The Progressive movement was fortunate to receive support from the President of the United States consecutively for three different Presidents. Theodore Roosevelt was the first president of the United States to support progressivism, although he considered himself a devote member of the Republican Party. The following two presidents, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson, continued to address the same problems that the Progressives saw as the most significant. Each of these three presidents succeeded in aiding the Progressive Movement in different areas and through different methods.
             It is clear Roosevelt was the first to deal with the problems the Progressive Movement hoped to solve; however, his achievements may not be as impressive on paper as those of Taft or Wilson but Roosevelt is recognized as the President who initiated the Progressive Reform Movement in America. "Theodore Roosevelt adopted a cautious version of progressive reform. He cultivated party leaders in Congress, and he steered away from such political thickets as the tariff and banking issues." (Tindall & Shi 1084) Although Roosevelt was weary of certain problems, Taft and Wilson were uninhibited in their pursuit of issues Roosevelt purposefully avoided.
             "The Progressives had three basic goals; open the government to more people; correct societal abuses; and level the economic playing field." (Notes) Each of these three presidents attempted at least one or more of these problems. Roosevelt was very successful in beginning to delve into the trust problem; he strongly enforced the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and continued to use his "big stick" to fight against oppressive trusts. "Altogether his administration initiated about twenty-five anti-trust suits; the most notable victory came in Swift and Company v. United States (1905), a decision against the "beef trust" through which most of the meat packers had avoid...