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“Leave it as it is!
“Keep it for your children, your children’s children and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights that every American should see.”
—President Theodore Roosevelt, urging his audience in 1903 to protect the Grand Canyon as a national park and reject the attempts to mine it for precious metals
The Progressive Era in the United States, which lasted from about 1890 until 1920, was what the name suggests: a period of social activism, political reform, and bold initiatives.
There was excitement in the air: a feeling that big business magnates,
arrogant
political bosses, and crooks who exploited the country’s poor workers and rich resources had had their day and now it was time to take care of John Q. Citizen’s
needs. It was a time when the federal government took vigorous
steps to dissolve illegal trusts
to restore competition in the market place; when Congress enacted laws to protect consumers from bogus
and harmful products; and when activists accomplished major organizational feats in the civil rights arena.
Some of these pioneering efforts succeeded, some did not. But collectively, the Progressive Era moved history forward and left behind a heritage that has made ours a better country, and that will continue to improve the quality of life in America for generations to come.
The men and women who achieved this progress—and who often fought bitter battles against their opponents—were among the finest American political and civic leaders and professionals.
Here is a short list of the most prominent of these pioneers, and the accomplishments for which they deserve our nation’s special thanks:
TEDDY ROOSEVELT
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was the paramount
trailblazer who gave the Progressive Era its name.
Famous for his strenuous
lifestyle, swashbuckling and exuberant
personality, our 26th president was a statesman honored by the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating a treaty that ended the Russo-Japanese War;
an author of 18 books (including a four volume history entitled The Winning of the West), a warrior who in the Spanish-American War
led the legendary charge of the Rough Riders
up the San Juan hill in Cuba; and a learned naturalist
who explored remote regions of South America and Africa.
But Roosevelt’s biggest claim to lasting fame was his bold leadership as the youngest President of the United States.
Deeply socially-conscious and furious at the greed and deceitful practices of big business leaders, Roosevelt fired his first barrage at what were then called “the robber barons”
shortly after his inauguration in 1901. He delivered a 20,000-word speech to Congress calling for laws to curb
the power of large corporations.
He pressed forward with his populist
crusade by supporting organized labor, promoting federal regulations to protect consumers, and launching 40 antitrust suits
to break up major railroad companies and Standard Oil.
And while promoting the rule of law, social justice, and public health, Roosevelt worked passionately to preserve America’s most beautiful sites and areas for posterity.
He was instrumental
in conserving and placing under federal protection some 230 million acres of land that includes five stunning national parks, 18 national monuments, and 150 National Forests.
The 100 years old agency that maintains and safeguards this great national bounty, the National Park Service, has been and continues to be a uniquely popular part of the federal government.
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