progressive+quotes

x CJD-  “War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.” //JT// //"The stage is set, the destiny disclosed. It has come about by no plan of our conceiving, but by the hand of God who led us into this way. We cannot turn back. We can only go forward, with lifted eyes and freshened spirit, to follow the vision. It was of this that we dreamed at our birth. America shall in truth show the way. The light streams upon the path ahead, and nowhere else."// – President Woodrow Wilson, address to the U.S. Senate on the Treaty of Versailles, 10 July 1919 [|75] In President Woodrow Wilson’s quote, he emphasizes how strong a force progress is and predicts its continual presence in America’s future. As president, Wilson had to be sure to sound optimistic about America and its future after World War I, a war that shocked the world due to its catastrophic amount of death based on the involvement of so many countries. As leader, Wilson held an ever positive point of view, and saw the advances that the Progressive Era had given America as only the beginning. Because this quote was said regarding the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I, its meaning is full of encouragement aimed at giving Americans hope and spurring excitement for their future which was continually advancing towards a more modern and comfortable life style. This quote also emphasized American resilience to the world, making sure that no one would question its strength. World War I sent a wave of patriotism sweeping through the already proud America that was seeing technological advancements and developments that no one ever dreamed possible such as motion pictures. This progressive movement is reflected in Wilson’s quote, “The light streams upon the path ahead, and nowhere else.” Many American’s shared this point of view, optimistic and elated about the success and power America had achieved in so short a time. The American people were Wilson’s intended audience, his purpose aimed at keeping the flame of pride alive. Wilson summed up the American spirit in his quote, showing that its people have a vision, an ever progressive drive, and are unrelenting. This quote is important because it conveys the thoughts of a nation, not just the president. Wilson’s message is universal, a reminder to Americans and the world that the United States is a world power, and will continue to achieve success in all areas like it had in the Progressive Era.
 * William McKinley said this during the inaugural address of his first presidential term in 1897. He had just been elected after campaigning as the Republican candidate against William Jennings Bryan, a Democrat. Part of the impetus to assure the American populace that peaceful negotiations would come before war was McKinley’s aggressive foreign policy. He wanted to garner support from Democrats in Congress and in the general population, so he made this statement, attempting to appease any anti-imperialists. By 1900 however, William McKinley’s inauguration promise had become untrue, as the United States had become involved in three conflicts far from American soil. The Spanish-American War in 1898 signified the president’s inability to negotiate after the USS //Maine// battleship sank in Havana harbor, Cuba. Yellow journalism played a large role in the public war fervor, and McKinley was easily swayed into sending troops to fight the Spanish. In China, the Boxer Rebellion prompted the president to involve the United States with Asia, and in 1900, the army was sent to aid in the end of the revolt without consultation from Congress. By this point, McKinley had not come through on his promise, but the cause for these conflicts were acceptable because, publicly, they were viewed as peace-making efforts. Not attributable to peaceful causes, however, was the Philippine-American War, which was waged from 1898 to 1902. The Filipinos, after being annexed by the United States, sought independence, but were eventually defeated by American soldiers. McKinley viewed the Philippines as an irreplaceable territory for the United States, but this conflict caused many people to call the president an imperialist. William Jennings Bryan’s presidential campaign in 1900 was largely based on an end to American imperialism, which McKinley had, when he was first elected, convinced the public would not be an issue. While at the time McKinley may have meant the statement sincerely, it is now seen as blatantly ironic. ** 

LM - //'I am for labor,' or 'I am for capital,' substitutes something else for the immutable laws of righteousness" - Theodore Roosevelt in 1904// Seeking to find common ground between the staunchly divided lower and upper class political parties, Theodore Roosevelt was an outspoken proponent of political advocacy that was independent from economic party lines. This quote illustrates how Roosevelt would not let his presidential agenda be hazed by the quibbling of big business and labor parties. Roosevelt brought to the presidency a strong assertion many economic social constructs were not compatible or appropriate to include in American government. The "immutable laws of righteousness" he refers to are an abstraction of how ideology and political opinion are correctly promoted in democratic government; the righteousness of democracy relied on its reflection of political, not topically economic, opinions of the people. A progressive, Roosevelt clearly fell in line with the Progressive's centrist and compromising agenda. Because Roosevelt believe in political and not economic government and because he was progressive, he believed that when economic agendas infiltrated the sacred function of democratic government, the government ceased to fulfill its efficacy and maintain its socially impartial stature. Politicians asserting "I am for the union" or "I am for the industrial" distracted political concerns from their appropriate manifests. However, Roosevelt's stance might have reflected his manipulation of agenda to divorce President McKinley from big business, which had a decisively minority status amongst voters. In either manners, his quote well exemplifies the progressive stance on economics in government.

