Platform of the Progressive Party (1912)

... In particular, the party declares for direct primaries for nomination of State and National officers, for Nation-wide preferential primaries for candidates for the Presidency, for the direct election of United States Senators by the people; and we urge on the States the policy of the short ballot, with responsibility to the people secured by the initiative, referendum and recall ...

We pledge ourselves to work unceasingly in State and Nation for:--

... The prohibition of child labor ...

One day's rest in seven for all wage-workers ...

The protection of home life against the hazards of sickness, irregular employment and old age through the adoption of a system of social insurance adapted to American use ...

The concentration of modern business, in some degree, is both inevitable and necessary for National and international business efficiency. but the existing concentration of vast wealth under a corporate system, unguarded and uncontrolled by the Nation, has placed in the hands of a few men enormous, secret, irresponsible power over the daily life of the citizen--a power insufferable in a free government and certain of abuse ...

We believe in a protective tariff ...

The Progressive Party, believing that no people can justly claim to be a true democracy which denies political rights on account of sex, pledges itself to the task of securing equal suffrage to men and women alike ...

We recognize the vital importance of good roads and we pledge out party to foster their extension in every proper way, and we favor the early construction of National highways ...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/26_t_roosevelt/psources/ps_trprogress.html

This is a detailed and ambitious platform. It does not seek a leader for everyone to follow: it spells out an agenda. The Progressives were in many ways smashingly foresighted and it is interesting to see what elements of their program succeeded. Of course, the 1994 Republican sweep cost us the Interstate Commerce Commission, which had been important in the Progressive platform, and Republicans today are working to strip away "social insurance" and are aiming at the direct election of senators

was based on the assumption that citizens would continue to be involved in active organizations -- but real involvement in recent decades has declined

educated!

Desperately.

the commitment to work diligently towards it, rather than selecting yet another leader to support temporarily

paper on John Dewey and Eugene Debs, though it's always been a general area of interest of mine) and Theodore Roosevelt really wasn't all he was cracked up to be. Circe 1896 he was still talking about taking labor leaders up against a wall and shooting them, not mention as Howard Zinn liked to point out the man flat out loved war. I can't help but think the party was poisoned by his involvement. Debs and the Socialist really were the way to go in 1912.

However, Robert La Follete was the real deal.

and forward-looking. And, of course, the third party challenge failed

Someone I'm definitely not a fan.