Probably the most reluctant of presidents, William Taft had no real desire to be president. He often stated that a spot on the United States Supreme Court was his real goal. However, in 1908 with Theodore Roosevelt deciding not to run, Taft was convinced by Republican leaders that he was the best person to continue Roosevelt’s policies. Prior to becoming president Taft had a long, successful career in public service. Four presidents appointed him government positions, to include cabinet posts.
Besides being president Taft is probably best known for being the first civilian Governor of the Philippine Islands. Taft was sent to the Philippines in 1900 by President McKinley to help that country prepare for self-rule. The country had been ruled over by the Spanish until they were defeated by the United States. As part of the terms of the treaty, the Americans took control of several Spanish possessions, including the Philippines. The United States had no interest in keeping the Philippines, but felt that they should help them set up a civilian system of governing.
One of the biggest challenges turned out to be the current governor of the Philippines, Arthur MacArthur (Douglas MacArthur’s father). MacArthur was the military governor of the Philippines who didn’t like giving up control to a civilian and certainly not a big fat one that smiled all the time. Taft won the day and sent Arthur MacArthur packing. Taft turned out to be a very successful governor and was very popular among the Filipinos. In one instance, Taft took on the Catholic priests on the islands. Under the Spanish the Catholic priests controlled huge estates. They lost their holdings during the war with America, but wanted the lands restored. The Filipinos blamed the priests for much of the tyranny they had endured during the Spanish occupation. Taft worked out a deal that involved the United States compensating the Catholic priests for the land and them reselling the land to the Filipinos.
In 1903, President Roosevelt offered to nominate Taft for a seat on the Supreme Court, knowing that it was Taft’s ambition. Taft was always dedicated to any task he took on, and in 1903 he didn’t feel that his work in the Philippines was complete and he decided to turn down the offer (Roosevelt would make the offer 2 or 3 times, but Taft always declined out of a sense of duty). Finally, in 1904 Taft, feeling that his work in the Philippines was complete, accepted a position as Roosevelt’s Secretary of War. Taft was one of Roosevelt’s top advisors for the next four years. Believing that Taft would continue his policies, Roosevelt decided not to run for another term and convinced Taft to run.
Ironically it was Taft’s continuing Roosevelt’s drive to break up some of the big businesses that ultimately led to the break in their relationship. During the one term of Taft’s administration they filed 90 anti-trust law suits compared to 54 under Roosevelt. The case involved U. S. Steel Corporation, run by J. P. Morgan and its acquisition of a Tennessee company while Roosevelt was president. During the financial crisis of 1907 Morgan was approached by the government to try and help avoid a financial collapse. U. S. Steel was allowed to buy several failing brokerage firms. The firms owned stock in the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company. This allowed the brokerage firms and the Tennessee company to remain in business. The suit alleged that Morgan was essentially purchasing the Tennessee company under false pretenses and implied that Roosevelt (who approved the deal) and been played. It was the naming of Roosevelt, by name, in the suit that caused the break in the relationship. The break would have far reaching consequences, not just for the two men involved, but for the Republican Party as well.
Taft either never understood the political game, or felt that if he could produce results the politics wouldn’t matter. Unfortunately for him his policies didn’t make either side of the Republican Party, nor the American people happy. His support of the Payne-Aldrich Act to lower tariffs (and therefore the cost of goods) alienated businesses and some members of the Republican Party for lower tariffs. It also angered the Progressive wing of the Republican Party by lowering them enough. When the Senate finally passed the bill it was with some attachments that actually raised tariffs on some goods.
In the election of 1912 Roosevelt returned with the Bull Moose Party and split the Republican vote. Taft came in third place behind Roosevelt in the general election losing of course to Woodrow Wilson. Taft received only 8 electoral votes compared to 88 for Roosevelt and 435 for Wilson.
Happy to leave Washington, Taft returned to academia becoming a Law professor at Yale. In one of his only positive acts, President Harding finally gave Taft what he had wanted, making him the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1921. It was this capacity that Taft made some long lasting and positive impacts. He successfully lobbied Congress to appropriate money to build the Supreme Court its own building (where they sit today) and get them out of the old Senate chamber, believing that in order for the Supreme Court to be a completely separate third branch the new building was necessary. The building wouldn’t be started until after Taft’s death. Taft also advocated for the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1925. The effect of this act is that it allowed the Supreme Court to pick and choose which cases it would hear based on the importance of the law in question. This greatly reduced the back log of cases on the docket. Taft remained on the Supreme Court until shortly before his death in 1930.
In the end he is considered, at best, the middle of the pack with respect to American presidents. It doesn’t help his reputation that the presidents before and after him are both highly regarded.
Try these out at a party!
- At 325 pounds Taft was the heaviest president. The story goes that he would frequently get stuck in the bath tub at the White House and have to be helped out.
- Taft was part of a line of influential Ohio politicians.
- His father served as Secretary of War and Attorney General for President Grant and then as a minister and ambassador under President Arthur.
- His son Robert A. Taft would serve 4 terms as a United States Senator
- His grandson, Robert A. Taft Jr., would be elected to the House of Representatives and a term in the United States Senate.
- His great-grandson, Bob Taft would be serve as Governor of Ohio from 1999 – 2007
- As Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Taft delivered the oath of office to two presidents; Coolidge and Hoover.
- Within a year of leaving office Taft lost 80 pounds.
- Taft is one of two presidents buried at Arlington Cemetery (Kennedy) and one of four Chief Justices.
- After a fire burned much of the town of Moron, California, in the 1920s, it was renamed Taft, California, in his honor.
- Taft is the last president to have facial hair.
- Contained within the Payne-Aldrich Act was the first corporate income tax. This would become a significant source of revenue for the government.
- Taft appointed six judges to the Supreme Court; tied with Washington’s six and bested by F. D. R.’s nine.
- Taft was the first president to have a Presidential car
Vital Stats:
- Wife: Helen Herron (1891-1943, m. 1886)
- Children: Robert Alphonso (1889 – 1953), Helen Herron (1891 – 1987), Charles Phelps (1897 – 1983)
- Party affiliation: Republican Party
- Presidency: 1909-1913
- Born: September 15th, 1858 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
- Died: March 8th, 1930 (Washington D.C.)
No comments:
Post a Comment