Patronage and Progressives: East Tennessee Republicans During the Early 1900s
Abstract
With infrequent control of the state, East Tennessee Republicans relied upon patronage to hold power and reward followers during election cycles. This system allowed East Tennessee Republicans to hold onto their region and provide a consistent voting block to presidential elections. When East Tennessee Republicans won the governor’s seat in 1910, 1912, and 1920, they used the opportunity to push progressive legislation relating to labor and temperance, an ideology not clearly visible when they are out of power. East Tennessee Republicans, while built upon patronage as a foundation, moved towards progressive ideology during the era of Roosevelt and Taft. I plan on utilizing primary and secondary source literature to demonstrate the link between East Tennessee Republicans and progressivism. Previous scholarly work often discusses East Tennessee Republicans up to 1900, setting the stage for the state East Tennessee Republicans were in at the turn of the century. I plan to utilize primary sources, including newspapers and the papers of major Republican figures, to display the shifting ideology of East Tennessee Republican leaders.
Start Time
15-4-2026 9:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 10:00 AM
Room Number
272
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Research-in-Progress
Presentation Category
Arts and Humanities
Faculty Mentor
Lee Tom
Patronage and Progressives: East Tennessee Republicans During the Early 1900s
272
With infrequent control of the state, East Tennessee Republicans relied upon patronage to hold power and reward followers during election cycles. This system allowed East Tennessee Republicans to hold onto their region and provide a consistent voting block to presidential elections. When East Tennessee Republicans won the governor’s seat in 1910, 1912, and 1920, they used the opportunity to push progressive legislation relating to labor and temperance, an ideology not clearly visible when they are out of power. East Tennessee Republicans, while built upon patronage as a foundation, moved towards progressive ideology during the era of Roosevelt and Taft. I plan on utilizing primary and secondary source literature to demonstrate the link between East Tennessee Republicans and progressivism. Previous scholarly work often discusses East Tennessee Republicans up to 1900, setting the stage for the state East Tennessee Republicans were in at the turn of the century. I plan to utilize primary sources, including newspapers and the papers of major Republican figures, to display the shifting ideology of East Tennessee Republican leaders.
