Theodore Roosevelt

1
Theodore Roosevelts Square Deal

• Theodore Roosevelt used the power of the
  presidency to push for progressive reforms in
  business and environmental policy

2
I. Roosevelts view of the presidency

• Taking office
• President William McKinley fatally shot by an
  anarchist in Buffalo, NY
• Theodore Roosevelt now holds the highest office
  in the land
• 42 years old
• Bully Pulpit a power platform to publicize
  important issues and seek support for his
  policies

3

• The coal strike of 1902
• Pennsylvania Coal Miners Strike
• 150,000 miners struck for high wages, shorter
  hours, and recognition of their union
• Gave Roosevelt an opportunity to define his view
  of the presidency
• Urged the mine owners and striking workers to
  accept arbitration
• Workers accepted
• Owners did not
• Roosevelt threatened to take over the mines
• 3 month investigation, the arbitrators announce
  their decision
• Workers get a shorter work day
• Higher pay
• Did not require companies to recognize the union

4

• The Square Deal
• Became Roosevelts 1904 campaign slogan and the
  framework for his entire presidency
• He promoted to see that each person is given a
  square deal, because he is entitled to no more
  and should receive no less.
• Revealed his belief that the needs of workers,
  business, and consumers should be balanced
• Called for limiting the power of trusts,
  promoting public health, safety, and improving
  working conditions
• Cruised to victory in the election

5
Daily Assignment

• Define
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Bully Pulpit
• Square Deal
• What was the reason for the 1902 coal strike?
• Describe Roosevelts strategy to settle the coal
  strike.
• In what way did the coal strike agreement
  represent a square deal?
• What was the square deal?
• What was Theodore Roosevelts view of the role of
  the president?

6
II. Regulating Big Business

• Trust-busting
• 1901 tycoons J.P. Morgan, James J. Hill, and E.
  H. Harriman joined their railroads together to
  eliminate competition
• Created Northern Securities Company
• Dominated railroad shipping from Chicago to the
  Northwest
• President Roosevelt orders the U.S. Attorney
  General to sue the company
• Violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act
• Supreme court ruled that it was a monopoly
• Ordered to dissolve the company

7

• Ruling was a watershed
• Encouraged Roosevelts administration to launch a
  vigorous trust-busting campaign
• Filed dozens of lawsuits against monopolies and
  trusts that were not in the publics interests
• The Roosevelt administration went after the bad
  trusts the ones that sold inferior products,
  competed unfairly, or corrupted public officials

8

• Regulating the railroads
• Railroads commonly granted rebates to their best
  customers
• This meant that huge corporations paid
  significantly less to ship their products than
  small farmers or small business
• 1903 Congress passed the Elkins Act
• Prohibited railroads from accepting rebates
• Ensured that all customers paid the same rates
  for shipping their products
• Hepburn Act of 1906
• Strengthened the Interstate Commerce Commission
  (ICC)
• Gave it the power to set maximum railroad rates
• Regulate other companies that were engaged in
  interstate commerce

9

• Protecting customers
• Food producers
• Egg producers
• Drug companies
• Dr. James Soothing Syrup
• Gowans Pneumonia Cure
• Meatpacking business
• Upton Sinclair, The Jungle
• James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture
• Ordered to investigate the conditions of packing
  houses
• Final report made for some gruesome reading
• Meat Inspection Act
• Required federal inspection of meat shipped
  across state lines
• Pure Food and Drug Act
• Forbade the manufacture, sale, or transportation
  of food and patent medicine containing harmful
  ingredients.
• The law also required food and medicine
  containers to carry accurate ingredient labels

10
Daily Assignment

• Which two acts regulated shipping rates within
  the railroad industry?
• What caused improvements within the meat-packing
  and drug industries?
• Why do you think it took so long for reforms to
  occur within the food and drug industries?
• What measures did the Roosevelt administration
  take to regulate business and protect consumers?
• What is the impact today of The Pure Food and
  Drug Act?
• Create a chart summarizing the record of major
  legislation regulating business during
  Roosevelts presidency.
• HOMEWORK Due on Monday, May 2nd
• As a consumer in 1906, write a letter to Congress
  supporting the Pure Food and Drug bill.