The Election of 1912

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The Election of 1912

• New Nationalism v. New Freedom

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Taft Presidency, 1908-1912

• Series of reforms
• Anti-trust cases
• Tariff reductions
• Strengthened Interstate Commerce Act
• Increasing split among Republicans
• Conservative camp
• Progressive camp
• Robert LaFollette

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Taft and Roosevelt

• Teddy Roosevelt more and more disenchanted with
  his successor
• Taft fired TRs Chief of Forest Service
• 1910 Midterm Elections
• Democrats take House
• Taft Anti-trust case criticizes TR policy
• Roosevelt declares for nomination

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Republican Convention
LaFollette
Roosevelt
Taft
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Republican Convention
Fathead!
Demagogue!
Dumber than a guinea pig
Dangerous Egoist
Roosevelt
Taft
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Republican Convention

• Progressive wing (TR LaFollette) split delegate
  vote
• Taft takes Conservatives
• TR has most delegates, but party faithful award
  contested delegates to Taft
• TR and allies walk out and vow to start new party
  - The Progressive Party

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Democratic Convention

• Highly contested
• 20 years since last Democrat won Presidency
• William J. Bryan backs Wilson
• Wilson wins on 46th ballot

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Campaign

• Teddy Roosevelt and Progressive Party
• Bull Moose Party
• Popular and well-funded, but inexperienced
• New Nationalism
• Government involvement in the economy
• Guarantee social justice
• Protecting labor
• Womens suffrage

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Campaign

• Taft
• Incumbents traditionally did not campaign
• Surrogates back conservative platform
• Some reform
• Maintain tariffs
• Political expertise, but little money

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Campaign

• Wilson and the Democrats
• Wilson campaigns in North, Bryan in West
• New Freedom
• Reform, but not radical
• Government not to interfere too much in economy
• Reduce tariffs
• Good government
• Womens suffrage a state issue

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Campaign

• Eugene V. Debs
• Candidate in 1904 and 1908, as well as 1912
• Socialist
• Government ownership of some industry
• Sweeping labor reforms
• Womens suffrage

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Results
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