Philosophies Of The Progressive Presidents Roosevelt And Woodrow Wilson
The Progressive Presidents
Steve Cavanaugh
HIS 204: American History Since 1865
Kathryn Johnson
May 5, 2014
The Progressive Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were the frontrunners in the 1912 election. This election “changed the country, demonstrating a victory for progressive reforms as both Progressive candidates (Wilson as a Progressive Democratic governor of New Jersey and Roosevelt the head of the new Progressive Party) accounted for 75 percent of all votes” (Bowles, 2011). Although both men believed in Progressive philosophies, they were complete opposites in their political views. Roosevelt was considered the “Warrior” and advocated for a New Nationalism. Wilson, on the other hand, was …show more content…
considered the “Priest” and campaigned on the New Freedom platform. Each of these men held very strongly to their convictions, but not all of their goals could be met. Roosevelt believed that every man deserved to get a “Square Deal” and be judged and treated on his merits as a man. However, he also realized the importance of big business and the financial gains and increased efficiency that it brought. What he did not agree with was the way that big business was handled and he wanted to rein it in to stop the abuse of its power. In 1910 Roosevelt stated that “One of the chief factors in progress is the destruction of special privilege. The essence of any struggle for healthy liberty has always been, and must always be, to take from some one man or class of men the right to enjoy power, or wealth, or position, or immunity, which has not been earned by service to his or their fellows. That is what you fought for in the Civil War, and that is what we strive for now” (Roosevelt. 1910). Roosevelt is telling us in this quote that special privilege cannot be given to one man or group of men without extending the privilege to all men in order to be fair and equal. Wilson felt that all monopoly was basically unproductive, but instead of controlling it he wanted to stamp it out altogether and his New Freedom platform was the vehicle that he planned to use.
Our text states, “There were several main components of the New Freedom, including tariff reform, creation of the Federal Reserve, and antitrust laws” (Bowles, 2011). At his first inaugural address in 1913, President Wilson talked about some of these issues “We have itemized with some degree of particularity the things that ought to be altered and here are some of the chief items: A tariff which cuts us off from our proper part in the commerce of the world, violates the just principles of taxation, and makes the Government a facile instrument in the hand of private interests” (Wilson. 1913). President Wilson believed that big business had rooted out small competitive companies which lead to inefficiency and a failure to grow. In chapter two of his book, The New Freedom: A Call for the Emancipation of The Generous Energies of a People, Wilson says, “Americans are not yet cowards. True, their self-reliance has been sapped by years of submission to the doctrine that prosperity is something that benevolent magnates provide for them with the aid of the government; their self-reliance has been weakened, but not so utterly destroyed that you can twit them about it. The American people are not naturally stand-patters. Progress is the word that charms their ears and stirs their hearts.” (Wilson, 1913). Wilson is telling us that it is time for Americans to gain back their self-reliance from big business and put an end to the stagnation. He is telling all Americans that it is time to move
forward. Even though Roosevelt talked about a “Square Deal” and Wilson wanted a “New Freedom”, a common area of ineffectiveness for both of these presidents was social justice. Women still did not have the right to vote, race segregation was still the rule of the land, Native Americans continued to be separated and isolated, and African Americans were in danger of violence from groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Roosevelt felt that segregation was a way isolate and protect those whom he deemed as inferior and could help to prevent lynchings in the South. Wilson went as far as advising African Americans to not apply to Princeton and recommend that they enroll in black colleges. Roosevelt and Wilson may have been as different as night and day in most of their political views, but they also held many of the same beliefs. They both had their failures in social justice, but they were also very successful in bringing about reform. Roosevelt had great successes in the areas of conservation, business reform, and public health. Wilson’s leadership led to tariff reform, creation of the Federal Reserve, and new antitrust laws.
