Was Roosevelt a good president?

Question 1

How successful was roosevelt with Conservation?

Answer 1

• ahead of his time on conservation issues
• possibly the first president to realise that natural resources were not infinite
• ordered 150 million acres of forest to be placed on federal reserves and strictly enforced laws concerning grazing, mining and lumbering
• 1908 - Roosevelt organised the National Conservation Conference –> led to many states creating commissions to look after the environment –> seemed to be supporting the people

Question 2

How successful was roosevelt in the controlling of corporations?

Answer 2

• Was prepared to intervene industrial disputes
• In the anthracite coal strike of 1902, Roosevelt summoned both sides to Washington and told employers that unless they agreed to arbitration he would send troupes to work in mines
• Employers settled - raising wages + offering 9 hour work day
• roosevelt seen to expand role of gov to obtain justice and fair play - key element of Progressivism
• Made Roosevelt popular with working class

Question 3

Negative of roosevelt control of corporation

Answer 3

The employers had not conceded to much and simply raised prices to cover cost of pay rise

Question 4

How successful was roosevelt in terms of consumer protection?

Answer 4

• extended the role of the federal government in food consumption
• Act of 1906 - led to federal programme in food consumption
• 1906 - Pure Food + Drug Act - started programme of ending food adulteration

Question 5

How successful was Roosevelt in terms of trust busting?

Answer 5

• 1902 - roosevelt instructed his attorney general Philander C.knox to start proceedings against Northern Securities Company - holding company which controlled several railroads
• Took on several powerful businessmen e.g Rockerfeller that had appeared to be using company’s monopoly create excess profit
• 1904 Supreme court decided company illegal - dissolved
• Roosevelt embarked on 44 anti trust prosecutions

Question 6

What acts did Roosevelt pass that furthered trust busting?

Answer 6

• 1903 Department of Commerce + Labour Act created new department of commerce with cabinet secretary
• 1906 Hepburn Act - gave federal gov commission the power to inspect books of railroad companies + lay down the max rates they could charge - to protect public from exploitation

Question 7

Overall how successful was Theodore Roosevelt as a progressive president?

Answer 7

• good president
• took action against big businesses
• supported conservation measures
• 1908 - laid down an agenda that his democrat successors should put into practice
• seemed to show genuine concern for underdog
• ahead of his time
• brought presidential office of USA firmly into arena of economic and social reform

Question 8

Downsides of Roosevelt? general

Answer 8

• Unable to persuade congress to pass more in the way of progressive reform
• growing divide between conservatives and progressives in republican party