Today as I was surfing Wikipedia, I noticed today's picture was of Theodore Roosevelt and remembered that he is on Mt. Rushmore. Then I thought, why? I can figure out why George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson are on there, but I haven't really been able to figure why Teddy Roosevelt is. I skimmed the article that Wikipedia has on him and I still don't really have a clear answer. He did the Panama Canal, made his own party, and had great ideas, but none of those things really make him Rushmore worthy in my opinion. At least now when the other three presidents were... one, the father of our country; two, perhaps the one of the greatest writer and thinker America has ever had; three, held our country together during the civil war. I don't have anything against Teddy Roosevelt. I just don't really get it. So my question is, why? Does anybody know? I would like to know.
Its the Panama Canal.
ReplyDeleteI dont get it either. But Defeating nature was really cool back then. And the French started the Panama Canal so I think it was a one-upping the French kinda thing too.
Thanks guys! Those are both great ideas!
ReplyDeleteTeddy Roosevelt was the leader of the National Progressive party. He was the first President to listen to the problems and acknowledge dangerous working conditions of the American laborers. Big business did as they wished prior to his election. Previously, people prescribed to the "Darwinist view of the economy", or "lasseize faire" or in other words, the strong survive, evolution of business, so let monopolies flourish and the american worker suffer. Many died in factories due to fires that started and all exits being locked (to keep them from leaving for a break). Working conditions were dangerous and many millionaires or "robber barrons" profited while the american worker endured long working hours, unsafe or dangerous conditions and low pay. Many workers lived in tiny tenet houses with no sanitary bathrooms, crowed condtions. The baby/child death rate was high. We cannot even imagine the conditions of the cities then and the unsanitary living conditions. He initiated the first actions that were aimed at helping the American worker rather than protecting big business. He stopped the first strike by indicating the federal government would run the coal mines until a reasonable compromise was reached for the workers. Although they were mild compromises they helped the workers and the movement; a nine hour work day and a 10% raise for coal mine workers. This marked the beginning of the new modern president and safer working conditions for women and men. He also filed acted against meat packers. Pres. T. Roosevelt sent two government agents to inspect meat factories. He threatened to release their report unless congress passed the meat inspection and pure food and drug legislation. It passed, so food and drugs became safer. He asked congress to increase ICC powers so they could inspect profit records of the railroads. The Helburn passed and government agents inspected the books and set maximum rates for the railroads.(Fair price) He was quite a president. President Theodore Roosevelt should be on Mount Rushmore. He was for the people, the American worker and the national parks. He was a great president.
ReplyDeleteTeddy did more than anyone of them. He saved our nation from corruption in polls, business and even meat factories. Read more about him and you will hear even more. He was there when our young nation was about to fall to it's feeble knees.
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