Theodore Roosevelt was a strong leader and ruled with an iron fist as a president. He conquered the frontier and went on to conquer other countries as well. Roosevelt was a born leader. During his childhood he overcame his sickness by exercising and participating in outdoor activities. After Theodore graduated from Harvard he went straight into politics. He began his career as the president of the New York Board of Police Commissioners. Later Roosevelt continued his career as an assistant secretary of the navy in Washington. He then became a Rough Rider during the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt then returned home and became the Governor of New York and Vice President of the United States in 1900. In 1901 he became President when William McKinley was assassinated. William Taft took his place in 1908. When Roosevelt was president his main concern 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. The Hepburn 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 Inspection Act, “enabled the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to inspect and label meat products“#. Theodore’...
