Wendy (DaYeon) Choi

Mr. Domville
Period 2
November 9, 2010
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
Although the Progressive movement had its origins in the state reforms of the
early 1890’s, it acquired national momentum only with the dawn of a new century and
the unexpected swearing into office of a young president, Theodore Roosevelt, in 1901.
So enthusiastic did middle-class Americans become about the need to adjust to
changing times that their reformist impulse game a name to an era. They were
committed to democratic values and shared in the belief that honest government and
just laws could improve the human condition. (Fine) Movement thinkers adopted the
new philosophy of pragmatism because it enabled them to challenged fixed notions that
stood in the way of reform, such as laissez-faire. They also adopted numerous policies,
such as the banking laws which became the Federal Reserve System. It lasted through
the Republican presidencies of Roosevelt and William H Taft, and the first term of the
Democrat, Woodrow Wilson. Due to the Payne-Aldrich Tariff, Pinchot-Ballinger
Controversy, House Speaker Joe Cannon, and Midterm elections the Progressives were
unimpressed with Taft’s achievements. (Freund) This caused a split in the Republican
party, hurting Roosevelt in the Election of 1912. Both men saw the problems caused by
industrialization and big businesses, but disagreed on the nature of these problems and
the correct method of solving them. (Fine) Roosevelt saw the benefit of increased
efficiency brought on by big business but stressed the need to legislate against its
abuse of power. Meanwhile, Wilson saw all the monopolies as inherently unproductive
and stressed their abolishment. (Freund) Overall the election marked the divergence in
the Progressives as Roosevelt called for New Nationalism white Wilson pledged a New
Freedom. Although Wilson easily won, the idea contained in Roosevelt’s New
Nationalism: of strong federal government regulations helping the people had a lasting
influence. As a historian of the Progressive Era, Arthur S. Link located the heart of the
progressivism in Roosevelt’s New Nationalism platform rather than in Wilson’s New
Freedom. Link believed “there was a fundamental disagreement between [Roosevelt
and Wilson] as to method and means”. Link’s generalization is valid because the two
presidents differed in opinions and methods to political, practical, and economic forces
that shaped the Progressive movement.
Following President McKinley’s assassination in September 1901, Theodore
Roosevelt went to the White House as the youngest president in U.S. history. He
believed that the president should do much more than lead the executive departments.
He thought it was his job to set the legislative agenda for Congress as well. (Wilson)
Roosevelt, in his "New Nationalism", emphasized the need for enhanced regulation and
legislation to combat the evils of Big Business, while maintaining a cooperative tone.
(Faue) In his "Square Deal", he outlined a plan for enforcing equality for all members of
society, including both the small-time laborer and the big-time business executive.
(Faue) He pointed out, though, that special interests were using their power to
manipulate politics into misrepresenting the common will. (Wilson) He stressed the
importance of ridding politics of this manipulation through measures such as prohibiting
political contributions from corporations and implementation of the Australian ballot.
(Faue) Roosevelt also pointed out that the power of Big Business could be and was
being misused to exploit the Little Man and stifle his advancement through society.
(Faue) He suggested that corporations and the people who run them be responsible for
maintaining fully legal behavior and disclosing economic status to the public in order to
prevent corruption. (Freund) He also stressed that government should maintain
complete control over industry vital to the welfare of the nation. Moreover, Roosevelt is
a war president. He always believed that to achieve true greatness in the ‘pantheon’ of
presidents you have to have a war. (Wilson) But there was no war. It is quite possible
that when the lives of American passengers on the RMS Lusitania were lost, Roosevelt
would have tried to bring the United States into a war if he was the president. As a lover
of the wilderness and the outdoor life, he made an enthusiastic champion of the cause
of conservation. He set aside 150 million acres of federal land as a national reserve and
established national parks. (Wilson) William Howard Taft continued Roosevelt’s
Progressive policies in 1908 as his successor. Although Taft passed the Sixteenth
Amendment and had a good will in his motives, Progressives became disenchanted
with his leadership and joined the conservative wing.
