square deal

The Square Deal (1904) was the term used by Theodore Roosevelt and his associates for the domestic policies of his administration, particularly with regard to economic policies, such as enforcement. The term is a general reference to the concept of a square deal being an agreement that is made between businesses and the consumers and workers. Roosevelt originally used the term "Square Deal" to encourage arbitration between a mining company and its striking workers.

One of the major elements of Roosevelt's Square Deal was the promotion of antitrust suits. During his administration, the federal government initiated actions against 40 major corporations. He argued that some "bad" trusts had to be curbed, and "good" ones encouraged and that executive agencies ought to have discretion in picking out which were "good" and which were "bad." As such, Roosevelt pushed for the courts, which had been guided by a clearly delineated standard up to that point, to yield to the wishes of the executive branch on all subsequent anti-trust suits.

Railroads were no longer allowed to give rebates to favored companies. The government controlled their rates for the benefit of shippers, which had the long-term negative effect of weakening the railroads, as they faced new competition from trucks and buses.

Meat had to be processed safely with proper sanitation, giving the advantage to large packing houses and undercutting small local operations. Foodstuffs and drugs could no longer be mislabeled, nor could consumers be deliberately misled to make a profit.

See also

• Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

References

• Brands, H.W. Theodore Roosevelt (2001) online edition
• Gould, Lewis L. The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. (1991), the major scholarly study
• Harbaugh, William Henry. The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt. (1963)
• Morris, Edmund Theodore Rex. (2001), biography that covers 1901-1909
• Mowry, George. The Era of Theodore Roosevelt and the Birth of Modern America, 1900-1912. (1954) online, major survey of era
• Rhodes, James Ford Rhodes. Thed McKinley and Roosevelt Administrations, 1897-1909 (1922) onine edition

External links

• TeddyRoosevelt.com: offers information on the proponent of the Square Deal

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