Square Deal

Coining of the term The press was using the term "Square Deal" as early as 1871 in a New York Times local news article that reads "Many of the inscriptions on the front of trucks, drays, and other vehicles are quite amusing. On one there is a picture of a hand containing four aces, and over it is inscribed square deal." In 1888, in "letters from the people" (letters to the editor), one writer signed off as "Square Deal". In 1890, the phrase started to appear in headlines, e.g., "Give China a Square Deal" and "Not a Square Deal". An early usage of "square deal" by Theodore Roosevelt in the press occurred in 1899, when The New York Times quoted his saying, "I did not appoint a man because he came from Dr. Wall's or any other church; I gave each man a square deal on his own account. That is what I mean by Americanism." In 1901, he declared "a square deal for every man, big or small, rich or poor" during a speech in Lynn, Massachusetts, recorded by stereograph (photo) image. In a 1903 speech in Springfield, Illinois, he stated, "It seems to me eminently fitting that the guard around the tomb of Lincoln should be composed of colored soldiers. It was my own good fortune at Santiago to serve beside colored troops. A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards." In October 1904, while Roosevelt was readying publication of his book A Square Deal for Every Man (Chicago, R. J. Thompson, 1905), The New York Times reported: The 94-page pamphlet's 75 topics include: America, A Good American, Alaska, Anarchy, Army and Navy, Capital, Character, Charity, Citizenship, Farmer, Peace, Publicity, Trusts, Weaklings, and World Power. Some imitate the form of proverbs. • "A Square Deal for the South" (January 27) • "Talks of Square Deal: President's Address at Press Club Banquet" (February 14) • "Upholds the President: Mormons Know He Will Give Them a Square Deal" (April 10) • "The 'Square Deal' Defined: President Offers Some Explanations of the Meaning of the Term" (April 15) • "The Square Deal" (May 18) The press praised Roosevelt's Square Deal: The press also criticized him for it: Other politicians tried to capitalize on the phrase, too, e.g., U.S. Representative Henry Sherman Boutell of Illinois. Initial legislation In 1903, with Roosevelt's support, Congress passed the Elkins Act. This stated that railroads were not allowed to give rebates to favored companies any longer. These rebates had treated small Midwestern farmers unfairly by not allowing them equal access to the services of the railroad. The Interstate Commerce Commission controlled the prices that railroads could charge. Legislation was passed which specified that meat had to be processed safely with proper sanitation. Foodstuffs and drugs could no longer be mislabeled, nor could consumers be deliberately misled. Roosevelt gave high priority to environmental conservation, and safeguarded millions of acres of wilderness from commercial exploitation. Roosevelt's conservation efforts were driven by practicality as well as by a love for nature. Influenced by early wise-use advocates like Gifford Pinchot, Roosevelt believed that nature existed to benefit humanity. In a conserved wilderness, water could be taken to irrigate farmland, sport could be had, and timber could be harvested. Acting on these beliefs, Roosevelt set up the federal Reclamation Service in 1902. The agency, through the use of dams and irrigation, created arable land in areas that had been too dry to farm, and the Reclamation Service eventually brought millions of acres of farmland into service. During Roosevelt's time in office, 24 reclamation projects were set up, and 150 national forests were created. He sought a national incorporation law. All corporations had state charters, which varied greatly state by state. He called for a federal income tax, but the Supreme Court had ruled in 1895 that any income tax would require a constitutional amendment. Roosevelt sought an inheritance tax so the great family fortunes could not be inherited without the tax for generations. In the area of labor legislation, Roosevelt called for limits on the use of court injunctions against labor unions during strikes. Injunctions were a powerful weapon that mostly helped business. He wanted an employee liability law for industrial injuries, pre-empting state laws. He called for an eight-hour law for federal employees. In other areas he also sought a postal savings system to provide competition to local banks, and, finally, campaign finance reform. He secured passage of the Hepburn Act in 1906, which increased the regulating power of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Eventually, many of the proposals he championed were enacted under Democrats Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. When Roosevelt ran for president on an independent Progressive Party ticket in 1912, in addition to these policies he proposed stringent new controls on the court system, especially state courts, to make them more democratic. His court policies in particular caused his anointed successor, William Howard Taft, to lead a counter-crusade which defeated Roosevelt in the Republican presidential primaries in 1912. == Impact and specific provisions ==