 Woodrow Wilson was a conservative Southern Democrat. He was born in
Virginia and spent much of his life in the South. “[He] was a sincere progressive,
dedicated to reforms that advanced democracy, guaranteed economic opportunity, and
promoted social justice” (Link, 68). As president, he approved legislation that lowered
tariffs, created the Federal Reserve System, established the Federal Trade
Commission, and strengthened labor unions. (Hamilton) In foreign affairs he promoted
self-government. Wilson, in his "New Freedom", stressed that monopolistic Big
Business disrupted the economy and subjected the majority of the nation, and must
therefore be abolished. (Bimes) He emphasized that large, faceless corporations have
taken over the small, competitive companies of the early days of capitalism and in the
process have led to stagnation and inefficiency, have subjected the Little Man and
stolen his individuality and sense of being and worth, and corrupted the ideal of
democracy and equality for which this nation was created. (Hamilton) By removing the
large impediment of monopolistic Big Business clogging the arteries of economic
progress, the way for industrious entrepreneurs would be opened up and the youthful
spirit of America would be revived. (Freund) It is very probably that both Wilson and
Roosevelt, without being aware, indulged in confusing campaign oratory in an effort to
present the other fellows program as extreme and foolish, when in reality their programs
were almost identical. This may be due to the fact that Wilson and Roosevelt both
believed that it was their job to actively lead Congress and when necessary, appeal
directly to the people to rally their support for his legislative program. (Fine)
When Roosevelt “lectured the people in angry sermons that tended to be dull and
repetitious” Wilson “discussed the issue with the people in eloquent language marked
by wit, clever analogies, and metaphors” (Link, 73). Their approach on regulations of
laborers differed when Roosevelt went after the corporations while Wilson went after the
federal government. (Freund) Theodore Roosevelt began to place more emphasis upon
the social justice of his program-a minimum wage for women workers, federal child labor
law, federal intervention in labor disputes, use of tariff protection. As he increasingly
became radical and explicit, it attracted a large following among the social workers.
(Freund) On the other hand, Wilson continually promoted peaceful solutions with his
Fourteen Points and the formation of the League of Nations. (Fine) He pushed the
federal government for anti-trust modification, tariff reduction, and banking and currency
reforms. (Hamilton) These two people, although they had different principles in mind,
had one goal: to make changes to the nation for the better of the people and the
country. Setting out to reach this goal, Roosevelt came to be a president of the common
man while Wilson became the “better” progressive president. (Freund) Though the
Progressives were extremely successful in some respects (regulatory commissions,
child labor laws, direct primaries, city improvements) there were many social problems
they didn’t solve. (Fine) Such as race, which they failed even to address. Despite this,
the actions of Roosevelt and Wilson significantly expanded the powers of the
presidency, and government at all levels began to accept the responsibility for the
welfare of society. (Jaycox) The onset of World War soon ended short the spirit of
reform in United States.
In selecting a candidate to oppose Wilson in 1916, Republicans snubbed
Roosevelt in favor of Charles E Hughes. (Fine) Wilson ran for reelection on a platform of
peace, progressivism, and preparedness because he was aware of the First World
War’s impact on national affairs. (Freund) Since Wilson would try to keep U.S. neutral
and avoid entering war with anyone, he quickly gained many supporters. (Jaycox)
During Wilson’s second term, involvement in the First World War increased government
regulation of the economy. (Hamilton) He believed mobilization for the war effort
required coordination of production and cooperation between the public and private
sectors. (Hamilton) Progressives failed in many respects to redistribute power; the
government remained under the influence of business and industry. (Freund) However,
the reform movements reshaped the nation’s future. (Jaycox) Legislation equipped
government with tools to protect consumers against price fixing and dangerous
products. The income tax, created to redistribute wealth. And most importantly,
Progressives challenged the old ways of thinking by making the nation aware of its
principles and promises. (Jaycox)
 Works Cited
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Encyclopedia of the American Presidency. New York: Facts On File, Inc.,
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Faue, Elizabeth. "New Nationalism." In Faue, Elizabeth, and Gary B. Nash, eds.
Encyclopedia of American History: The Emergence of Modern America, 1900
to 1928, vol. 7. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. American History
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