The Presidential election conducted in 1912 was one of the most competitive in the history of United States. President Theodore Roosevelt had failed to clinch the Republican nomination and formed the Progressive party .The new party was nicknamed Bull Moose Party by the American Electorate. Republican Party, with the support of the conservative wing nominated William Howard to be their flag bearer in the incoming presidential elections. William Jennings supported Woodrow Wilson and managed to get the Democratic Party nomination. The Two significant front runners, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson espoused progressive philosophies. However, their policies differed in theory.
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Theodore Roosevelt criticized the Democratic Party for failing to uphold the rule of law and neglecting the social welfare of the people. He stated that the old political parties had forged alliances with corrupt business in an attempt to corrupt politics. He particularly described the Democratic Party as a party that does not have the ability to tackle the challenges of the modern world .The progressive party promised to seek fundamental changes in the states constitution to achieve the real character of a representative democracy.
Theodore Roosevelt brought to light the unequal laws in various states that had negative effect on women, children and the youth. He claimed that such systems existed to benefit financial corporations that were carrying out unfair trade at the disadvantage of the average Americans. He further argued that the Democratic Party was responsible for the unfavorable political situation in Baltimore as a result of its insistence in state’s rights. Theodore promised that his administration would abolish child labor, set a minimum wage for women and advocate for one day rest for all industrial wage workers.
The progressive party sought to abolish night shifts for women and establish an eight hour working policy for women and children. Progressive party aimed at stopping the convict contract labor system and using the prison systems to provide income for their dependant families back at home. The illiterate were also considered by the Progressive political Party. Theodore sought to lift the last load of illiterate Americans by establishing industrial schools to deal with the generation of Americans that had not received adequate formal education. Industrial research Laboratories were to be established to enable Americans to benefit from the discoveries of Science in the industrial Sector. Theodore worked towards regulating interstate corporations to abolish the unfair business practices resulting from inequality in state laws.
The progressive party through its platform urged the American businesses and the Government to copy the cooperation between the two institutions in Germany. Another of its goals was to stop currency production through private agencies. Next in that line was to be set to regulate the unhealthy tariffs that were working against the American business owners. Theodore promised to stop the discriminating against foreign immigrants and appreciate their labor.
The Democratic Party was less vocal in its assault of the institutions of the day compared to the Progressive party. Americans did not trust the sudden overhaul of the whole political system and voted Woodrow Wilson in as the President of United states of America. The change of governance started two years ago when electorate voted overwhelmingly for democrats in the House of Representatives.
Woodrow Wilson in his inaugural speech emphasized the need to reform the Tariff system. He claimed that the tariff system cuts off most Americans from proper commerce and violates the just principles of taxation. These makes the government prey to private interests that are aimed at inordinate desires to accumulate wealth. The banking sector was also a point of concern for President Woodrow. He promised to establish a new order in commerce that did not rely on the need for the government to sell bonds. The government would no longer concentrate on concentrating cash or restricting credit in the new administration.
In the Industrial sector, the president promised to eradicate industrial practices that limited opportunities for labor and job creation. It was clear from his speech that industries that exploited natural resources without conserving them would not have no place in his new administration. Woodrow concern for the environment took a pre-eminent place in his speech. He promised to address the problem of fast disappearing forests, to develop the undeveloped watercourse ways. His government targeted reclaiming waste lands and stopping the destructive agricultural practices that impoverished the environment.
It is incontrovertible that the progressive party’s platform influenced Woodrow’s inaugural speech. Woodrow went further to promise the eradication of draconian statutes dealing with: sanitary laws, pure food laws and laws that determined the conditions of labor, for a fair and just legal order the aforementioned sectors.
President Woodrow expressly promised the transformation of the economic system for the equitable distribution of the Nation’s wealth. Economic power will no longer be concentrated in the hands of a few or foreigners be allowed to benefit from the unequal economic system at the expense of American business people. Woodrow promised to correct wrongs done by previous governments and never to allow the government to be used as an instrument of evil intentions.
In conclusion, the 1912 historical presidential race was instrumental or the prosperity of the American Nation. Contenders addressed areas that needed reformation and individual rights that were being violated under the cloak of hypocrisy by government officials, politicians and unscrupulous traders. To please the electorate, such areas had to be addressed by proceeding governments. America emerged more united than ever and under the leadership of President Woodrow Wilson, America emerged victorious from the First World War.
References
Progressive Party Platform. (1992, August 15). Progressive Party Platform, 1912. Retrieved January 21, 2014, from American Experience 25 years: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/tr-progressive/
