Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad
Chapter 29 - Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad, 1912-1916 I. The “Bull Moose” Campaign of 1912
1. With the Republican party split wide open, the Democrats sensed that they could win the presidency for the first time in 16 years.
One possible candidate was Dr. Woodrow Wilson, a once-mild conservative but now militant progressive who had been president at Princeton , governor of N Jersey (he didn’t permit himself to be controlled by the bosses), and had attacked trusts and passed liberal measures.
In 1912, in Baltimore, the Democrats nominated Wilson on the 46th ballot, after William Jennings Bryan swung his support over to Wilson’s side.
The Democratic ticket would run under a platform called “New Freedom,” which would include many progressive reforms.
2. At the Progressive convention, Jane Addams put Theodore Roosevelt’s name on the nomination, and as TR spoke, he ignited an almost-religious spirit in the crowd.
TR got the Progressive nomination, and entering the campaign, TR said that he felt “as strong as a bull moose,” making that animal the unofficial Progressive symbol.
3. Republican William Howard Taft** and TR tore into each other, as the former friends now ripped every aspect of each other’s platforms and personalities.
4. Meanwhile, TR’s “New Nationalism” and Wilson’s “New Freedom” became the key issues.
Roosevelt’s New Nationalism was inspired by Herbert Croly’s The Promise of American Life (1910), and it stated that the government should control the bad trusts, leaving the good trusts alone and free to operate.
TR also campaigned for female suffrage and a broad program of social welfare, such as minimum-wage laws and “socialistic” social insurance.
Wilson’s New Freedom favored small enterprise, desired to break up all trusts—not just the bad ones—and basically shunned social-welfare proposals.
5. The campaign was stopped when Roosevelt was shot in the chest in Milwaukee, but he delivered his speech anyway, was rushed to the
1. With the Republican party split wide open, the Democrats sensed that they could win the presidency for the first time in 16 years.
One possible candidate was Dr. Woodrow Wilson, a once-mild conservative but now militant progressive who had been president at Princeton , governor of N Jersey (he didn’t permit himself to be controlled by the bosses), and had attacked trusts and passed liberal measures.
In 1912, in Baltimore, the Democrats nominated Wilson on the 46th ballot, after William Jennings Bryan swung his support over to Wilson’s side.
The Democratic ticket would run under a platform called “New Freedom,” which would include many progressive reforms.
2. At the Progressive convention, Jane Addams put Theodore Roosevelt’s name on the nomination, and as TR spoke, he ignited an almost-religious spirit in the crowd.
TR got the Progressive nomination, and entering the campaign, TR said that he felt “as strong as a bull moose,” making that animal the unofficial Progressive symbol.
3. Republican William Howard Taft** and TR tore into each other, as the former friends now ripped every aspect of each other’s platforms and personalities.
4. Meanwhile, TR’s “New Nationalism” and Wilson’s “New Freedom” became the key issues.
Roosevelt’s New Nationalism was inspired by Herbert Croly’s The Promise of American Life (1910), and it stated that the government should control the bad trusts, leaving the good trusts alone and free to operate.
TR also campaigned for female suffrage and a broad program of social welfare, such as minimum-wage laws and “socialistic” social insurance.
Wilson’s New Freedom favored small enterprise, desired to break up all trusts—not just the bad ones—and basically shunned social-welfare proposals.
5. The campaign was stopped when Roosevelt was shot in the chest in Milwaukee, but he delivered his speech anyway, was rushed to the