Why Would Anyone want to "rake muck?"

When applying to college I decided to declare a Journalism major.  The thought of exposing the truth and being a liaison between the public and everything they wanted to know was something that always appealed to me.  Many of my English teachers encouraged my career choice, saying that if there was anyone for that job it was me.  Writing was more than just a class requirement to me, it was a way to have your voice heard and helping others to gain the information they want.  Muckraking is exactly what investigative journalism is all about, doing the dirty work that many people do not want to do in order to get to the bottom of a situation at hand.  It is definitely more than just writing, it involves a dedication to your topic or subject, and not being afraid to expose the truth no matter who does not like it.  Streitmatter for instance warns his readers that if they want to take a journalistic approach to things there are many things that they must be prepared to deal with.  For example, the ability to stand behind their findings and work even if they are the only ones standing there, they also must not be afraid to "set the agenda"(Streitmatter 257), and even the possibility that they will face much discrimination and criticism.  Pushing the limits and voicing your opinion whether or not people like it is something I find exhilarating and also fun.  This chapter was of great interest to me when deciding which chapter to do for my second blog assignment.

Lay it out and break it down

Muckraking - Chapter 6

• Immigration was at an all time high into the United States.  More people meant more labor resources.
• The fourth estate takes a stand in exposing corruption throughout many major industries.
• Theodore Roosevelt refers to what the investigative journalists are doing as similar to "raking muck" (hence the term "Muckraking).

1.  Attacking Municipal Corruption

• Lincoln Steffens - works to expose corruption in the municipal government.
• seen as the first Muckraker
• Steffen moved from city to city exposing the senators of different states and causing them to leave office.

2.  Busting the Trusts

• The leading muckraking magazine is founded by S.S. McClure.
• Ida Tarbell has her breakthrough moment in muckraking.  She covers the corruption in the oil industry.
• Tarbell's way of writing helped fuel enthusiasm from the nation.
• In 1906 congress passes the Hepburn Act - responsible for assigning penalties to railroad companies that have specific arrangements with major companies.

3.  Awakening the Public to Dangerous Foods and Drugs

• Investigative journalists aimed their focus on the food and drug industries.
• Upton Sinclair exposed the horrible conditions within the meat packing industry. 
• Ladies' Home Journal lead the crusade against the drugs.  It informed it's readers of the lies within the drugs ads and claims. 

4.  Exposing "Treason" in the U.S. Senate

• The senators were paid by the Standard Oil company.
• David Graham Phillips began exposing senators in cities all over the country. 

5.  Muckraking: An Unparalleled Legacy

• Muckraking brought about many drastic changes
• the hold on the oil industry ended
• trusts that controlled the railroad, liquor, mining, sugar, and beef were ended.
• The public was given this information to make them aware of things that can directly affect them.

Chapter 6 "Muckraking" - In a Nutshell

During the 19th century, the republican party focused on the "American System".  The main idea was that the nation would use it's resources (i.e. humans for labor) to help form America into an industrial leader, while not being affected but foreign interruptions.  Many new immigrants were flocking to America looking to form a new life for themselves.  They worked in terrible working conditions and lived in conditions just as bad.
"...a society dominated by a few gluttonously rich robber barons who feasted on life's pleasures while the teeming masses struggled to stave off starvation" (Streitmatter 94).
How come the rich always seem to get richer while the poor seem to get poorer? Especially today, the middle class is diminishing at an extremely rapid rate.
When the population needed it the most, the fourth estate began fighting against the corruption of the nation.  The term "Muckraking" became popular after President Theodore Roosevelt referred to the investigative journalists as "raking muck."
Lincoln Steffens was the first recognized muckraker.  He dedicated himself to investigating the inner workings of the municipal government of the United States.  Steffens traveled from city to city, exposing the corruption in each one as he went.
The lead muckraking magazine was founded by S.S. McClure.  McClure used his magazine to expose the corruption in the oil industry; Standard Oil in particular.  He also chose Ida Tarbell as the reporter on the matter.  This was Tarbell's big break.  She quickly became a household favorite based on her style of writing, and the way she presented her topics.
"These articles are the Uncle Tom's Cabin of to-day, revealing the criminalities and outrages of the trust system" (Streitmatter 99).
Muckrakers began to see the fruits of their labor in 1906 with the passing of the Hepburn Act.  This act made penalties extremely severe for railroads that had arranged deals with large companies.
Exposing the horrid conditions of the meatpacking industry and patent medicines were other focuses of the muckrakers.  Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle" giving his audience a look into the meatpacking industry, and the lack of regard for the product.  "...exhausted workers sometimes fell into the huge vats where meat was being canned - which meant that consumers were unknowingly eating human flesh" (Streitmatter 101).  Many critics reported Sinclair's series was actually fiction as opposed to investigative journalism.
There were many issues with patent medicines being advertised and sold all over the country.  Many of the "remedies actually contained morphine, or some other ingredients not mentioned (i.e. alcohol), esentially causing its users to become addicted to drugs.  From these different revelations spawned the Pure Food and Drug Act.
Consumer driven industries were not the only things that had corruption within them; government was another major outlet of corruption, especially the senate.  David Graham Phillips debuted a series in 1906 that began seeking out the corrupt officials and having them removed from office.  By 1912 Phillips had exposed 75 different senators, all of whom left office.

Because of Muckraking the population is aware of what is going all around them.  It opens their eyes to things that they may not have seen before.  The general public does not get to see behind the closed doors of the government and other industries, and muckraking broke down the wall between the two.

History of Women's Rights

"...Weekly Magazine provided women with a checklist of some of the most common errors they committed when speaking; those mistakes ranged from women not "acknowledging his [a husband's] superior judgement" to women voicing their own opinions."
                   



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0W8AXaHp1A