The Life Of William Howard Taft Essay

, Research Paper

Biography: William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft was born on September 15th 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Taft was a very intelligent student and excelled in his studies in school. He later graduated from Yale University in 1878 and being 2nd in his class. Then after he graduated he returned to Cincinnati to become a lawyer. Taft was known to be very lazy but friendly and warm hearted. Weighing more that 300 lbs., Taft was also known for being large. In 1881 Taft was appointed assistant prosecutor in Hamilton County after being interested in Republican politics. Then in 1887 he was named judge on the Ohio Superior Court. In 1899 Taft turned down an offer to become the president of Yale College but in 1900 he then accepted William McKinley s request to become the head of a special commission to oversea the government of the islands in the Philippines. Later on he became a very good colonial governor. During this time Taft refused two appointments to the Supreme Court, one of highest ambitions in life, all because he though that his work in the Philippines islands haven t been completed yet. But then in 1904 Taft s friend Teddy Roosevelt or TR the president then appointed Taft the new secretary of war. The post let Taft to continue to supervise the Philippine islands. Later on down the line Taft became one of Teddy Roosevelt s trusty advisors and later on being mentioned as a leading candidate for the presidency. William Howard Taft didn t really want to be the president of the United States, but his wife and family encouraged him to accept the nomination. But finally when Roosevelt formally asked Taft to run he finally agreed, but that was one of the worst ideas he would ever make. The pressure from the White House made Taft a very unhappy man. He would complain that the work made him rush through his meals and he would miss his afternoon nap. Another thing was that Taft hated to make public speeches, but when he did, the speech would be very long-winded and dull. Taft would also leave important decisions to other people instead of himself. Taft was also known for being an excellent administrator when he was under someone else s power but when faced with the responsibility he was unsuccessful.

William Howard Taft was the 27th president in the United States. After Taft was elected his first duty was to urge congress to lower the tariff duties on foreign items and goods coming into the United States. Later on Taft angered liberals by seeming to reverse Roosevelt s policies, conservation. But Taft did accomplish many reforms that were major. Taft was a key player for the creation of the Postal Savings System, which gave and provided depositors with a safe place for their savings. He also strengened the control of the Interstate Commerce Commission of railroads in the nation. Taft also continued to expand Teddy Roosevelt s Trust Busting activities, which involved breaking up large and popular industrial monopolies that had grown up in the recent years. After this, the reformers turned back to Roosevelt for help. But Roosevelt was in Africa on a big game hunt. When he returned in 1910 he returned to a huge political battle. Teddy Roosevelt genuinely liked William Taft and tried to avoid him. But then all of Roosevelt s progressive friends were explaining to Roosevelt that Taft had sold out to the reactionaries. Then in 1912, Teddy Roosevelt finally decided to go against Taft for the Republican presidential nomination. During the campaign for the nomination, Roosevelt won most of the votes of the delegates from the states where presidential primaries were held. Taft won most of the convention delegate s votes because of his power as head of the party. At the convention Taft was nominated on the first ballot.

Teddy Roosevelt thought like he got cheated out of the nomination. Then he decided to form a new party and run for the presidency on his own, This progressive, or Bull Moose Party, split the Republican vote down the middle, and the democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson ended up winning the election. Taft ended up 3rd place in the ballot. When Taft s term ended in 1913 he became a professor of constitutional law at the University of Yale. Then during World War 1, Taft served as joint chairman or the National War Labor Board. Then in 1921, President Warren Harding named William Taft the chief justice of the Untied States. This was Taft s post that he always wanted, and probably the last 10 years of his life was the happiest. As a judge he was conservative. He opposed the government control business and objected particularly to laws given to special treatment to labor unions.

Due to failing health in 1930, Taft retired. On March 8, 1930, William Taft died in Washington, D.C. at the age of 72.