Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were both progressive presidents, but their approaches to regulating and controlling big business in the United States differed. President Roosevelt felt that big business were not truly villainous, for they were part of the 20th century playing a big part in the everyday American life. He felt that the commander in chief should be over the legislative action towards the reform. He asserted that the government should regulate the big businesses and trust to ensure that they did not misuse their power. Roosevelt filed suit against the largest trusts in order to make an example of what would happen if they started to misuse their power. Roosevelt decided file suit against the biggest of the time, J.P. Morgan’s Northern Securities Holding Company. The government won the lawsuit. This spread like a wildfire, the trusts could accept the regulations put forth by the government or be sued. As a result of the court cases the Hepburn Act was set under way. This act fortified power held by the Interstate Commerce Commission, leaving them with more control over the railroads. It also designated …show more content…
This would entail stepping into disputes between the labor and management groups. The 1902 coal strike was a great example of when he stepped in to mediate. The ongoing dispute jeopardized the economy of the nation, and the wellbeing of the people. This was so important to the people, because they relied on this coal for the ability to heat their homes, and its use in many other entities. During this time, he threatened to take control of the mines, if the labor leaders and mine owners could not reach an agreement. This threat accelerated the compromisation of the two groups. For him, the government should make the disputes equal
The large business corporations played an important role in American economic life and were not essentially evil. Trusts could be either good or bad, depending on how they used their power. On the other hand, Woodrow Wilson created the progressive movement through his idea of
The economic elements of the Progressive Era revolved mainly around the trusts that had a hold of the economy, as well as the trust-busting that Roosevelt took part in at the time. Big companies started taking over the economy due to the building monopolies and Roosevelt became determined to break up the damaging trusts. For example, oil companies such as Rockefeller’s and Standard Oil had basically dominated the whole oil industry during this time by driving out smaller business and intimidating railroad industries to transport their oil. Previously mentioned companies like Rockefeller’s proposed that their trusts allowed for economic advancements such as oil management and steady jobs for men, but most trusts threatened the public interests
The predecessor of Roosevelt stated, “He criticizes me because I prosecuted the Standard Oil Company and the Tobacco Company through to the Supreme Court and got decrees there.” Both Roosevelt and Taft had well thought out campaigns that eventually morphed into attempts to turn the people
Roosevelt initiated a policy dubbed ‘trust-busting’ which was aimed at breaking the control of the conglomerates, and went on to break up oil and gas conglomerates, and also railroad conglomerates. President Woodrow also initiated policies to restrict big businesses and established the Federal Trade Commission to do just that. Wilson’s administration also banned child labor and set maximum working hours, especially for railroad workers. The two presidents, however, differed on foreign policy, as Theodore Roosevelt was seen as a realist informed by his tenure in the military and desired to lead the United States to being a global leader.
Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson played important roles and had huge impacts during the Progressive Era that formulated our nation today. Roosevelt had a big contribution to the economical matter as well as conservation issues. He cared about giving the people what they deserved and tried to save the national parks from destruction by industries. He fought big corporations and corruption in an attempt to help the common man. He disliked the power of the trusts and also created Square Deal policies to regulate the power of labor and offer people improve their lives.
During the Great Depression, the U.S. was facing a plethora of problems. The economy collapsed and a huge portion of the money was among a very small number of very wealthy individuals. Common people and workers resorted to living in villages called Hoovervilles where the houses were made up of whatever could be salvaged. Before the Great Depression began people took out loans carelessly without money to back it up; people were paid too little and goods cost too much. The result of a larger amount of goods were produced than sold eventually lead to an economic downfall.
“For the first time, then, the federal government acted against commerce only on a potential threat, not genuine behavior” Roosevelt did not want to destroy large corporations, he just wanted to strictly regulate them so they could benefit the public more. He thought that if they were not regulated, they would only have intentions to help themselves and not do what is best for the greater population. “Roosevelt’s comment was the astonishing view that corporations do not serve the public good on their own-that they must be made to-and that furnishing jobs, paying taxes, and creating new wealth did not constitute a sufficient public benefit.” Roosevelt made unreasonable threats and did not honor the constitution.
He believed that government should control monopolies so that they do good to the nation, not harm. Sometimes he had to break up trusts rather than control them. Because of this he had a reputation as a trustbuster. Roosevelt filed a lawsuit over the Northern Securities Company, because of antitrust issues. J. P. Morgan, part owner of the Northern Securities Company, treated the government as an equal like a friend, instead of the government being a supremacy.
He targeted monopolies and ordered the Justice Department to prosecute them. He did this under the Sherman Antitrust Act. President Roosevelt-during his second term- turned to railroad regulation. Later on, Roosevelt ordered an investigation of meatpacking industries. By doing this, it led to federal authorities to monitor the quality and safety of meat.
One of Roosevelt's dominant views was that the government had the right to control big business to protect the welfare of society. Mr. Roosevelt kept that philosophy in mind and Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890, whereas former Presidents had only used it carefully. Sherman Antitrust Act prohibits certain business activities that federal government overseers deem to be anti-competitive, and requires the federal government to investigate and pursue trusts. (U-S-History.com, 2017). During Roosevelts presidency, J. P Morgan was dismantled because it violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.
In the period between 1900 and 1920, the federal government and reformers were very successful in bringing social, economic, and political reform to the federal government. While not every aspect of it was successful, the rights of women, fighting against child labor and limiting the control of trusts and monopolies were three distinct successes of that time. Even before the progressive era, women challenged their place and articulated new visions of social, political and economic equality. The progressive era was a turning point for women as organizations evolved fighting for equal rights. Woman began to become very involved in a variety of reform movements.
during his terms as president he pushed the executive powers to newer limits, stating that the increase of industrial capitalism had rendered limited government obsolete. Moreover, he took on the captains of industry and argued for greater government control over the economy, pursuing a two-pronged strategy of antitrust prosecutions and regulatory control.
Progressives formed many acts to oppose the problems that industrialization created. Such as poor working conditions and the power of big businesses. The presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson were the main progressive presidents. Their management of the United States brought great change political change in America.
As Calvin Coolidge became president his main objective was to work towards the betterment of the economy in the United States. He did this by keeping the government relatively based on business. “Coolidge wanted business to run the country; he wanted fewer government regulations, higher tariffs, lower taxes, and a reduced federal debt. He favored business not because he hated labor, but because he thought the president should reflect the popular will, and the people wanted business to operate largely unfettered” (Hamilton). The tactics Coolidge used in his presidency was to try to make whatever the people wanted to happen.
During this time three different president- Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson-each played a part in fixing the monopolies and corporate greed. Breaking up one company into many, securing that not one person made all the profit. Which is good for the economy, being able to share the wealth. Yet, the government didn 't bother in touching other important