A progressive president is one that modernized the United States in a way that brought them to a new level. They used new styles of the presidency that helped them get the job done, like addressing the people of the country and letting them know what is going on.. These presidents had to walk the fence in many cases. By this I mean be on the people or consumers side and also had to be on the big business’ side. In the early 1900’s the position of the presidency took a turn towards modernism.The first of the progressive presidents was Theodore Roosevelt. He started the whole progressive idea. The funny thing is that he wasn’t going to get started in government in that high of a position. In times of problems Roosevelt always came up with a solution. When it was between big business and consumers he would walk the fence but actually be on the consumers side. He would almost trick the business into things. He was the father of argument and solutions. In the coal miners strike Teddy brought in troops to settle things down. He made a deal with the business that he would get rid of the troops if the business gave into the demands of the workers. He made it seem as if he did something for both sides, but only really profited the workers. Roosevelt set up a system of irrigation. This gave farmers water for their crops so they could make money, it also gave workers a job to build and maintain the system. This project was funded by the newlands reclamation act, which sold public land in order to fund irrigation. Many people were given jobs because of this, Roosevelt also modernized the United States by chartering the Forest Service. This gave people work. Because of the Forest Service conservation laws were passed. Roosevelt took an interesting approach to controlling monopolies. He would let them slide sometimes if it wasn’t hurting the population to much. If it brought cheaper prices and not putti...
