Muckrakers: Muckraker and President Theodore Roosevelt

Progressivism was a political movement in the United States during the ninetieth century to change the social and economic problems within society. The people believed the United States government should be more active about solving society’s problems. Industrialization and urbanization created many of these problems. These included, but were not limited to, poverty of working class and the filth and crime of urban society. Progressive leaders worked as journalists, social workers, educators, politicians, and members of the clergy. Unregulated market and economy were favored by the leaders of progressivism. Before government could fix social problems, government itself needed to be fixed.
Muckrakers were a group of crusading journalists who investigated social conditions and political corruption. Muckrakers were given that name after a speech by President Theodore Roosevelt on April 4, 1906 in Washington, D.C.
“Now, it is very necessary that we should not flinch from seeing what is vile and debasing. There is filth on the floor and it must be scraped up with the muck-rake; and there are times and places where this service is the most needed of all the services that can be performed…”

As railroads and industry expanded, so did popular magazines. In the early 1900’s American publishers competed against each other to see who could expose the most corruption and scandal. The improvement in printing technologies contributed to the increase of competition. As competition rose, the prices of these magazines fell. This allowed for information to be spread out over a wider audience. McClure’s, Collier’s, and Munsey’s were the most popular magazines at the time. These magazines were only ten or fifteen cents. During the muckraking era (1903 – 1912), publishers counted on a monthly circulation of more than three million. Bold print, startling titles, eye-catching covers, factual detail and emotion were made use of and contributed much to the success of the