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| William Howard Taft |
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administration.
Born in 1857, the son of a distinguished judge, he graduated from Yale, and returned to
Cincinnati to study and practice law. He rose in politics through Republican judiciary
appointments, through his own competence and availability, and because, as he once wrote
facetiously, he always had his "plate the right side up when offices were falling."
But Taft much preferred law to politics. He was appointed a Federal circuit judge at 34. He
aspired to be a member of the Supreme Court, but his wife, Helen Herron Taft, held other
ambitions for him.
His route to the White House was via administrative posts. President McKinley sent him to
the Philippines in 1900 as chief civil administrator. Sympathetic toward the Filipinos, he
improved the economy, built roads and schools, and gave the people at least some
participation in government.
President Roosevelt made him Secretary of War, and by 1907 had decided that Taft should be
his successor. The Republican Convention nominated him the next year.
Taft disliked the campaign--"one of the most uncomfortable four months of my life." But he
pledged his loyalty to the Roosevelt program, popular in the West, while his brother Charles
reassured eastern Republicans. William Jennings Bryan, running on the Democratic ticket for a
third time, complained that he was having to oppose two candidates, a western progressive
Taft and an eastern conservative Taft.
Progressives were pleased with Taft's election. "Roosevelt has cut enough hay," they said;
"Taft is the man to put it into the barn." Conservatives were delighted to be rid of
Roosevelt--the "mad messiah."
Taft recognized that his techniques would differ from those of his predecessor. Unlike
Roosevelt, Taft did not believe in the stretching of Presidential powers. He once commented
that Roosevelt "ought more often to have admitted the legal way of reaching the same ends."
Taft alienated many liberal Republicans who later formed the Progressive Party, by defending
the Payne-Aldrich Act which unexpectedly continued high tariff rates. A trade agreement with
Canada, which Taft pushed through Congress, would have pleased eastern advocates of a low
tariff, but the Canadians rejected it. He further antagonized Progressives by upholding his
Secretary of the Interior, accused of failing to carry out Roosevelt's conservation policies.
In the angry Progressive onslaught against him, little attention was paid to the fact that his
administration initiated 80 antitrust suits and that Congress submitted to the states
amendments for a Federal income tax and the direct election of Senators. A postal savings
system was established, and the Interstate Commerce Commission was directed to set
railroad rates.
In 1912, when the Republicans renominated Taft, Roosevelt bolted the party to lead the
Progressives, thus guaranteeing the election of Woodrow Wilson.
Taft, free of the Presidency, served as Professor of Law at Yale until President Harding made
him Chief Justice of the United States, a position he held until just before his death in 1930.
To Taft, the appointment was his greatest honor; he wrote: "I don't remember that I ever
was President."
Born in 1857, the son of a distinguished judge, he graduated from Yale, and returned to
Cincinnati to study and practice law. He rose in politics through Republican judiciary
appointments, through his own competence and availability, and because, as he once wrote
facetiously, he always had his "plate the right side up when offices were falling."
But Taft much preferred law to politics. He was appointed a Federal circuit judge at 34. He
aspired to be a member of the Supreme Court, but his wife, Helen Herron Taft, held other
ambitions for him.
His route to the White House was via administrative posts. President McKinley sent him to
the Philippines in 1900 as chief civil administrator. Sympathetic toward the Filipinos, he
improved the economy, built roads and schools, and gave the people at least some
participation in government.
President Roosevelt made him Secretary of War, and by 1907 had decided that Taft should be
his successor. The Republican Convention nominated him the next year.
Taft disliked the campaign--"one of the most uncomfortable four months of my life." But he
pledged his loyalty to the Roosevelt program, popular in the West, while his brother Charles
reassured eastern Republicans. William Jennings Bryan, running on the Democratic ticket for a
third time, complained that he was having to oppose two candidates, a western progressive
Taft and an eastern conservative Taft.
Progressives were pleased with Taft's election. "Roosevelt has cut enough hay," they said;
"Taft is the man to put it into the barn." Conservatives were delighted to be rid of
Roosevelt--the "mad messiah."
Taft recognized that his techniques would differ from those of his predecessor. Unlike
Roosevelt, Taft did not believe in the stretching of Presidential powers. He once commented
that Roosevelt "ought more often to have admitted the legal way of reaching the same ends."
Taft alienated many liberal Republicans who later formed the Progressive Party, by defending
the Payne-Aldrich Act which unexpectedly continued high tariff rates. A trade agreement with
Canada, which Taft pushed through Congress, would have pleased eastern advocates of a low
tariff, but the Canadians rejected it. He further antagonized Progressives by upholding his
Secretary of the Interior, accused of failing to carry out Roosevelt's conservation policies.
In the angry Progressive onslaught against him, little attention was paid to the fact that his
administration initiated 80 antitrust suits and that Congress submitted to the states
amendments for a Federal income tax and the direct election of Senators. A postal savings
system was established, and the Interstate Commerce Commission was directed to set
railroad rates.
In 1912, when the Republicans renominated Taft, Roosevelt bolted the party to lead the
Progressives, thus guaranteeing the election of Woodrow Wilson.
Taft, free of the Presidency, served as Professor of Law at Yale until President Harding made
him Chief Justice of the United States, a position he held until just before his death in 1930.
To Taft, the appointment was his greatest honor; he wrote: "I don't remember that I ever
was President."
Born on September 15th, 1857,
William Howard Taft was the 27th
President of the United States as a
member of the Republican Party.
Taft served from March 4th, 1909 to
March 4th, 1913. Taft died at the
age of 82 on March 8th, 1930.
Distinguished jurist, effective
administrator, but poor politician,
William Howard Taft spent four
uncomfortable years in the White
House. Large, jovial, conscientious,
he was caught in the intense
battles between Progressives and
conservatives, and got scant credit
for the achievements of his
William Howard Taft was the 27th
President of the United States as a
member of the Republican Party.
Taft served from March 4th, 1909 to
March 4th, 1913. Taft died at the
age of 82 on March 8th, 1930.
Distinguished jurist, effective
administrator, but poor politician,
William Howard Taft spent four
uncomfortable years in the White
House. Large, jovial, conscientious,
he was caught in the intense
battles between Progressives and
conservatives, and got scant credit
for the achievements of his