Dear Aunt Bessie

“Progressivism: Where Will You Put Your Million Dollars? By: Karina Favela Mr. Lanning US History November 12, 2013 Dear Aunt Bessie, I was surprised to learn about you passion to do good for others. I would be honored to fulfill your wish to give away one million dollars. You have made me realize that there is another America that people don’t talk about. We talked about deforestation, child labor, woman, suffrage and good safety. I have decided to give 600,000 dollars to child labor, 300,000 dollars, and 100,000 dollars to deforestation. A major concern that I would love to tackle right away would be child labor. This will be fulfilled with your help, Aunt Bessie, with the 600,000 dollars. Today, you see children that are happy and active, but not long ago children were suffering. It is sad to know that young children worked long hours everyday. These poor children worked in coal factories, and because of that they had “ little change to relax; the air at times is dense with coal-dust, which penetrates so far into the passage of the lungs that… he leaves, still coughing up black coal dust” (Document B). Lewis Hines, National Child Labor Committee Report, 1911 show these disturbing realities. Young boys have suffered because they had to work all day. Once they are able to go back home, their suffering is not over yet. They are coughing up dust and coal once they are in their home and suppose to be resting. These are boys who are suppose to be growing and becoming strong, but their lungs are becoming weak and they themselves are becoming weaker each day they are in that awful place. Hine does not stop there, but he goes on and tells the story of two 15 year old boys who died because they were smothered by the coal. Children should not be working in these conditions. In fact, children should not even be working at all. Children are our future and they should be in school. With your help, I have decided that with the money we will stop these cruelties and get the children a proper education. In the future, they will be able to lead their generation and their children’s generation on the right path (Document B). In addition, food safety is another major concern that needs to be handled immediately. Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle, a novel that described the horrible and disturbing conditions of the meat-packing industry in Chicago. In this novel he said, “ a man could run his hand over these piles of meat and sweep off handfuls of the dried dung of rats. These rates were nuisances, and the packers would put poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, bread and meat would go into the hoppers together” (Document D). This is just a disturbing situation and should not even be allowed to send the meat out. With the 300,000 dollars we will get the change that needs to be done. Hopefully, we can stop these factories and get new ones. Ones that are fully inspected and sanitary. Many people could be sick because of the meat, and it is effecting everyone who eats it. These are food conditions that are not permissible for anyone to be having and the meat should never leave that factory. If it was not for Sinclair, many people would have never taken the time to even think where their food was coming from and if it was even sanitary. With your help, we could change this and let everyone know that their food is coming from a safe and sanitary place. Mothers will be able to feed their families without having to stop and think if the food is even good and sanitary (Document D). Finally, the third cause that should be handled is the deforestation. Many people might think, why do you need to help the forest and the wildlife. If people took out the forest and all the trees came down each year, by the next generation there would be no trees left. This is clearly seen in John Muir, “The American Forests,” Atlantic Monthly, August, 1897. If you look at the map it clearly shows the amount of trees that have been taken away and cut down from 1650 to 1920. It is sad to see the big amount that has been lost. Many of us may think that the trees are just there and not being much of a resource, but if they thought about it they do have a greater purpose. Muir says in his article, “… It took more than three thousand years to make some of the trees in these western woods- trees that are still standing in perfect strength and beauty, waving and singing in the mighty forests of the Sierras “ (Document A). The forest are a natural beauty that the world gives us. If it was taken away, then the generations that will come, will never taken in the lesson that people have done too keep them alive. Aunt Bessie, you will be one of those people. With your help, you can keeps these forest striving till the end of the world. Future generation will be able to appreciate the beauty that you were able to keep for many to see (Document A). Thank y9ou Aunt Bessie, for trusting me with this enormous task. For giving me the opportunity to do something better. You have shown me the underside of America I didn’t know existed. It has made me appreciate all of the social reforms that took place during the progressive era to make life better for Americans. You have helped me learn about the progressive reformers like, Jane Adams, John Muir, lewis Hines, Upton Sinclair, Te4ddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, and many more, like yourself, who have dedicated their time for a positive change and a great gift of hope. The reforms of child labor, food safety, and deforestation will be saved because of you, and for that we thank you. Your Loving Niece, Karina Favela. “