.S. first Progressive Income Tax, in 1913. The top end individual tax rate started at 7% and end at 73% when Wilson left office in 1921. By the end of his administration, the American people started to return to “small government” principles, and became suspicious of “social justice” policies. Wilson was defeated by Warren Gamaliel Harding in 1920 and this marked the end of the Progressive Era.
Although that was the end of an era, progressivism continued on. It would see revitalization within a decade.
Part III on March 12, 2010
Sources:
Wikipedia
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