To What Extent Were The Goals Of Populists And Industrial Workers

998 Words4 Pages

To what extent were the goals of the Populists, and industrial workers of the 1890’s met by the Progressive presidents with respect to monopolies/trusts, legislation to protect and empower people, and aid to farmers and industrial workers in the first two decades of the 20th century? Populist’s needs were met to an extent by the presidents of the Progressive era in relation to the platforms during that time so there would be no rebellion by the Populists. President Theodore Roosevelt and President William Howard Taft enacted amendments and acts that had to do with the claims of the progressives. Most of the issues of the progressives had to do with the government such as wanting to give women the right to vote. Others worried about …show more content…

The Populists had a party platform which contained their desires and these included a graduated income tax and being able to elect a senator by the most popular vote. Women also wanted the right to vote, but this was not placed in the Populist platform. President Taft enacted the Sixteenth Amendment which gave the government congress the authority to take taxes on the money that people earned. In late 1913, an act called the Underwood Tariff Act was enacted by President Woodrow Wilson and this coincided with the Sixteenth Amendment in early 1913 put in play by President Taft. When this act and amendment are put together, they create a graduated income tax while simultaneously allowing the government congress to take taxes from the money that people earned from their jobs. One of the main things that the Populists wanted was to be able to vote for their own senator. This way the citizens could vote for the senator instead of the legislators. Later that year in 1913 when Woodrow Wilson was President, they won the political reform and the Seventeenth Amendment was approved by the Constitution. Now, the voters had the say in who was going to be put into power and instead of waiting on the legislators, they could technically pass laws. Lastly in 1920, the effort of Carrie Catt, Florence Kelly, and many other …show more content…

Farmers and industrial workers wanted three main things during the Progressive era. These three things were shorter working hours, better pay, and a graduated income tax. Farmers and industrial workers had ten hour working days previous to the Adamson Act. This act shortened the amount of working hours from ten to eight thanks to President Wilson who insisted this act be put into effect. Workers were also unfairly paid if compared to the amount of work and trouble they go through. Back in 1911, there was a large company fire and many of the workers were not able to escape. More than one hundred were killed. There is also a lot of unsafe gas in the air inside factories that can cause people to become ill. The Adamson Act combined with another act in 1916 called the Workingman’s Compensation Act, which helped injured workers still get paid, increased the amount of money that farmers and industrial workers made. Finally, the Underwood Tariff Act developed a graduated income tax. In a way, this act is still in effect today because it makes the wealthier people in the country pay a higher tax than the impoverished do. These two acts aided the farmers and industrial workers in the first two decades of the twentieth