Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901 and has since changed the traditional role of the federal government. Prior to Roosevelt’s presidency the federal government practiced a laissez faire attitude towards big businesses. During his presidency, Roosevelt began to increase the role of the federal government by passing policies that were aimed to expand the federal government’s involvement in trusts and conservation. By 1901, giant trusts had already became huge political and economic forces that dominated the American economy. Even though these trusts posed a threat to the American market by eliminating competition, they were still able to function without the economic intervention of the federal government as a result of the laissez faire system. Roosevelt redefined the role of the federal government by abandoning the laissez faire
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The Standard Oil and the Northern Securities holding Company were two of the biggest trusts to be dismantled by the Supreme Court for the violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Roosevelt also signed the Hepburn and Elkins Acts which further expanded and strengthened the role of the federal government by preventing railroad companies from offering rebates to favor certain customers. The Act also gave the interstate commission more authority to regulate railroads. Conservation became was one of Roosevelt’s main and central policy in his administration. Prior to Roosevelt’s presidency the Forest Reserve Act was passed in 1891 and gave the president the power to establish forest reserves to protect and reserve watersheds. After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used this act to establish 149 national forests. Roosevelt was considered as one of the main conservationists of his time who believed that it was the government’s duty to protect wildlife and public lands. Roosevelt authorized the Antiquities Act, which gave him the power to protect “objects of historic or scientific interests” as
The Standard Oil and the Northern Securities holding Company were two of the biggest trusts to be dismantled by the Supreme Court for the violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Roosevelt also signed the Hepburn and Elkins Acts which further expanded and strengthened the role of the federal government by preventing railroad companies from offering rebates to favor certain customers. The Act also gave the interstate commission more authority to regulate railroads. Conservation became was one of Roosevelt’s main and central policy in his administration. Prior to Roosevelt’s presidency the Forest Reserve Act was passed in 1891 and gave the president the power to establish forest reserves to protect and reserve watersheds. After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used this act to establish 149 national forests. Roosevelt was considered as one of the main conservationists of his time who believed that it was the government’s duty to protect wildlife and public lands. Roosevelt authorized the Antiquities Act, which gave him the power to protect “objects of historic or scientific interests” as