110 Chapter 5
alongthat line of thought,Goldmanconsideredthe Progressiveeugeniciststo be pushing
for helpfulreformsof the capitalistsystem.Thatis the supposedreforminreformDarwin-
ism.^61 In hindsight,it wouldhavebeenmorehelpfulhadGoldmandispensedwiththe
socialDarwinismlabelaltogether.
Racismfromthe So-CalledProgressives
Othercallsfor eugenicistlegislationarrivedfromAmericanjournalistRayStannard
Baker(1870–1946).OnlypartiallyforthcomingaboutBaker’s eugenicism,GeorgeE. Mow-
ry reveresBakerfor beingamongthe muckrakerswho“attackedthe evilsof... big
business,WallStreet,life insurance,... the foodindustry,childlabor,women’s inequal-
ity, prostitution,and the drugtrade.Heavilyfactualin content,criticalin tone,and full of
righteousbut optimisticindignation,the averagemuckrakearticle... soughtto givethe
averagecitizena scientificdescriptionof whatwaswrongwiththe variedsectorsof
Americanlife.Takenas a whole,the impactof the muckrakeliteraturewasenormous.
Beforethis journalisticcrusadehad run its course,few literateAmericanscouldhaveany
feelingsof complacencyabouttheircivilization.” MowrygivesBakerespecialcreditfor
churningout “articlesattackingthe railroadsandthe recalcitrantconservativesin the
Senatewhosupportedthem.”^62
RecallthatDePauwUniversityhistorianStanleyP. Cainepraisesprogressivismas a
repudiationof socialDarwinism.CainealsopegsRay StannardBakeras one of the “lead-
ing progressives.” His heartis warmedby howBaker’s journalismcreatedpublicityfor a
civic activism campaign by progressive businessman Jacob Sechler Coxey, Sr.
(1854–1951).Coxeywishedthe governmentwouldhirethe poorto participatein more
public-worksprojects.^63 Basicallythis campaignwouldconsistof governmentalextortion
of tax moneyto payworkersfor providingservices.Thistaxpayersubsidywouldbe
awardedirrespectiveof whethersuchserviceswerein demand.It wouldfurtherbe
irrespectiveof whetherthis enterpriseturneda profitor ran at a loss.
AndArthurEkirchmisleadinglyassertsthata seriesof articlesby Bakeron Jim Crow
regulations,Followingthe ColorLines, “reportedobjectivelythe continuingextentof race
prejudiceanddiscriminationin boththe NorthandSouthin the 1900’s.”^64 Onewould
gatherfromEkirch’s remarkthatBakerwasan earlycivil-rightscrusaderpushingfor
racial equalityand racialintegration. In reality Baker argued thataccordingto his
(mis)understandingof naturalselection,it wasmorallyimperativeto retainracialsegre-
gationlawsin the U.S.South.Whitesandblacks,he concluded,were,by default,inher-
entlyviolenttowardoneanother.Racialconflict,Bakersurmised,wasjunglelawand
survivalof the fittest.Bakerproposedforcedsegregationas a remedyto this Darwinian
struggle.
InFollowingthe ColorLine, Bakercharacterizedthe travailsof African-Americansunder
Jim Crowregulationsas “the struggleof a backwardracefor survivalwithinthe swift-
movingcivilizationof an advancedrace.” In his mind,of course,whiteswerethatmore
“advancedrace.” If a racialwar comes,Bakercontinued,“The fittesthere... will survive
(thereis no escapingthe greatlaw!)...”^65 Sincehe wantedto delaythat racewar’s arrival,
Bakeradvisedthatblacksandwhitesbe keptas far apartfromone anotheras possible.
ThissuggestedthatJim Crowlaws“are at presentnecessaryto avoidthe dangerof
clashes between the ignorant of bothraces. They are the inevitablescaffolding of
progress.”^66 Yes,the samejournalistwhomDr. Cainepraisedfor beingamongthe “lead-
ing progressives” consideredJim Crowlawsto be a stepof “progress.” As RobertBannis-
ter summarizesit, it waswithin“this framework” thatBaker“justifieddisfranchisement
andJim Crowdespitethe facthe hadevidencethatthe newrestrictionsexacerbated
struggleratherthanmitigatingit.”^67