12.3 Reformers' Improvements

City Government Reform

Lincoln Steffens and "The Shame of the Cities"

• Lincoln Steffens aimed to expose the corruption of political machines and bosses through his book, The Shame of the Cities.
• He documented the abuse of power and criminal activities that enriched bosses.
• Steffens hoped his work would inspire reforms to make city governments more people-centered.

Problems with City Government

• Mayoral power was a central issue; a mayor could be a boss or a puppet.
• Bosses often held power without being elected.
• Progressives sought to change this system.

Galveston, Texas: The Commission System

• A devastating hurricane and tidal wave destroyed Galveston, Texas.
• Political mismanagement of relief funds led the Texas legislature to appoint a five-member commission of experts to govern the city.
• Each commissioner specialized in a different area and oversaw a specific city department.
• The commission successfully rebuilt the city.
• By 1917, approximately 500 cities adopted the commission system.

Dayton, Ohio: The City Manager System

• A flood in 1913 overwhelmed Dayton, Ohio.
• The city replaced the mayor with a city manager to improve efficiency.
• The city manager, an expert administrator, oversaw city services and reported to the council.
• Staunton, Virginia, also utilized this system.
• By 1925, over 250 cities adopted the council-city manager system.

Progressive Mayors and Reforms

Hazen Pingree (Detroit, Michigan, 1890-1897)

• Addressed economic issues and implemented a fairer tax structure.
• Lowered public transportation fares.
• Initiated the construction of new schools and a municipal lighting plant.
• Reduced gas rates.
• Established a relief system for the unemployed.

Samuel M. "Golden Rule" Jones (Toledo, Ohio, 1897-1904)

• Applied the golden rule in his oil-drilling factory by raising wages, shortening workdays to eight hours, providing low-cost lunches, and hosting picnics for his workers.
• As mayor, he emphasized political independence.
• Established an eight-hour workday for city employees.
• Built playgrounds, kindergartens, and a city golf course.

Tom Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio, 1901-1909)

• A socialist who advocated for greater citizen involvement in city governance.
• Organized public forums in circus tents for citizens to question city officials.
• Appointed competent and honest individuals to city positions.
• Reassessed property values for a fairer tax structure.
• Implemented gas and water socialism, replacing private ownership with public city ownership of public services.

Moral Reform

Prohibition Movement

• Progressives aimed to improve morality, focusing on alcohol consumption.
• The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), founded in 1873, advocated for prohibition.
• Members marched, sang, prayed, and urged saloon keepers to stop selling alcohol.
• Emma Willard transformed the WCTU into a national organization by 1879.
• By 1911, the WCTU had over 245,000 members and expanded its activities to kindergartens, prisons, asylums, and women's suffrage.
• The Anti-Saloon League, founded in 1895, supported anti-alcohol candidates from any party.
• Statewide referenda between 1900 and 1917 led nearly half of U.S. states, mostly in the South and West, to prohibit alcohol by 1917.
• Many cities and counties also passed prohibition laws.
• Prohibition led to increased lawbreaking, with the rise of bootleggers and speakeasies.

Social Gospel Movement

• Inspired by Walter Rauschenbusch, the Social Gospel movement encouraged applied Christianity.
• Progressives built churches and advocated for fair treatment of workers.
• Service to the poor was considered a moral duty for the wealthy.

Carrie Nation

• A radical figure in the prohibition movement.
• She delivered speeches in saloons and used a hatchet to destroy bottles of liquor.

Women's Suffrage Movement

• The WCTU played a key role in organizing and promoting the women's suffrage movement.
• Emma Willard argued that women needed the vote to protect American homes and improve society.