Labor Labor unions in the age of Samuel Gompers were generally on the Democratic side, but Roosevelt felt that favorable policies toward them would gain votes or at least neutralize their opposition. He had opposed unions in 1896, when they supported William Jennings Bryan, then came to appreciate their value after 1900. He played a central role in negotiating a compromise to end the Coal strike of 1902, which was threatening the nation's energy supply. He decided they also needed a square deal, and a stronger voice and collective bargaining with corporations. • A measure was approved that providing that eight hours should constitute a day's labor on irrigation works. • Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the Philippine Islands, with violation of the Act being punishable by forfeiture of contracts and a fine of not less than $10,000. • A measure was approved making wages preferred claims. Health and welfare • The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 were both widely accredited from Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. • The Federal Employers Liability Act of 1908. • The Federal Employee's Compensation Act of 1908 provided workers' compensation for a number of federal employees. • Legislation was introduced (1902) that expanded the scientific work of the Acoustic Laboratory and appropriated a budget specific to the laboratory's work. • In 1902 Congress gave authority to strengthen the Public Health Service. • An Act of 1903 enabled the Secretary of Agriculture "to prevent the spread of contagious and infectious diseases of live-stock." • In 1902, $5,000 was appropriated to the Bureau of Chemistry by Congress "to study chemical preservatives and colors and their effects on digestion and health," with studies drawing attention to the problem of food adulteration. • The Oleomargarine Act (1902) authorized the definition of oleomargarine "for the purpose of collecting taxes on imported product, and also to discourage imitation of butter." • The Biologics Control Act was passed (1902) "to ensure purity and safety of serums, vaccines, and similar products used to prevent or treat diseases in humans." • The first Certified Color Regulations (1907) listed 7 colors found suitable for use in foods. • Corporate welfare work was encouraged by the Roosevelt Administration; a policy continued under Roosevelt's successor William Howard Taft. Conservation • The Newlands Reclamation Act (1902) led to the first 21 federal irrigation projects such as Theodore Roosevelt Dam in Arizona. • In Alaska, Roosevelt created the Tongass and the Chugach forest reserves. • Improvements of waterways and reservation of water power sites were carried out. • The provisions of the Newlands Act were extended to Texas (1906). • The National Forest Service was established (1905). • In one of a series of acts aimed at regulating the harvesting of Alaskan wildlife, Congress passed "An Act For the protection of game in Alaska, and for other purposes," known as the Alaska Game Act, protecting certain game animals in Alaska. • 18 national monuments were declared during Roosevelt's time in office. Public projects • The Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902. • The Kinkaid Act of 1904. • The Forest Homestead Act (1906) allowed the patenting, or deeding, of millions of acres of potential agricultural land within the national forests. • The Inland Waterways Commission was created (1907) for the purpose of developing a new approach to river development. Veterans • The Civil War program was transformed into a system of old-age pensions for Union veterans. His executive order of 1904 declared that old age itself constituted a disability: "When a claimant has passed the age of sixty-two years he is disabled one-half in ability to perform manual labor and is entitled to be rated at six dollars a month; after sixty-five years at eight dollars a month; after sixty-eight years at ten dollars a month, and after seventy years at twelve dollars a month." This order provided tens of thousands of Union veterans with non-contributory old-age pensions. • A 1906 statute provided for veterans that "the age of sixty-two years and over shall be considered a permanent specific disability within the meaning of the pension laws." • In 1907, the pension provisions of the federal government were extended to all Civil War Union veterans, regardless of whether they were disabled. • The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching was chartered by an Act of Congress (1906). • The 1907 Nelson Amendment to the second Morrill Act provided $25,000 annually in order to assist teacher-training courses in the mechanical arts and agriculture. Rural areas • The Rural Free Delivery postal service was made permanent (1902). • The Alaska Native Allotment Act (1906) authorized the Secretary of the Interior "to allot individual Alaska Natives a homestead of up to 160 acres of land." • A Commission on Country Life was established (1908) to investigate ways of making country life more attractive. Business regulation • The Expediting Act of 1903. • The Elkins Act 1903. • A Department of Commerce and Labor was set up (1903) to regulate business and enforce economic regulations. • The Hepburn Act of 1906 strengthened the Interstate Commerce Commission; prior to that, the commission had minimal resources to carry out its duties. • Under the Immunity of Witnesses Act (1906) corporate officials could no longer make a plea of immunity to avoid testifying in cases which dealt with the illegal activities of their corporations. • The Aldrich–Vreeland Act (1908) introduced government regulation of any issues of "emergency" currency. == See also ==