The California Progressive Reform Movement

The California Progressive reform movement that occurred from 1910 to 1923 was a major turning point in California in regards to its political and historical development. California at the time was behind by 10 years as compared to the movements happening nationally. During the 1910 to 1923, it was considered to be the greatest reforms of the era. The movement commenced out of protests against the urban corruptions as seen in the Ruef Schmitz regime happening in San Francisco as well as similar regimes happening throughout the state like in Los Angeles, Fresno, and Sacramento. The revolt was against the Pacific Railroad and big political machines such as Bill Herrin in San Francisco and Bill Parker in Los Angeles. Bill Herrin’s political power was shown during the 1906 Santa Cruz convention as he took over the

Republican Party by adding his own candidate for the governmental nomination and successfully attaining the nomination. The candidate was Congressman Jimmie Gillete of Eureka, CA. The state legislature that we put together after Gillete’s victory was named one of the worst ever in the history of California. The state legislature that was put together required 83 doorkeepers to guard three doors, hired female stenographers who were unable to read or write and worst of all, prostitutes as committee clerks. Everything that transpired helped set up these movements.

The movement was led by newspaper editors. Chester Rowell of Fresno Republican and Edward Dickson of Los Angeles Express, both of the editors were veterans of the local reform in politics. They both viewed the Sacramento corruption while it was happening. In 1907 they established the Lincoln-Roosevelt league to eliminate California Republican Party Bill Herrin and the Southern California Pacific Railroad from office. They choose Hiram M. Johnson of San Francisco to be the next candidate for governor. Johnson made his reputation during the Ruef Schmitz regime trials by helping to put them out of business. Johnson won the general election and remained in office until his death in 1945. This time helped create many reforms that we see today. Some of the achievements include the Labor legislation which created workers compensation, helping to find work for those unemployed, abolish child labor and created an 8 hour workday for women. I believe that the primary movements’ legacy was to remove the corruption of private companies offering their patronage to influence public policies for their own

agendas. They successfully started something great by helping California create a progressive reform to weaken the power of such leaders by depriving patronages. Unfortunately this still happens. Big companies still patronage campaigns in order to get their public policies pushed through; one example is that of the Koch Brothers in the state of Wisconsin.