PROGRESSIVISM UNDER TAFT AND WILSON CHAPTER 18 SECTION 3 SETTING THE SCENE Roosevelt decides not to run for another term Nominates William Howard Taft personally William H. Taft was the Republican nominee in 1908 Taft defeats Democrat William Jennings Bryan William Howard TaftWilliam Jennings Bryan TAFTS PRESIDENCY Did not hire any Progressives to his cabinet Led to turmoil in the Republican Party Taft signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff in 1909 Promised to reduce tariffs, yet congress added higher tariffs while reducing only some Progressives were furious On the issue of land management, Progressives felt betrayed Richard Ballinger was appointed as Secretary of the Interior which frustrated conservationists Conservationists people who favor protection of natural resources TAFTS PRESIDENCY (CONTINUED) Ballinger was against land conservation sided with businesses Opposed U.S. Forest Service head Gifford Pinchot Ballinger sold millions of acres in Alaska, containing coal, to a private business group Pinchot called out Ballinger fired Though Ballinger was never proven guilty eventually resigned Pinchot became a hero Taft continued to slump TURMOIL IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY Angry Progressives teamed up with Democrats In 1910, House passed a resolution that barred Speaker of the House from serving on the old guard committee During the Midterm elections of 1910, Roosevelt promoted Progressives Called for business regulation, welfare laws, workplace protection, income tax, and voting reform New Nationalism Roosevelts Progressive platform Democrats won control of the House and Senate ELECTION OF 1912 Roosevelt runs against Taft for the Progressives Bull Moose Party - nickname of the Progressive Party Symbols - Republican elephant and Democratic donkey Taft reserved more lands and brought more antitrust suits in 4 years than Roosevelt in 7 years Woodrow Wilson from NJ was the Democratic nominee; Eugene Debs ran for Socialists Four way election Wilson won 435 electoral votes to Roosevelt's 88, and Tafts 8 ELECTION OF 1912 The election of 1912 had four primary candidates: Theodore Roosevelt of the Bull-Moose Party (left), William Taft of the Republicans (left-center), Woodrow Wilson of the Democrats (right-center), and Eugene Debs of the Socialists (right) WILSONS PRESIDENCY Kept Congress in session for a year and a half Underwood Tariff Act of reduced tariffs from 40% to 25% Government income tax (16 th Amendment) later that year In 1914, passed the Clayton Antitrust Act - specific activities that businesses could not do Set up Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - regulated business tactics found to be unfair Reinforced the Clayton Antitrust Act WILSONS PRESIDENCY (CONTINUED) Sought overhaul of banking system Federal Reserve Act of 1913 divided country into 12 districts, each with a federal bank Headed by a Federal Reserve Board Appointed first Jewish Supreme Court Justice in 1916 Election of 1916 Wilson vs. Charles Evans Hughes Wilson wins a second term 277 electoral votes to Hughes 254 electoral votes PROGRESSIVE LIMITS Focused very little on migrant farmers and nonunionized workers Took almost no social justice reform action African Americans felt ignored by Progressives With World War I churning in Europe, calls for war preparation drowned out calls for reform By 1916, Progressivism was all but finished Womens rights was the last reform movement