US Election of 1912

Programs of Presidential Candidate

Theodore Roosevelt

Born into an aristocratic family of the State of New York banker's son, Theodore Roosevelt came early in his political career. He acquired a great reputation when dealing with the reform of the public service (1889-1895) and the control of the New York Police Department from 1895 to 1897. He attacked corruption and inefficiency that characterized this body.

He became Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1897, it proved enthusiastic supporter of the war against Spain for the liberation of Cuba, long before President McKinley himself. He enlisted when the war broke out, Lieutenant-Colonel of volunteers from the cavalry; he commanded the famous regiment of Rough Riders. This episode Military embellished by the press earned him considerable popularity he was able to skillfully use later in his political career.

Enjoying strong support in the financial and industrial circles, he became Governor of the State of New York and was named a candidate for the Vice Presidency of the Republic by the device (machine) of the Republican Party in 1900. The assassination of President McKinley in 1901 led him to the presidency, when he was reelected in 1904 (James, pp135-145).

Remained in the popular imagination the enemy of the trusts, Theodore Roosevelt was, in fact, throughout his political career supported by the most powerful financial groups of the time. Despite his statements against "the malefactors of the big money" and antitrust measures with little real effect, the major railway companies, the banking and insurance companies were involved in the management of state affairs and properly represented in within the President's office.

In his first speech to Congress, Roosevelt announced his intention of a policy aimed at achieving greater social justice, actively opposed the merger of companies (trusts) interested in monopolizing economic sectors, whose number rose from 60 before 1898, to 183 in 1901. Roosevelt recognized the right of the existence of such practices (even though many of these trusts had a monopoly on staples such as oil, meat, coal and sugar, or major utilities such as railways), but also insisted the government's right to control and regulate their activities. During his presidency, the Panama Canal was opened. He declined to run for reelection in 1908 and instead nominated his assistant, William Howard Taft, who easily defeated his Democratic opponent, whose government is considered conservative parentheses (Copper, pp.189-193).

During his second term, Theodore Roosevelt was voted a number of measures for the conservation of natural resources, control of railway rates by the Federal Government (Hepburn Act) and finally a law protecting the hygiene of food (Pure Food and Drug Act, 1906).

Theodore Roosevelt played a diplomatic role on the international stage. It acts as a mediator in the negotiations that would end the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 and was represented at the conference of Algeciras in 1906.

Passionate hunter, a great friend of nature, he actively participated in various expeditions in Africa; he then made a long trip through Europe. He appeared again as presidential candidate in 1912, but ran into opposition from ...