JGF -  //“There is filth on the floor, and it must be scraped up with the muck rake… But the man who never does anything else, who never thinks or speaks or writes, save of his feats with the muck rake, speedily becomes, not a help but one of the most potent forces for evil.... The effort to make financial or political profit out of the destruction of character can only result in calamity."// – Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man with the Muck Rake" speech, 14 April 1906

Roosevelt, today considered one of the most energetic, dynamic, and progressive presidents, was also an excellent speaker; he rallied crowds with his captivating words and stage presence. In his 1906 speech, __The Man with the Muck Rake__, Roosevelt used strong, decisive diction to invoke images of rot and putridity. Such words as “filth,” “muck,” and “potent forces of evil,” must have resonated with Roosevelt’s audience and convinced them that there was metaphorical decay in their lives that needed to be “scraped up with the muck rake,” an idea already being proliferated by the muckrakers in society: the writers who reported unsavory truths about industrial life. Then Roosevelt arrived at the crux of his argument: though muck raking is an essential and helpful process, those who contribute in no other way but muck raking are actually a societal deterrent. He believed that investigative journalism was a good thing, and could uncover and subsequently solve many of the problems facing Progressive Era society; however, he also believed that some muckrakers had begun to fabricate information as the journalistic world became more and more competitive. Because of that conclusion, Roosevelt advocated moderation in journalistic practices. He wanted writers to be absolutely sure before they smeared someone’s reputation, because “The effort to make financial or political profit out of the destruction of character can only result in calamity.” 

MRL -

"A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad."

<span style="font: 13px/19px Arial; margin: 0px;">This quote was said by Theodore Roosevelt during his presidency, and reflects his adverse attitude towards the existence of monopolies in America. During the 19th century, the titanic monopolies of the United States were virtually unchecked. Although Americans were aware of the dangers and negative impacts of monopolies on the country, there was little progress in the restraint of monopolies. For instance, the first attempt to curb the indefinite power of the great industrialists, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, actually helped further the strength of big business rather than restrict it. It was only until the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, and his unique political stature, characterized by his combination of laissez-faire and socialist policies, that the American monopolies were effectively combated. Roosevelt's political platform came to be known as the "square deal", because he attempted to represent each group of Americans equally. He wished to do only what he believed what would empower America as a whole, rather than select groups within the country. The above quote reflects Theodore Roosevelt's discontent with the invariable influence and power of monopolies, because it reveals that he equates the petty theft of an uneducated thief with that of the creation of a monopoly. In order to combat large corporations, Roosevelt took several political actions that largely inhibited and eventually destroyed the monopolies of America. For example, in 1902, Roosevelt commanded his attorney general, Philander C. Knox, to file a suit against the Northern Securities Company (NSC), a railroad company, for violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Although the Act was largely ignored prior to 1902, it was technically still in effect, therefore in 1904 the Supreme Court authorized the dissolution of the N.S.C. The destruction of this one monopoly was followed by an additional forty-two "trust-busting" suits in the interest of ending monopolies. Furthermore, Roosevelt was also instrumental in persuading Congress to create the Department of Commerce and Labor, which would more closely regulate big businesses. His aversion towards monopolies may seem Democratic or even Socialistic, but Roosevelt declared himself as undeniably Republican; his seemingly contradictory beliefs were merely his belief in a "square deal" for the citizens of America.

