Progressive Era

Both authors(Maureen A. Flannigan and Shelton Stromquist) concerning reformation during the progressive area gives insight to two different perspectives. One author, Stromquist, focus on the cases that took place during Cleveland, including the carstrike of 1899 and the derailing of the democratic party. The other author, Flannigan takes the perspective of women by demonstrating the different roles of both men and women during the Progressive era in Chicago. Flannigan uses the examples of the City Club which was male and the Women's City Club which was female. Presenting these articles, it would not make much sense to point who is directly “wrong” or “right”, because they both give evidence to the argument that there is more than one answer to the Progressive Era on the concern of municipal concerns. 
Shelton Stromquist points out that it is his argument, “that progressive reform at the municipal level congealed in a crucible class polarization and conflict” (1) His primary example, Cleveland. Cleveland in the late nineteenth century was essentially dominated by the republican party, but it would be both the republican and democratic party that would suffer in the hands of reform after the campaign of 1899. After suffering from two main events, Streetcar strike of 1899 and the successful campaign of “Samuel ‘Golden Rule’ Jones”, the political web of Cleveland would change dramatically. (2) The Streetcar strike of 1899 did two main things. The first would be that streetcar men enjoyed widespread support among Cleveland’s working class. The second would be the support across the diverse ethnic working-class communties of the city. (3) Jones would run as nonpartisan campaign, finishing the race, Jones had 56% of Cleveland’s votes. (4)
Flannigan’s argument included Women’s City Cubs (women) and the City Club (men) of Chicago. (5) These clubs uses took different approaches on how the solve the municipal debates that were taking place in Chicago.Unlike that of Stromquist, Flannigan debates the role of women during the Progressrive Era.  One example would be sanitation. One group leaned toward municipal ownership instead of contracting out while some others wish to keep the same system but tighten up on regulations. (6) The City Club voted to support to keep the system in private hands for financial reasons. (7) The Women’s Club took a different approach to handling the sanitation issue. They favored both the municipal control over garbage if it would maximize the healthiness of the enviorment. (8)
     Flannigan's argues that the Women played a vital role in the Progressive Era such as their idea of issue of sanitation in Chicago while Shelton focuses more on the transformation of a political and social Cleveland. Therefore, both arguments take credit for describing the changes and reformation during the early nineteenth century of America. 

1.Stromquist, Shelton. The Crucible of Class : Cleveland Politics and the Origins of Municipal Reform in the Progressive Era. Journal of Urban History 1997 23:192.(Sage, Urban History Association 1997.)  http://juh.sagepub.com/content/23/2/192.citation. (Accessed April 14, 2012) 194
2. Ibid., 200
3. Ibid., 202
4. Ibid., 206
5. Flannigan, A. Maureen. Maureen A. Flanagan. Gender and Urban Political Reform: The City Club and the Woman's City Club of Chicago in the Progressive Era The American Historical ReviewVol. 95, No. 4 (Oct., 1990), (University of Chicago) 1032-1050. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2163477 (Accessed April 14, 2012) 10336. Ibid., 10367. Ibid., 10378. Ibid., 1038