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Lincoln–Roosevelt League facts for kids

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League of Lincoln–Roosevelt Republican Clubs
Founder Chester H. Rowell
Edward Dickson
Founded 1907
Dissolved 1912
Succeeded by Progressive Party
Ideology Progressivism
Anti-monopolism
New Nationalism
National affiliation Republican Party

The Lincoln–Roosevelt League was a group of political activists in California over 100 years ago. It was officially called the League of Lincoln–Roosevelt Republican Clubs. The league was started in 1907 by two journalists, Chester H. Rowell and Edward Dickson.

Even though the group was small, with never more than 100 members, it had a big impact. They belonged to the Republican Party and wanted to make positive changes in society. Their work helped Hiram Johnson get elected as the governor of California in 1910. The league's ideas also helped create a new national political party in 1912, the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party.

The League's Main Goal

The main mission of the Lincoln–Roosevelt League was to reduce the power of a single company in California's government. At the time, the Southern Pacific Company, a major railroad company, had a huge amount of influence over the state's politics. The league believed this was unfair to ordinary citizens. They wanted to return power to the people.

What Changes Did They Want?

The league fought for many reforms to make the government more fair and to improve people's lives. They believed these changes would help create a better society for everyone.

Some of their key ideas included:

  • Giving Voters More Power: They wanted a system where citizens could directly propose laws (initiative), vote on laws passed by the government (referendum), and remove elected officials from office if they weren't doing a good job (recall).
  • Fairer Elections: They supported the direct election of U.S. senators by the people, instead of by state politicians.
  • Protecting Workers: The league wanted to outlaw child labor and create a minimum wage for working women to ensure they were paid fairly.
  • Improving Public Services: They pushed for better hospitals, prison reform, and improved public transportation.
  • Protecting Nature: The group supported the conservation of forests and natural resources.
  • Making Communities Safer: They worked to outlaw harmful activities to improve safety in cities.
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