Muckraker Essay

The work of investigative journalists shines throughout the history of American journalism from the earliest of newspapers to today’s modern news outlets. From the work of Neil Sheehan publishing the Pentagon Papers to the Watergate scandal, uncovered by Woodward and Bernstein, hard-hitting, investigative journalists have recorded the annals of American society, politics and corruption. However, before the Sheehans and the Woodwards of the world came the muckrakers.
Muckrakers, a term coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, refers to the investigative journalists who “rake to himself the filth of the floor” (Weinberg, 1961). These so-called muckrakers were reporters that focused on long-form, investigative journalism that were published in
national, in-depth newspapers and magazines. The content of these muckraking articles mainly revolved around corruption in the government, in big businesses and the state of slums in America. Because the content was so controversial, it was imperative that the muckrakers included factual information to appease the skeptical readers. Factual, verifiable information was imperative in the makings of a good muckraking story (Miraldi, 1990). One of the common threads among many muckrakers is the use of first-hand accounts to better expound on the corruption and conditions of 20th century America. The most believable stories in the muckraking era were crafted through vivid details of surroundings and experiences as well as the personal interactions with people affected by the corruption or slums. The willingness by muckrakers to take on the task of entering the location of their story provides credibility to their stories and to their reputation as a whole, which will come in handy as the term muckraking begins to be associated with mudslingers.
In addition to the characteristics that make up muckrakers and the type of journalism they practice is the policy that the muckrakers helped craft.
The concept of muckraking cannot be fully comprehended without understanding the relationship between the muckraking phenomenon and the reforms occurring in the early 1900s. The Progressive Era and muckraking, for the most part, go hand in hand. These whistleblowers such as Ida Tarbell or Lincoln Steffens helped expose the injustice and corruption that was occurring in the nation where all men were created equal. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle highlighted the underbelly of the Chicago meatpacking industry both in regards to the work conditions as well as the quality of meat provided to the public. His exposé led to the passing of the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1907, which increased sanitation methods for meatpacking as well as regulated the branding of meats (Greenberg, 2016). Another muckraker, David Graham Phillips, uncovered the corruption present in the Senate in the early 1900s when wealthy businessmen used their connections to help campaign for Senators and ultimately influence legislature. Phillips’ The Treason of the Senate precipitated the passing of the 17th amendment, which radically changed the way senators are elected to their position (Sarasohn, 2012). While many muckrakers hoped to influence policy, their main goal was to uncover the seedier sides of America, after all, they attempted to “expose, not solve” the
problems of the nation (Weinberg, 1961).
The word “muckraker” did not actually come about until 1906 but the investigative roles of journalists were appearing well before that. Prior to the turn of the century, a vast majority of news was engaged in concepts such as yellow-dog journalism or sensationalistic journalism. Similar in style, these types of news articles use big, bold headlines to catch the attention of readers with little regard to the accuracy of the piece. However, as opinions and situations changed in the United States in the early 20th century, a need became apparent for more investigative, factual news sources. Cultural, material and institutional factors attributed to the emergence and flourishment of the muckrakers in the early 1900s.
Most people keep up-to-date on culture events by reading the newspapers and magazines, especially in the early 20th century.
It is of no surprise then that the cultural values of the American people greatly influenced the inception of muckraking journalism. During the Progressive Era, citizens believed in working together to make progress in their lifestyles and in the government (Bausum, 2007). News outlets such as McClure’s had to do their part in propelling the country forward in the realm of progress. The muckrakers were different from the writers of old literary magazines in that they catered to a larger more middle class audience. This need for mass-circulation was brought about greatly by the increase in immigration to the United States in the early part of the century. With the opening of Ellis Island in 1892, more people from across the world were able to try their hand at a better life in the prosperous United States. As a result, the nation became a melting pot of cultures and identities, making a mass-circulated magazine necessary to reach them
all.
Around the turn of the century, technology began to boom, spurring the country into an era of industrialization. Machines became more accepted in everyday life and industrialism intruded on “every segment and every activity of American life,” from the farmer to the factory worker (Miraldi, 1990). However, the big businessmen were the ones that truly reaped the rewards of industrialization. By the early 1900s, one-tenth of the population, mostly oil and steel tycoons, controlled nine-tenths of the nation’s wealth (Weinberg, 1961). Trusts and monopolies dominated the business sector in America while their leaders dominated the political scene. The intertwining of business and politics caused raised eyebrows about the ethics involved in big businesses and the men who ran them. This paved the way for the muckrakers as the content for their stories almost fell into their laps; their job was to dig through the fodder to find the real, hard-hitting news. In contrast to the yellow-dog era of journalism, muckrakers had to be spot-on with their stories or they risked alienating the big trusts and industries of the day, many of whom provided a steady source of revenue for the magazines through advertisements. Because of this, it was imperative that muckrakers printed the facts, not over-exaggerated news that they thought the public wanted.
One of the key factors in the conception and expansion of muckraking was the growth and transition of the role of magazines. The industrialization in America appeared in the magazine industry as the advancements in the way paper was printed and the use of photoengraving techniques (Weinberg, 1961). These faster machines allowed for the mass-circulation of cheap news sources. While these magazines could be produced much faster, the publication schedule was much lengthier than that of a regular newspaper, often working on a monthly or weekly schedule. The longer time in between publications allowed for the development, research and analysis of stories, which allowed muckrakers to truly delve into their subject matter and get the heart of the story (Bausum, 2007). The importance of the magazine in the business of muckraking spans all factors as its growth increased due to the rising literacy rates in the nation. Between the 1870s and 1900, the number of students attending public school almost doubled to 15.5 million people, creating a larger readership (Weinberg, 1961). Additionally, as more Americans received an education and were able to read, they were better able to understand the politics of the age and question some of the occurrences in the industries and trusts. It is also important to recognize that a majority of these people were not of the upper class but rather in the middle and working class so the magazines had to cater specifically to their audience. Gone were the days of literary magazines that appealed only to the wealthy. Twentieth century journalists and muckrakers catered to the popular tastes of the citizens and that increased success and awareness for the magazines.
As the style of journalism transitioned from the yellow-dog era to the time of the muckrakers, several institutional factors ushered in a period of change, most notably the election of Theodore Roosevelt to office. Many considered Roosevelt to be a reform-minded president, one who hoped to alter the current political state and economy. His determination for reform lent itself to the journalists of the time as he praised their efforts to uncover the injustices in the nation and “recognized their inherent power” to influence the people (Weinberg, 1961). With Roosevelt in office, muckrakers like Ray Stannard Baker and Sinclair influenced policy to a greater degree including a new railroad regulation bill, the Hepburn Act, and the passing of the Pure Food and Drug Act (Dalton, 2002).
Were it not for the economic, social and political climate surrounding the early 20th century, the concept of muckraking journalism may never have developed. The controversies of the time afforded journalists the opportunity to change the way that news is reported, received and even demanded by the nation. Journalists now had a responsibility to continually keep the public informed through factual, reliable accounts and stories. While the muckraking era was short-lived, investigative journalism will continue to grow and adapt to the needs of society.