The Age of Reform
The most frightening economic depression the American people had yet experienced gripped the country in 1894, and many people blamed the tariffs of the Wilson-Gorman Act for their suffering. The Republican Party returned. to power with majorities in both Houses of Congress in the election of 1896. Under the leadershipof newly elected President William McKinley, the author of the 1890 act, the protectionist tariff structure was restored in full in the Dingley Act of 1897, which had the distinction of imposing the highest average rate of customs duties overall written into any US tariff law up to that time.
The Republicans were to remain in power for the next decade and a half, and no significant tariff reduction would take place under their stewardship. Moreover, there seemed to be no reason for reform, since the Dingley Act's high rates apparently did not greatly harm the Nation, which enjoyed a long, virtually unbroken period of prosperity while it was in force.
Important changes swept the United States in the years following the Civil War, significantly altering patterns of living throughout the nation. The population multiplied, millions of immigrants enriched the culture as they became a part of American society, Negroes suffered through "Jim Crow" laws, and Negro leaders demanded equal rights, there were huge population shifts from rural areas to urban centers, new patterns of urban living began to develop, the status of women changed, the public became more interested in the arts, distinct American art forms began to emerge, people demanded more education and got it, and recreation became more general as less time had to be spent earning a living.
The population of the United States increased from approximately 40,000,000 in 1870 to over 100,000,000 in 1920. Population shifted to urban centers and by 1920, for the first time in American history, more than half of the population of the United States lived in cities. New patterns of living developed in urban centers. Americans began to take more interest in the creative arts. More and more people received high school and college education.
Immigrants came to America chiefly in the hope of improving their economic situation. Between the Civil War and the Great War, millions of immigrants came to America and enriched its culture, but restrictions on immigration began before the turn of the century. Some Americans feared competition and were at times repelled by "foreign ways." They also feared that an uncontrolled number of immigrants would completely change the character of American civilization and lead to the annihilation of native stock and to radical innovations.
The political, economic, and social reforms of the period from 1900 to 1916 were widespread and had far-reaching implications for future generations. It is not surprising that the impact of these reforms was so strongly felt. Spurred on by outstanding journalists of the day and pressured by public opinion, both state and federal governments enacted reforms in attempts to wipe away the worst abuses of the period—a period that was characterized by strong leadership and colorful personalities like Theodore Roosevelt and Robert La Follette.
In one sense nearly all Americans had been progressives in that they believed in progress. More specifically progressives were those who demanded honesty and efficiency in government, direct control of government by the people, regulation of business and restoration of competition, and many other reforms. Even more specifically progressives were those who supported Senator Robert La Follette and other liberal political leaders.
Until the late 1800's Americans were chiefly concerned with domestic affairs, but with the settlement of the slavery issue, the passing of the frontier, and with rapid industrial growth and consequent demands for overseas tradetogether with demands for overseas investments and the acquisiton of colonies — Americans became increasingly involved in foreign affairs. They won a quick, decisive victory in the Spanish-American War and became an imperialist nation. Gaining recognition as a world power, the United States could not avoid international commitments and could not avoid involvement in the Great War.
Isolationists argued that the United States should build an ideal democracy at home to serve as a model to the rest of the world —and this could be done only if the United States kept out of European conflicts. Expansionists argued that American industry needed foreign markets, that as AngloSaxons Americans were destined to rule the world, and that the U.S. must expand in order to survive.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
