The Decline of the Progressive Party in Michigan's Upper Peninsula: The Case of Congressman William J. MacDonald in 1914

Abstract

The Progressive party, which was moderately successful in 1912 but severely weakened by the results of the 1914 election, was part of a reform movement which had a great impact on early twentieth-century America. The origins of this Progressive movement are uncertain, but it did center in the Midwest and particularly in cities like Detroit, Toledo, and Milwaukee.1 Some historians believe it developed out of the Populist movement in the 1890s, itself a response to the recession of 1893-1897. Others see it as involving old-stock urban, middle-class Protestants or they stress the role of the Protestant clergy in creating a sense of moral purpose. Historical interpretations often stress the role of class and ethnicity and emphasize the participation of urban immigrants or the new middle class which felt threatened by the increasing control of American industry by a small number of trusts.2 William J. MacDonald was one of only eleven Progressive party candidates elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1912. His district, the Twelfth, comprised the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After briefly reviewing his successful 1912 campaign, this article will attempt to evaluate the factors that led to his defeat in 1914, thus providing a case study of the Progressive party's decline.