“Let us ever remember that our interest is in concord, not in conflict; and that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of war.” -William McKinley AJJ- This quote is an excerpt from William McKinley’s Address at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo New York on September 5th 1901. With wars with the Spanish, Pilipinos, and other nations winding down, McKinley is presiding over a nation with newfound peace. After a presidency marked by several brutal wars, McKinley reminds his audience that a peaceful nation needs not military victories, but ones off of the battlefield within the country itself. Much of the country was opposed to the war so McKinley was attempting to side himself with those who saw peace as a better option for America. Siding with those who opposed his former policies reveals the purpose of this quote which is to convince America that further war is not necessary in the immediate future in order for America to continue to be prosperous. The Pan-American Convention, an important world event, is an ideal location to address the American public on the issue of peace, due to the vast amount of people that will hear of it. Had this speech not been overshadowed by McKinley’s death later that day, the American public would have reacted well to it as they now had all they could ask for: A fruitful economy, a low unemployment rate, and what many had desired for a long time, long lasting peace. <span style="color: #005bff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">checked 11/7

ADB - "<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px;">//Mr. Wilson stands for the liberty of the oppressor to oppress. We stand for the limitation of his liberty not to oppress those who are weaker than himself." [|72] // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px;">– Theodore Roosevelt, "The Liberty of the People" campaign speech, 1912 //

These words came from the mouth of former President Theodore Roosevelt during his “Liberty of the People” campaign speech in the 1912 election. “Teddy” Roosevelt was a Progressive Republican who had previously taken the presidency after McKinley’s assassination in 1901. He had attempted to move the country in a Progressive path, planning to rein in or eradicate trusts, as well as regulate other areas of business through the government; he coined the phrase “Square Deal”, promising a “fair deal” for the average American citizen with his policies. In 1912, Roosevelt had returned to the race to stop William Howard Taft, his protégé-turned-opposition, whom Roosevelt felt was not as progressive as he had once believed. Realizing he could not garner enough support from the Republican Party, he left it and created the Progressive (“Bull Moose”) Party. He became a bigger contender for the presidency than Taft (though still losing to Wilson), and marked the first time that a third party candidate would gain more electoral votes than one of the “big two” (Roosevelt received 88 electoral votes, Taft received 8).

The quote refers to Roosevelt’s assertion that Wilson was a supporter of big business because he supported limited government. This idea is one of the two key parts of the quotation, which makes it clear that his overarching goal was to paint Wilson as having conservative tendencies and favoring big business over the average American: though Wilson did prefer limited American government, he was also much stricter about the existence of trusts than Roosevelt, desiring to “bust” all of them, no matter their status of “good” or “bad”. Roosevelt sought to paint Wilson as a pseudo-conservative so that his audience, primarily undecided voters, those sympathetic with progressive aims, and the democratically-//leaning// voters, would leave him in the dust (since America also knew that the conservative runner, Taft, had no chance of election). The other “key part” of the quote is Roosevelt’s aim for the “limitation of his liberty not to oppress those who are weaker than him”, meaning that Teddy is for the “common man” and his interests. The aforementioned “Square Deal” that Roosevelt had utilized as a part of his presidential policy (that all American citizens would be given a “fair chance” to make their way in the Land of Opportunity) was another way by which he was attempting to sway the populace and garner votes. He appealed to the audience of poor laborers, of which there were many in America at the time; more rights generally tends to draw people’s support to the candidate offering such. Overall, these words from Theodore Roosevelt paint Woodrow Wilson as a proponent of big business while simultaneously advocating Roosevelt’s progressive agenda of helping out the average American.

SFH - "//The men with the muckrakes are often indispensable to the well being of society; but only if they know when to stop raking the muck, and to look upward to the celestial crown above them, to the crown of worthy endeavor."// Theodore Roosevelt, 1906. At the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone of the new House of Representative office building in 1906, Roosevelt addresses the parallels between some of the leading journalists of his era. Since the lineage of investigative journalism is most directly traceable to the Progressive Era at the turn of the twentieth century, it is not surprising that Roosevelt was among the first to articulate investigative and reform journalisms political and cosmopolitan dimensions. Roosevelt concluded his speech with the quote above in a plea for restraint, calling upon journalists to understand when enough is enough. Roosevelt’s speech revealed his recognition of the value laden nature of investigative journalism, yet showed his irritation to reformers endless muckraking and continuous scare tactics. The president perceived correctly that investigative reporters are committed to unearthing wrongdoings to bring about change; such as Upton Sinclair whose novel __The Jungle__ exposed the harsh conditions of factory towns which ironically instigated the implication of the Food and Drug Act of 1906. Roosevelt applauds the muckraker journalism for its role in society, but encourages the journalists to understand that too much muckraking publication will heed no change and potentially alienate the public.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">KEO-

