Alva Review-Courier -

During the first two decades of the 20th century, the United States experienced a period known as the Progressive Era. Many laws were passed in an attempt to make the country a better place for more people to live.

Generally speaking, most Democrats and many Republicans favored the “progressive” policies of those years even if they might disagree on specific provisions. Many other Republicans, however, resisted the idea of enacting new laws at all.

Republican Theodore Roosevelt is usually given credit for starting the Progressive Era upon his ascension to the presidency in 1901 when conservati...