A democracy is a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
President Theodore Roosevelt started the Progressive party in 1912 because he believed .
the Democratic and the Republican Party were no longer about the people. As the .
starting statement in their speech indicates "We Progressives stand for the rights of the .
people." The other parties had become hypocritical, unjust, and corrupt. The Progressive .
Party was supposed to be more democratic and better than any other political party. They .
were not going to allow the government to abuse them. The Progressives wanted justice. .
Public welfare was their top priority. Those with wealth, land, and power were not going .
to be the only ones running the government. They believed in a series of reform .
movements that dealt with the State and National governments, trusts, social life, worker .
rights, resources, business practices, environment, health, immigration, transportation, .
and voting rights to best advocate the common interest. Their whole movement is based .
on democracy because their values benefit each individual rather then only the tycoons.
The Progressives wanted things to run according to the Constitution. The States .
only have power over their individual state. The National government is supposed to be .
in charge but not dictate the state. The States regulated Inter-State Commerce instead .
of the Nation. That was against the Constitution. Amending the Constitution to better .
suit the States would be defying what it originally intended, to give the Federal .
government certain power. Another concern was for the railway to be controlled by the .
Federal government. The Progressives wanted the Nation to regulate the sea and land.
transportation. One company was not allowed to monopolize both forms. They wanted .
Fatima Siddiqui.
the Panama Canal to be used in a way that benefited the country. Their other concern .
dealing with the environment was to conserve the natural resources, "The natural .
