12.2 Muckrakers and Progressive Reform

Muckrakers and Their Impact

Introduction

• Progressives aimed to bring about change by informing the American people about the harsh realities of factory and city life.
• They sought to expose the negative impacts of monopolies on common people, farmers, and workers.
• Muckrakers, a group of writers in the early 1900s, played a crucial role in this effort by uncovering and publishing exposés on monopolies, political machines, and other societal problems.
• The public response to these revelations often led to government intervention and business reforms.

Helen Hunt Jackson

• Addressed the plight of Native Americans.
• Inspired by a lecture from a Ponca chief about the forced removal of his people from their reservation in Nebraska.
• Became an activist for Native American rights, starting with letters to the New York Times advocating for the Poncas.
• Authored "A Century of Dishonor" (1881), a book condemning the U.S. government's Indian policy and its history of broken treaties with Native American tribes.
• Called for a more humane and just policy towards Native Americans.
• Sent a copy of her book to every member of Congress, but it had limited impact on lawmakers.

Nellie Bly

• Reporter for Joseph Pulitzer's New York World.
• Known for her investigative journalism, including a trip around the world.
• Went undercover to investigate the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwells Island, feigning insanity to report on brutal treatment and neglect.
• Successfully convinced doctors of her insanity and was committed to the asylum.
• Experienced and documented the appalling conditions, including spoiled food, cold water treatments, and inhumane treatment by staff.
• After ten days, the newspaper secured her release, and she published her report in "Ten Days in a Madhouse."
• Her exposé led to a grand jury investigation and an increase of 850,000 in funding for improvements at the asylum.

Ida Tarbell

• Authored "The History of the Standard Oil Company" (1904), an exposé on John D. Rockefeller's oil company.
• The book was initially serialized in 19 parts in McClure's magazine.
• Considered one of the most influential muckrakers, inspiring others to investigate and expose corporate wrongdoing.
• Revealed the unjust practices of Standard Oil, including Rockefeller's monopolistic policies and ruthless takeover of other oil companies.
• The book contributed to the breakup of Standard Oil in 1911.

Frank Norris

• Lived in California and witnessed the impact of the railroad monopoly on farmers.
• His book, "The Octopus," depicted the Pacific and Southwest Railroad's control over freight in California's Central Valley.
• The railroad's high rates led to foreclosures and farmers losing their land.
• The book portrayed the railroad's ruthless tactics, including staging a bloody shootout to suppress resistance.
• His work raised public awareness about the railroads' exploitative practices.

Jacob Riis

• Police reporter for the New York Tribune.
• Documented the terrible living conditions of immigrants in New York City slums.
• Used flash photography to capture images of life in dark tenements, showcasing the living conditions to the wider public.
• Authored "How the Other Half Lives," a book featuring his photographs and descriptions of immigrant life.
• His work influenced Theodore Roosevelt, then New York City Commissioner of Police, to close police-run poorhouses.

Upton Sinclair

• Wrote "The Jungle" (1906), exposing corruption in the American meatpacking industry.
• Depicted the harsh working conditions and the hopelessness of workers in the meatpacking plants.
• Lived among working-class immigrants in Chicago to research his book.
• The book led to legislation that brought government inspectors to meatpacking plants, ensuring better standards.

Lincoln Steffens

• Worked at McClure's magazine with Ida Tarbell and Ray Stannard Baker.
• Focused on corruption in city governments.
• Authored "The Shame of the Cities" (1904), exposing political machines and the boss system in American cities.
• Aimed to evoke shame and outrage among Americans, leading to reforms in city politics and government.

Ray Stannard Baker

• Wrote "Following the Color Line," a series of articles in McClure's reporting on segregation and racial discrimination in America.
• One of the few muckrakers who addressed the plight of African Americans during this period.

Muckrakers' Approach and Impact

• Muckrakers focused on specific issues, conducting extensive research to uncover facts and dirt on the topic.
• They disseminated their findings through books and magazine articles.
• They believed that informed citizens would pressure the government to make reforms.
• The writers generally stayed out of the political arena, leaving the political aspects of reform to other progressives.

Theodore Roosevelt and the Term "Muckraker"

• The term "muckraker" originated from a 1906 speech by Theodore Roosevelt.
• Roosevelt supported the exposure of evil practices but emphasized the importance of absolute truthfulness.
• He likened these writers to a character from John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" who could only look down at the muck.