12.3 Reformers' Improvements

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.