References
Bowles, M. (2011). American history 1865–present: End of isolation. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Roosevelt, T. R. (1910, Aug. 31). The new nationalism. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/tr-nationalism/
Wilson, W. (1913, March 4). First inaugural address. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/tr-woodrow/
Wilson, W. (1913). What is progress?. In The new freedom: A call for the emancipation of the generous energies of a people (Chapter II). New York: Doubleday, Page & Company. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14811/14811-h/14811-h.htm#II
Steve Cavanaugh
HIS 204: American History Since 1865
Kathryn Johnson
May 5, 2014
The Progressive Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were the frontrunners in the 1912 election. This election “changed the country, demonstrating a victory for progressive reforms as both Progressive candidates (Wilson as a Progressive Democratic governor of New Jersey and Roosevelt the head of the new Progressive Party) accounted for 75 percent of all votes” (Bowles, 2011). Although both men believed in Progressive philosophies, they were complete opposites in their political views. Roosevelt was considered the “Warrior” and advocated for a New Nationalism. Wilson, on the other hand, was …show more content…
considered the “Priest” and campaigned on the New Freedom platform. Each of these men held very strongly to their convictions, but not all of their goals could be met. Roosevelt believed that every man deserved to get a “Square Deal” and be judged and treated on his merits as a man. However, he also realized the importance of big business and the financial gains and increased efficiency that it brought. What he did not agree with was the way that big business was handled and he wanted to rein it in to stop the abuse of its power. In 1910 Roosevelt stated that “One of the chief factors in progress is the destruction of special privilege. The essence of any struggle for healthy liberty has always been, and must always be, to take from some one man or class of men the right to enjoy power, or wealth, or position, or immunity, which has not been earned by service to his or their fellows. That is what you fought for in the Civil War, and that is what we strive for now” (Roosevelt. 1910). Roosevelt is telling us in this quote that special privilege cannot be given to one man or group of men without extending the privilege to all men in order to be fair and equal. Wilson felt that all monopoly was basically unproductive, but instead of controlling it he wanted to stamp it out altogether and his New Freedom platform was the vehicle that he planned to use.
Our text states, “There were several main components of the New Freedom, including tariff reform, creation of the Federal Reserve, and antitrust laws” (Bowles, 2011). At his first inaugural address in 1913, President Wilson talked about some of these issues “We have itemized with some degree of particularity the things that ought to be altered and here are some of the chief items: A tariff which cuts us off from our proper part in the commerce of the world, violates the just principles of taxation, and makes the Government a facile instrument in the hand of private interests” (Wilson. 1913). President Wilson believed that big business had rooted out small competitive companies which lead to inefficiency and a failure to grow. In chapter two of his book, The New Freedom: A Call for the Emancipation of The Generous Energies of a People, Wilson says, “Americans are not yet cowards. True, their self-reliance has been sapped by years of submission to the doctrine that prosperity is something that benevolent magnates provide for them with the aid of the government; their self-reliance has been weakened, but not so utterly destroyed that you can twit them about it. The American people are not naturally stand-patters. Progress is the word that charms their ears and stirs their hearts.” (Wilson, 1913). Wilson is telling us that it is time for Americans to gain back their self-reliance from big business and put an end to the stagnation. He is telling all Americans that it is time to move
forward. Even though Roosevelt talked about a “Square Deal” and Wilson wanted a “New Freedom”, a common area of ineffectiveness for both of these presidents was social justice. Women still did not have the right to vote, race segregation was still the rule of the land, Native Americans continued to be separated and isolated, and African Americans were in danger of violence from groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Roosevelt felt that segregation was a way isolate and protect those whom he deemed as inferior and could help to prevent lynchings in the South. Wilson went as far as advising African Americans to not apply to Princeton and recommend that they enroll in black colleges. Roosevelt and Wilson may have been as different as night and day in most of their political views, but they also held many of the same beliefs. They both had their failures in social justice, but they were also very successful in bringing about reform. Roosevelt had great successes in the areas of conservation, business reform, and public health. Wilson’s leadership led to tariff reform, creation of the Federal Reserve, and new antitrust laws.
References
Bowles, M. (2011). American history 1865–present: End of isolation. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Roosevelt, T. R. (1910, Aug. 31). The new nationalism. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/tr-nationalism/
Wilson, W. (1913, March 4). First inaugural address. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/tr-woodrow/
Wilson, W. (1913). What is progress?. In The new freedom: A call for the emancipation of the generous energies of a people (Chapter II). New York: Doubleday, Page & Company. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14811/14811-h/14811-h.htm#II