In 1894 Henry Demarest Lloyd exposed corruption of a monopoly held by the Standard Oil Corporation in his book “Wealth Against Commonwealth.” This was one of the first progressive reform actions taken to influence the government. The reformers first move to apply changes to the federal government was by getting through to the public with muckraking, bringing to attention dirt about trusts. Lincoln Steffens wrote in McClure’s, an article, “The Shame of the Cities” which magnified the alliance between big business and the government in 1902. Ida M. Tarbell wrote against the Standard Oil monopoly. These writings exposed the “money trust” which engulfed American industry. These articles were used to get to the federal government. President Theodore Roosevelt became a “trustb

The reformers were appalled at the condition of meat and drugs. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle showed the disgusting attributes of the meat packing industry. The Meat Inspection Act was decreed in 1906, all meat shipped over state lines was subject to federal inspection and was to be graded. The later Pure Food and Drug Act helped to clean up food and pharmaceutical labels and ingredients (Doc B). These acts were passed due to the influence reformers had through their literature.

President Roosevelt, representative of the federal government helped to make changes in the national government. After being enlightened by the reformers, he came to realize “good” and “bad” trusts. He was prepared to control these trusts, his first being the Northern Securities Company headed by Morgan and Hill. He brought the company to court, and in 1904, Northern Securities was ordered to dissolve. Roosevelt did this to over 40 trusts, but he wasn’t worthy of the nickname “trustbuster.” He was hoping that other trusts would follow in the paths of those, which were done with force. Herbert Croly’s The Promise of American Life in 1910 was a reform work, stating to control bad trusts, and the good ones good alone.

After this strike, many more occurred, and the national government was prepared for them. America went to other countries in distress to bring back order. They were prepared because of the reformers initial strike.

David G. Phillips wrote that of 90 U.S. Senators, 75 did not represent the people, but stood for railroads and trusts. This showed that the state governments were not working for the people, but for big business. With this in the public’s eye, the government had to change, eventually. The reformers had three main principles in mind, “initiative,” to vote for direct legislation, “re

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