Carrying a Big Stick

The Inauguration

Roosevelt took the oath of office on September 14, 1901 at the Buffalo, NY home of Ansley Wilcox. At the age of 42, Roosevelt was the youngest man to ever become President. During that time of national tragedy, Roosevelt promised to keep McKinley's policies “absolutely unbroken,” but everyone realized that someone of Roosevelt's energetic and forceful personality had too much originality to follow another man's plans. It would only be a matter of time before Roosevelt was enacting his own policies.
 

Trust Buster

One of TR's first orders of business was tackling big business. He appreciated the fact that trusts increased productivity and raised the standard of living, but he was against the dissipation of free enterprise and competition. He succeeded in convincing Congress that stronger supervision and control of big business was necessary. In 1902, the government sued the Northern Securities Company, charging that it had attempted to reduce competition. The Supreme Court upheld the charge, and the company was dissolved. Forty-three other suits were successfully filed. Roosevelt became known as the “trust buster,” but he declared that he wanted the government to regulate, not bust, the trusts.

A Square Deal

During labor-management disputes, the government's alliance had usually favored management. Roosevelt felt that labor as well as management should receive a square deal. In 1902, when the United Mine Workers went on strike, Roosevelt proposed an end to the dispute through arbitration. The Union agreed, but management refused. Roosevelt threatened to have the Army seize and operate the mines, since winter was approaching and fuel was running short. At Roosevelt's request, J.P. Morgan helped reach a compromise with management. The strikers were to receive a pay raise in five months. Later, Roosevelt said that he attempted to give the miners a “square deal.” In 1903, Congress established the Department of Commerce and Labor to oversee similar disputes that might arise in the future.
 

The Panama Canal

Two weeks after taking office, President Roosevelt directed his Cabinet to begin an intensive study of a canal that would be constructed in Central America, and link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. By 1903, prospects for a canal seemed especially dim. Then in November of that year, Panamanian rebels – prodded by French and American offers of help – declared independence from Colombia. Three days later, the United States recognized the Republic of Panama and the dream of a canal was assured. When Roosevelt journeyed to Panama in 1906 to inspect progress on the canal, he became the first sitting President to travel outside of the United States. The official opening of the canal occurred on August 15, 1914, more than five years after TR left office.

Conservation

During his first administration, Roosevelt made notable contributions to conservation. He told Congress that “the forest and water problems are perhaps the most vital internal problems of the United States.” He added more than 125 million acres to our national forests and persuaded Congress to pass the Reclamation Act of 1902. Fifty-one bird sanctuaries were also established during his presidency.
 

Re-election

The election of 1904 pitted Republicans Theodore Roosevelt and Charles Fairbanks against a Democratic ticket comprised of Alton Parker and Henry Davis. Roosevelt won by the largest popular vote majority ever received by any presidential candidate.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 1905, friction between Russia and Japan erupted into all-out war. Roosevelt watched the developments very closely, knowing that a continuation of the hostilities could jeopardize the balance of power in the Pacific and bring other nations into the conflict. While speaking to Secretary of State John Hay, Roosevelt remarked, “It's bad enough that the Russians and Japanese are slaughtering each other, but we can't stand aside when a continuation of the war might involve every other major country.” The Japanese and Russian delegates separately visited TR at Sagamore Hill in the summer of 1905 to discuss their differences. Afterward, the delegates sailed in separate ships to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to hammer out treaty details. TR remained at Sagamore Hill and stayed in touch with negotiations via the telephone. In 1906, Roosevelt became the first American President to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his actions.

Second Term

In 1906, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, a descriptive novel about unsanitary conditions in meatpacking houses, stirred Roosevelt to order an investigation. The shocking report that he received moved him to push Congress to pass the Meat Inspection Act and the Food and Drug Act.

Recalling the experiences of his term as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Roosevelt felt it wise to create a strong Navy. In 1907, his pride in the Navy and his concern about the balance of power between nations prompted him to send a fleet of sixteen warships on a world tour. The ships were painted white to symbolize peace, and eventually they became known as the Great White Fleet. Roosevelt viewed the tour as part of his “Big Stick” diplomacy.

 

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