a third party was founded by theodore roosevelt
though roosevelts father had been a prominent member of the republican party the younger roosevelt made an unorthodox career choice for someone of his class as most of roosevelts peers refrained from becoming too closely involved in politics
in 1894 roosevelt met jacob riis the muckraking evening sun newspaper journalist who was opening the eyes of new yorkers to the terrible conditions of the citys millions of poor immigrants with such books as how the other half lives