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">“Why are seals, bears, reindeer, fish, wild game in the national parks, buffalo, [and] migratory birds all found suitable for federal protection, but not children?”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">This question was posed by the Progressive activist Florence Kelley. Kelley was a resident of Hull House and she led the drive to end industrial abuses by going to factories and sweatshops and reporting on the conditions under which the workers toiled. One of the main practices that she worked to eradicate was child labor. She was the general secretary of the National Consumers’ League which organized boycotts to prevent the purchase of goods made by children or any workers that toiled under unsafe working conditions. Kelley posed the question above during her campaign for a federal child-labor law. The quote shows the combined influence of two of the major ideas that evolved during the Progressive Era. The first idea, the idea of environmental conservation, was considered the most significant and long lasting of President Theodore Roosevelt’s legacies. Under the advisory of Gifford Pinchot, Roosevelt set aside land for natural parks and nature preserves to protect the nation’s forests and the animals that lived there. He established the first bird and game reserves and he put about 230,000,000 acres of land under federal protection. Roosevelt declared that conservation was a national duty. Kelley clearly refers to this idea when she points out that the federal government enthusiastically supported the protection of numerous wild animals but had no laws protecting children. The second major Progressive idea that is reflected in this quote is the impulse to improve conditions in factories and mills. This was considered the heart of progressivism and it had already been addressed in several states in the form of worker protection laws. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">Kelley’s inclusion of these two significant ideas in her quote make it effective in expressing her point- that the government should have laws protecting children from the dangerous and unhealthy working conditions in factories. The quote is effective because it employs both logical and emotional appeals. During the Progressive Era, muckrakers and reformers drew on actual facts and statistics when they were trying to campaign for social changes. Kelley did this here when she mentioned that there were federal laws protecting wild animals but not children. This could not be contested because it was a fact and it put the government in the position to actually consider her idea. In addition, Kelley elicits guilt from her audience by implying that the government is ignoring the wellbeing of young children. Kelley’s statement embodies the spirit of the Progressive Era, making it relatable to the audience she was addressing at the time, and giving the modern reader a glimpse into the general mindset of the progressive reformer.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">SW -

“Freedom from effort in the present merely means that there has been effort stored up in the past.” “Freedom from effort in the present merely means that there has been effort stored up in the past” was said by Theodore Roosevelt. It means that no one gets anything or becomes anything without hard work. In order to be a national figure Roosevelt had to be courageous and fight for his country. He had to work hard to become president of the United States. In order to be were he was he had to put in effort. This quote was advice for all Americans. It encouraged the American dream, that diligent labor would help you rise to the top. If you struggled in the beginning you would have a better life later and would not have to work as much throughout the rest of your life. The main point is to encourage people to work hard and be rewarded in the end due to the toil that they put in at the beginning. Roosevelt said this in order to improve America. If everyone worked on improving themselves it would in turn improve the productivity of the nation and America would be much more successful and many of its faults would be gone. Although this advice is helpful to the individual person it is also important to the progression of a nation.

MDS // “It is essential that there should be organization of labor. This is an era of organization. Capital organizes and therefore labor must organize.” – Theodore Roosevelt // <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">These words were spoken by Theodore Roosevelt, demonstrating his opinion of the rights of labor while serving as America’s twenty-sixth president (from 1901 to 1909). But while the quote specifically pertains to labor unions and their right to organize, it speaks to the entirety of the Progressive Era – an era of organization and reform. Roosevelt, as a progressive, sought to control corporate power and was popularly regarded as a “trustbuster”, as he attacked powerful monopolies such as the Northern Securities Company and their enormously wealthy owners, such as J.P. Morgan, in the defense of workers and the common public. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">In reality, Roosevelt did not thoroughly oppose big business as was thought. He believed that many trusts were good, and that if they had achieved their success through honest means, they should be rewarded and afforded their due profits. In truth there were few trusts that he attacked and that he considered to be “bad trusts” due to their corrupted means of exploiting the people in order to gain profit – some of these including Standard Oil and the American Tobacco Company. However, his efforts to break these trusts were exaggerated to increase his popularity with the American working classes. This is not to say, however, that Roosevelt favored big business. As his quote demonstrates, his progressive ideology caused him to be the first president to side with workers against owners during strikes and organized labor protests. Progressive reform involved the oppressed joining together to promote common causes and overcome the influence of the monopolizing corporations and their wealthy counterparts, and Roosevelt consistently supported the rights of these groups, especially exploited laborers and union workers, to organize and campaign for the betterment of their conditions.

