Ben Bradleys dead. What a run he had! Proof of what happens when the press does its job. Reading The Bully Pulpit and the magazine McClures provided that role during the Progressive Era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The magazine had a national circulation with a group of journalists that included Ida Tarbell, the rare woman in journalism, who authored a critical expose on Standard Oil. That story caused railroads to finally fall under federal regulation and put John D. Rockefeller in a less than flattering public light. Goodwin calls this the Golden Age of Journalism and it was fascinating to see how quickly the countrys outrage could be focused on singular events and affect great change both legally and socially. By 1903 or so McClures had a circulation of 400,000 and was exposing corruption in governmental operations, big businesss bribery of legislative and judicial officials, and especially trust activities that reduced competition, raised prices and crushed the developing middle class. And, as always, Goodwin never disappoints: The story is compelling and Theodore Roosevelt continues to be a fascinating character. Last book in the current crop, just place the next order with Amazon which includes two biographies of female Egyptian pharaohs.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:33:38 +0000
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