League of Lincoln–Roosevelt Republican Clubs | |
|---|---|
| Founder | Chester H. Rowell Edward Dickson |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Dissolved | 1912 |
| Succeeded by | Progressive Party |
| Ideology | Progressivism Anti-monopolism New Nationalism |
| National affiliation | Republican Party |
TheLincoln–Roosevelt League, officially known as theLeague of Lincoln–Roosevelt Republican Clubs, was founded in 1907 byCalifornia journalistsChester H. Rowell of theFresno Morning Republican and Edward Dickson of theLos Angeles Express.[1] Initially, it was a coalition of progressiveRepublican activists. Although it never had more than 100 members, the league was instrumental in the election ofHiram Johnson asgovernor of California in 1910[2] and the formation of the nationalProgressive ("Bull Moose") Party in 1912.
The initial aim of the league was to curb the power of theSouthern Pacific Company inCalifornia politics. Some specific elements of their appeal for reform were a direct primary system (the voterinitiative,referendum, andrecall), as well as "the regulation ofpublic utilities; theconservation of forests; the outlawing ofchild labor,prostitution, andgambling; hospital andprison reform; women's suffrage; and aminimum wage law for working women; thedirect election of United States senators; the systemization of public finance; charter reform;public transportation."[3][4]