Theodore Roosevelts Political Life Essays - Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelts Political Life As a president Theodore Roosevelt was a strong leader and ruled with an iron fist. Not only did he conquer the frontier but he went on to conquer other countries. Roosevelt started out life as a born leader. When he was a child he overcame his sickness by physical exercise and rugged outdoor activities. He went to college at Harvard and after graduating he went straight into politics. Starting his career as the president of the New York Board of Police Commissioners, and later went on to Washington as an assistant secretary of the navy. Then he became a Rough Rider during the Spanish-American War. Afterwards, he returned home he went on to become the Governor of New York and Vice President of the United States in 1900. Roosevelt then became President in 1901 when William McKinley was assassinated. Roosevelt held office until 1908 where William Taft took his place. Roosevelt's main concern when he was a president was the rapid business consolidations taking place in the American economy. He and the Justice Department took on JP Morgan, the owner of Transcontinental Railroads. This case went all the way to the Supreme Court as Northern Securities v. US(1904). The court held that the stock transactions constituted an illegal combination in restraint of interstate commerce. Roosevelt was considered a trustbuster after that case. Later in 1906, in response to public pressure for greater government intervention into businesses, he and Congress passed the Hepburn Act. This Act says that railroads can only charge the amount that is set by the government, and that the government was able to inspect financial records. The Pure Food and Drug Act, which brought about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was next. This act says that all foods and drugs had to be tested and approved by a government official before they went onto the market. The Meat Inspe ction Act, empowered the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to inspect and label meat products. Roosevelt's concern with the destruction of the forest, prairies, streams, and wilderness led to putting the government in charge of the regulation of the environment with the start of the US Forest Service. Not only was Roosevelt a strong leader in the US, but he was also one of the most aggressive advocates of an overseas empire. Along with men such as Senator Henry Lodge, Admiral Alfred Mahan, and Brooks Adams, Roosevelt pushed for expansion. He not only wanted to free Cuba and the Philippines from Spanish rule and annexing Hawaii, he wanted to assert American military around the world. He also believed that the Protestants Anglo-American culture should be spread abroad. Roosevelt summarized his views with this quote, Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far. In wanting to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, Roosevelt's attempt to lease the ground was unsuccessful. He then came up with a new strategy: take over Panama. On November 3, 1903 it happened, and only for ten-million dollars. The positive effect of the canal was that it gave the US a tremendous strategic and commercial advantage. The negative effect of the canal was that the newly exposed areas needed to be policed. Roosevelt called for proper policing of the world. Roosevelt was concerned that Europe might try to take it if the US didn't. To prevent this proclaimed what came to be known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The Document said that Chronic wrongdoing, or an importance which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, the exercise of an international police power. Roosevelt also used this to justify armed intervention in the internal affairs of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Another thing that Roosevelt did that proved him strong not only in America but over seas was that he mediated a settlement of the Russia-Japanese War at Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1905. In doing that he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906. He showed his strength again in 1908 when he sent battleships to visit Japan in a muscle-flexing display of sea power. He did this because of the tension in California about the anti-Japanese racism. In the cartoon, Two