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">VB//- "The scope of a modern government in what it can and ought to accomplish for its people has been widened far beyond the principles laid down by the old "laissez faire" school of political writers, and this widening has met popular approval.// <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">- President William Howard Taft <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">This statement was included in William Howard Taft’s inaugural speech. William Taft was the newly elected president in 1908 and was giving a statement in response to the events and changes that occurred in Roosevelt’s term in office. Theodore Roosevelt had upheld a progressive agenda which brought changes to political, social, and economic aspects of society. Taft was a strong supporter of Roosevelt’s policies while serving as Vice President and often added his own plans for change. When elected Taft gave this statement so that voters would know what changes were to be expected. William Taft recognized that the American people approved of the reform Roosevelt had done and of Roosevelt himself, he hoped to follow the same policy as Roosevelt and gain the same amount of recognition. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Because this statement was included in the inaugural address, it could be interpreted to give direction to what Taft planned to do. But it could also be considered an early indicator that Taft planned to bring the reform to a new level and make unique changes that differed from Roosevelt’s policy. This quote serves to model as the popular sentiment of what the American people wanted to be accomplished, reform in the various aspects of society. It also exemplifies the personal belief of Taft and how he felt of the reform. It can be interpreted that Taft would only follow the reform because voters approved of it in order to maintain his popularity. Although the Republicans did not originally like the reform in the business sector, with the arise of Theodore Roosevelt as President the Republicans were associated with change. The majority of voters would have felt reassurance from this statement, as it promised continual reform and help from the government.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">J.R.C- **//"Optimism is a good characteristic, but if carried to an excess, it becomes foolishness. We are prone to speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so."// - Theodore Roosevelt at the Seventh Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1907** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This quote taken from a speech to Congress in 1907 was made by the 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt. In this speech, Roosevelt conveyed his emotions towards the ignorant assumption that resources in America are inexhaustible. During his term, Roosevelt enforced what was called the “Square Deal”, based upon three major points: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. Roosevelt speaks against the blind consumption of natural resources in this speech, reflecting his first major point of the square deal. By using the example of optimism relating to foolishness in excess, Roosevelt reflects the times in which he is president. The turn of the twentieth century was filled to the brim with positive alterations in social, economic, and political aspects of America. Due to the major increase in technology, urbanism, and economic participation, America began to show many qualities in life very similar to modern day. Optimism was at a high point during Theodore Roosevelt’s term and the population of America thought themselves to be invincible, unstoppable, and ecologically invisible, but the ignorant consumption of natural resources during this time acted as a contradiction. Roosevelt realized this blatantly carefree consumption and in speaking against it, America found it’s first leader against overconsumption. The notion that resources were inexhaustible did not find its roots in the Progressive Era, however. During the nineteenth century, America began to settle the West, which was otherwise known as the frontier. The frontier’s land and resources were thought to be inexhaustible, but that idea was quashed by the simple realization that man’s rate of consumption upon living was much to high to maintain a wasteful consumption of resources. These two time periods found similarity in this regard.

<span style="color: #005bff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">checked 11/14

CCR- “I have seen the future, and it works.”- Lincoln Steffens This quote demonstrates the pushes for reform in the Progressive era. This quote by Lincoln Steffens essentially states that reform and innovation is the only way to get to a better tomorrow. At the time Steffens was absolutely correct. He was one of many reformers in the Progressive era. The most notable ones were those who could broadcast their message to a wide audience. Jacob Riis is a perfect example of this. He used photography in a large variety of papers and publications. Jane Addams was very loud in her fight to reform inner city areas and provide a place for women. Publication among the masses also had an effect on politicians. Sinclair’s // The Jungle // was the leading reason for the legislation that reformed the meat packing industry. The writings of John Muir also inspired Roosevelt’s progressive government to encourage conservationism throughout America. Reformers played to a large audience through publications that spoke of the problems of the present and the need to get to a better future. Seeing as many of the reform movements’ results can still be seen today, one can see that the future seen by Steffens and other reformers was a better one.