LAD/Blog #30: Wilson's First Inaugural

In the beginning of his inaugural address Wilson acknowledges the recent change in government.  Both houses of Congress as well as the President and Vice Presidency will all soon be from the democratic party.  He calls this change a change in perspective, not a change in ideals.  He talks about how change is necessary in order for the nation to accomplish new things.  Wilson compliments the country on its morality and says that he hopes the nation will continue to honor these morals. He then couples that with the evils that have been done, wasting nature's resources and overworking many people, wasting lives. These were the actions of a corrupt government. Wilson then states that it is time to fix the evils while keeping the good, making the workforce more fair and not just trying to gain industrial greatness. He describes it as "restoration." Wilson then lists off some issues, like harmful tariffs, an uncontrolled industrial sector, and the waste of American resources without replenishing them. He then reiterates that the responsibility of government is to protect the lives of the people, which could be done with labor laws and sanitation laws. Wilson emphasizes that property rights will be maintained and that business will be restored by adding justice. He concludes by stating that he is dedicated towards improving the lives of the people.





Wilson's First Inaugural reminded me of former President Barack Obama's First Inaugural speech because both shared a sense of determination and optimism that the country would improve, even if it took some time.

LAD/Blog #29: Clayton Anti-Trust Act

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act has three sections, Section 2, Section 3, and Section 7. In Section 2, the act states that discounts for specific groups or people is illegal. Lowering the price of goods or services for different people is not allowed. However, different prices based on the quality of the item sold or based on competition is allowed, but not to gain a monopoly. Section 3 of this law states that the manipulating of prices to lessen competition is also illegal.  Lastly, section 7 of this law prevents a corporation from owning stock of other companies, as it would significantly lessen the competition and thus create a monopoly.





This act reminded me of John Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company because it combined vertical and horizontal integration tactics with the creation of trusts to dominate the U.S. economy.

LAD/Blog #28: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

After the 1900 Census revealed that 2 million children were working in mines, factories, fields, and stores across the country, the nation was outraged.  Social workers and other prominent individuals began to condemn the treatment of children in workplaces given its negative effect on their health and over all well-being.  The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act was passed in response to this outcry for a solution.  The act established 4 as the general minimum age for work and 16 as the minimum age for work in mines.  In addition, children could only work a maximum of 8 hours per day.  Unfortunately, the Supreme Court declared this law unconstitutional in the Hammer v. Dagenhart case.  The Supreme ruled that the government did not have the right to regulate commerce.  An amendment was proposed in the 1920's regarding child labor which also failed.  Finally, in the 1940's the Supreme Court reversed their ruling.  This decision still stands today.





This act reminds me of how no one under the age of 14 can work in an industrial factory, which used to be one of the most popular places for young children to work.

LAD/Blog #27: MLK, Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech

Martin Luther King Day is a day when we celebrate King's ideals and impact on the United States of America.  His beliefs are perfectly summarized in his famous "I Have a Dream Speech" that was delivered on August 28th, 1963.  While standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial he alluded to the great man that preceded him and how America needs to follow "Lincoln's light".  The light is referring to the Emancipation Proclamation that was issued by President Lincoln during the Civil War. King then begins to list off the injustices that must end before the movement can stop. After this, King comes to the most famous part of the speech, in which he states that he has a dream that white and black children can at some point love each other as siblings. After this extremely powerful section, he tells the crowd that with this hope, they must go back to their homes and continue to push for equality. He quotes "My Country Tis' of Thee" stating that they must continue to push for progress under freedom rings across the nation and all people are "free at last."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech reminded me of many of Barack Obama's speeches where he discussed racism and racial inequality.