The main work of the convention was the platform, which set forth the new party's appeal to the voters. It was drafted in part by
Charles McCarthy, and included a broad range of social and political reforms advocated by progressives. of the Progressive Party The platform's main theme was reversing the domination of politics by business interests, which allegedly controlled the Republicans' and Democrats' parties alike. The platform asserted that the first task of the statesmanship of the day was to destroy the invisible Government, and to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics. To that end, the platform called for • strict limits and disclosure requirements on political campaign contributions, • registration of
lobbyists, and • recording and publication of
congressional committee proceedings. In the social sphere the platform called for • a National Health Service to include all existing government medical agencies; •
social insurance, to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled; • limited
injunctions in
strikes; • a minimum wage law for women; • an eight-hour workday; • a federal
securities commission; • farm relief; •
workers' compensation for work-related injuries; • an inheritance tax, and • a
constitutional amendment to allow a
federal income tax. The political reforms proposed included •
women's suffrage, •
direct election of
senators, and •
primary elections for state and federal
nominations. The platform also urged states to adopt measures for "
direct democracy", including • the
recall election (citizens may remove an elected official before the end of his term), • the
referendum (citizens may decide on a law by
popular vote), • the
initiative (citizens may propose a law by
petition and enact it by popular vote), and •
judicial referendum (when a court declares a law unconstitutional the citizens may override that ruling by popular vote). Besides these measures, the platform called for reductions in the
tariff, limitations on naval armaments by international agreement and improvements to
inland waterways. The biggest controversy at the convention was over the platform section dealing with
trusts and
monopolies such as
Standard Oil. The convention approved a strong "trust-busting" plank, but Roosevelt had it replaced with language that spoke only of "strong National regulation" and "permanent active [Federal] supervision" of major corporations. This retreat shocked reformers like Pinchot, who blamed it on Perkins (a director of
U.S. Steel). The result was a deep split in the new party that was never resolved. In general, the platform expressed Roosevelt's "
New Nationalism": a strong government to regulate industry, protect the middle and working classes, and carry on great national projects. This New Nationalism was paternalistic in direct contrast to Wilson's individualistic philosophy of "
New Freedom". Roosevelt also favored a vigorous foreign policy, including strong military power. Though the platform called for limiting naval armaments, it also recommended the construction of two new battleships per year, much to the distress of outright pacifists such as Jane Addams. ==References==