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===Party funding===

===Party funding===

The most serious problem faced by the Progressive Party was money. The business interests who usually funded Republican campaigns were either sitting this one out, or supporting Taft.  Newspaper publisher [[Frank Munsey]] provided most of the funds, with large sums also given by [[George W. Perkins]]. Perkins was a divisive factor; a former top official of U.S. Steel, he single-handedly removed the antitrust plank from the Progressive platform.  Radicals such as Pinchot deeply distrusted Perkins and Munsey, though realizing the fledgling party depended on their deep pockets.  A few newspapers endorsed Roosevelt, including the Chicago Tribune, but the great majority stood behind Taft or Wilson. Lacking a strong party press, the Bull Moosers had to spend most of their money on publicity. Finally the new party was funded by publisher [[Frank A. Munsey]] and its executive secretary [[George W. Perkins]], a leading financier.  

The most serious problem faced by the Progressive Party was money. The business interests who usually funded Republican campaigns were either sitting this one out, or supporting Taft.  Newspaper publisher [[Frank Munsey]] provided most of the funds, with large sums also given by [[George W. Perkins]]. Perkins was a divisive factor; a former top official of U.S. Steel, he single-handedly removed the antitrust plank from the Progressive platform.  Radicals such as Pinchot deeply distrusted Perkins and Munsey, though realizing the fledgling party depended on their deep pockets.  A few newspapers endorsed Roosevelt, including the Chicago Tribune, but the great majority stood behind Taft or Wilson. Lacking a strong party press, the Bull Moosers had to spend most of their money on publicity. Finally the new party was funded by publisher [[Frank A. Munsey]] and its executive secretary [[George W. Perkins]], a leading financier.

 

===1912 Platform===

===1912 Platform===

The platform called for [[women's suffrage]], recall of judicial decisions, easier amendment of the U.S. Constitution, social welfare legislation for women and children, workers' compensation (government payments for accidents on the job), limited injunctions against unions during strikes, farm relief, revision of banking to assure an elastic currency, required health insurance in industry, new high inheritance taxes, higher, new  federal income taxes on the rich, and limitation of naval armaments after the U.S. caught up in the naval race.  Pacifist [[Jane Addams]], a leading supporter, was stunned to discover she had to endorse a platform that called for the building of two new battleships a year. Perkins, a board member of [[U.S. Steel]] corporation, was blamed for blocking an anti-trust plank, thus shocking reformers like [[Gifford Pinchot]] who saw Roosevelt as a true trust-buster.  The result was a deep split in the new party that was never resolved. Roosevelt's philosophy for the Progressive Party was based around [[New Nationalism]], which was the belief in a strong government to regulate industry and protect the middle and working classes. New Nationalism was paternalistic in direct contrast to [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s individualistic philosophy of "New Freedom".  

The platform called for [[women's suffrage]], recall of judicial decisions, easier amendment of the U.S. Constitution, social welfare legislation for women and children, workers' compensation (government payments for accidents on the job), limited injunctions against unions during strikes, farm relief, revision of banking to assure an elastic currency, required health insurance in industry, new high inheritance taxes, higher, new  federal income taxes on the rich, and limitation of naval armaments after the U.S. caught up in the naval race.  Pacifist [[Jane Addams]], a leading supporter, was stunned to discover she had to endorse a platform that called for the building of two new battleships a year. Perkins, a board member of [[U.S. Steel]] corporation, was blamed for blocking an anti-trust plank, thus shocking reformers like [[Gifford Pinchot]] who saw Roosevelt as a true trust-buster.  The result was a deep split in the new party that was never resolved. Roosevelt's philosophy for the Progressive Party was based around [[New Nationalism]], which was the belief in a strong government to regulate industry and protect the middle and working classes. New Nationalism was paternalistic in direct contrast to [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s individualistic philosophy of "New Freedom".  

Roosevelt had scored a second-place finish, but he trailed so far behind Wilson that everyone realized his party would never win the White House. With the poor performance at state and local levels in 1912, the steady defection of top supporters, the failure to attract any new support, and a pathetic showing in 1914, the Bull Moose party disintegrated at the national level, although some state parties remained fairly strong. It did very well in Washington, winning a third of the seats in the state legislature, according to the State Legislature history page. Some leaders, such as [[Harold L. Ickes|Harold Ickes]] of Chicago, supported Wilson in 1916. Many followed Roosevelt back into the Republican Party, which in 1916 nominated [[Charles Evans Hughes]]. The ironies were many: Taft had been Roosevelt's hand-picked successor in 1908 and the split between the two men was ideological. No compromise was possible on issues like the independence of the judiciary. Roosevelt's schism allowed the conservatives to gain control of the Republican party and left Roosevelt and his followers drifting in the wilderness throughout the 1920s before most joined the [[New Deal]] Democratic Party coalition of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

Roosevelt had scored a second-place finish, but he trailed so far behind Wilson that everyone realized his party would never win the White House. With the poor performance at state and local levels in 1912, the steady defection of top supporters, the failure to attract any new support, and a pathetic showing in 1914, the Bull Moose party disintegrated at the national level, although some state parties remained fairly strong. It did very well in Washington, winning a third of the seats in the state legislature, according to the State Legislature history page. Some leaders, such as [[Harold L. Ickes|Harold Ickes]] of Chicago, supported Wilson in 1916. Many followed Roosevelt back into the Republican Party, which in 1916 nominated [[Charles Evans Hughes]]. The ironies were many: Taft had been Roosevelt's hand-picked successor in 1908 and the split between the two men was ideological. No compromise was possible on issues like the independence of the judiciary. Roosevelt's schism allowed the conservatives to gain control of the Republican party and left Roosevelt and his followers drifting in the wilderness throughout the 1920s before most joined the [[New Deal]] Democratic Party coalition of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

==LaFollete creates a third party in 1924==

==LaFollete creates a third party in 1924==

In Wisconsin the Republican Party was split into two factions after 1900, the conservatives and the "Progressives" led by [[Robert LaFollette]].  LaFollette broke bitterly with Roosevelt in 1912, but stayed in the Republican party. In 1924 LaFollette ran for President on his own ticket, also named the '''Progressive Party'''.  It carried only the state of Wisconsin, but was strong among labor union members, especially railroad workers. It did not run state or local candidates, and disappeared with LaFollette's death in 1925.   

In Wisconsin the Republican Party was split into two factions after 1900, the conservatives and the "Progressives" led by [[Robert LaFollette]].  LaFollette broke bitterly with Roosevelt in 1912, but stayed in the Republican party. In 1924 LaFollette ran for President on his own ticket, also named the '''Progressive Party'''.  It carried only the state of Wisconsin, but was strong among labor union members, especially railroad workers. It did not run state or local candidates, and disappeared with LaFollette's death in 1925.