The Progressive convention and platform[edit] Despite these obstacles, the August convention opened with great enthusiasm. Over 2,000 delegates attended, including many women. In 1912, neither the other Republican candidate, President W. H. Taft, or the Democrats nominee Woodrow Wilson, endorsed womens suffrage on the national level.[8] The famed suffragette and social worker Jane Addams gave a seconding speech for Roosevelts nomination. However, Roosevelt insisted on excluding African-American Republicans from The South (whom he regarded as a corrupt and ineffective element); but, he did include black delegates from all other parts of the country.[9] Roosevelt further alienated white southern supporters on the eve of the election, by publicly dining with black people at a Rhode Island hotel.[10] Roosevelt was nominated by acclamation, with Johnson as his running mate. The main work of the convention was the platform, which set forth the new partys appeal to the voters. It included a broad range of social and political reforms advocated by progressives.[9][11] 16-page campaign booklet with party platform of the Progressive Party The platforms main theme was reversing the domination of politics by business interests, which allegedly controlled the Republicans and Democrats parties, alike. The platform asserted that: To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.[12] To that end, the platform called for Strict limits and disclosure requirements on political campaign contributions Registration of lobbyists Recording and publication of Congressional committee proceedings In the social sphere the platform called for A National Health Service to include all existing government medical agencies. Social insurance, to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled Limited injunctions in strikes A minimum wage law for women An eight hour workday A federal securities commission Farm relief Workers compensation for work-related injuries An inheritance tax A Constitutional amendment to allow a Federal income tax The political reforms proposed included Womens suffrage Direct election of Senators Primary elections for state and federal nominations The platform also urged states to adopt measures for direct democracy, including: The recall election (citizens may remove an elected official before the end of his term) The referendum (citizens may decide on a law by popular vote) The initiative (citizens may propose a law by petition and enact it by popular vote) Judicial recall (when a court declares a law unconstitutional, the citizens may override that ruling by popular vote) Besides these measures, the platform called for reductions in the tariff, limitations on naval armaments by international agreement and improvements to inland waterways. The biggest controversy at the convention was over the platform section dealing with trusts and monopolies such as Standard Oil. The convention approved a strong trust-busting plank, but Roosevelt had it replaced with language that spoke only of strong National regulation and permanent active [Federal] supervision of major corporations. This retreat shocked reformers like Pinchot, who blamed it on Perkins (a director of U.S. Steel). The result was a deep split in the new party that was never resolved.[9] In general the platform expressed Roosevelts New Nationalism: a strong government to regulate industry, protect the middle and working classes, and carry on great national projects. This New Nationalism was paternalistic in direct contrast to Wilsons individualistic philosophy of New Freedom. Roosevelt also favored a vigorous foreign policy, including strong military power. Though the platform called for limiting naval armaments, it also recommended the construction of two new battleships per year, much to the distress of outright pacifists such as Jane Addams.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:56:05 +0000
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