Please read the following candidate platforms for the election of 1912. What candidate would you vote for and why?
1) Republican William Howard Taft. Taft has a solid antitrust record (breaking up monopolies that raise consumer prices), using ninety lawsuits against trusts during his time as president. Taft supports high import tariffs (making it more expensive for Americans to buy foreign products and, thus, perhaps increasing purchases of American-made items), limitations on child and female labor (limiting their work hours), and workmen's compensation laws (in the event of injury at work).
2) Democrat, Woodrow Wilson comes from South Carolina. Wilson was President of Princeton University with PhD in history, and later developed a strong reform record as the Governor of New Jersey. His platform consists of 'New Freedom.' Wilson wants to implement antitrust legislation to eliminate monopolies, viewing big business as unfair and inefficient. Wilson feels that big business reduces opportunity for many ordinary Americans and small business owners. He seeks an era of small government, small businesses, and free market competition. Wilson is also critical of organized labor, socialism, and radicalized farmers. Wilson supports Progressive legislation, including tariff reduction, income tax reform, currency and credit reform.
3) Socialist, Eugene V. Debs. Debs was a labor organizer and one of the most prominent socialists in the United States. Some members of the Socialist Party propose ending America's capitalist economic system and replacing it with a socialized economic system (high taxation for national benefits). Debs advocates for public ownership of the railroads and utilities, no tariffs, a shortened workday, a minimum wage, a graduated income tax (the poor pay less and the rich pay more) and a system of social insurance against unemployment and industrial accidents and death. Socialists also advocate for the election of the president and vice president by direct vote of the people rather than reliance on the electoral college (democracy rather than a republic). He maintains that the other political parties are financed by large trusts.
4) Former President and Progressive 'Bull Moose' candidate, Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt. Roosevelt's platform formed around his New Nationalism principles, include a broad range of social and political reforms, including a federal child labor law, federal workmen's compensation, regulation of labor relations, and a minimum wage for women. The Progressive Party also advocates lower tariffs, initiative, referendum, recall, direct election of senators and direct primaries. Roosevelt differentiates between good and bad trusts and claimed that big business must be strictly regulated in the public interest. He believes in the protection of workers and consumers as well as environmental protections. The Progressive Party is the only party to advocate women’s suffrage at the national level.
