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Show AiSKETGH OF TAFT'S LIFE Wo have already spoken many times of Secretary Taft's especial tltness for the presidential chair and now we wish to speak of his life In detail. It Is the fife of a student and a worker, of a man who has hold many .positions of trust and responsibility and dls-k dls-k tlngulshcd himself in all. As he was born In 1857 he has now about fifty years to his credls and they have been fruitful to a remarkable degree. Although Al-though his birthplace was Cincinnati he comes of New England stock and has received from his forbears that heritage of a scrupulous cotiscleuce, a fund of humor, a firm will, and a keen intellect for which the Yankees have ever been noted. During his college course at Yalo ho was prominent in scholarship. lie might also have been a leading athlete with his physique and love of sports, had his studies not always been uppermost. ;8o popular was he with his classmates jthal back in the Minneapolis convention of 1802 there was a movement among them to have his name presented for the presidential presi-dential nomination. After being grad-uated grad-uated in 1878 he returned to Cincinnati, Cincin-nati, studied at the local law school and was admitted to the bar In 1880. Then began a remarkable legal career. First, assistant prosecutor of his country, coun-try, then collectorof internal revenue, then assistant county solicitor he was as Influential in reforms In Ohio as Roosevelt was In New York. From 1887 to 1000 he was in turn Judge of the superior court of Cincinnati, solicitor-general of the United States, and United States circuit Judge, and in all of these positions he showed himself singularly fair and able. These qualities which distinguish him as a judge aro the same which later made him so successful while dealing with the Philippines. Appointed by President Presi-dent McKtnlcy In March, 1900, president presi-dent of the Philippine commission ho Immediately preceded to straighten out the complicated affairs of those turbulent Islands. He had highways constructed and agricultural experts and school teachers brought from the United States Througn nts Influence the lands of the Fralrs were purchased and resold at cost to the natives. Though in 1002 he might have become Justice of the supreme court of the United States, he preferred to continue con-tinue his work In the Philippines. Taft showed there that McKlnley was right in remarking that the Philippines Philip-pines needed a man "fit both to be president and chief Justice of the supreme su-preme court," and he also showed that he was such a man. Llnce,1004 he has been secretary of war and to the duties of that otllce he has added those of a colonial secretary and thus has come to be termed "the busiest man in a busy government." lie has exercised a controlling Influence Influ-ence In our relations with Cuba and In the management of the Panama canal. Throughout his whole career he has been severe toward wrongdoing, but at the same time has had a remarkable remark-able charm of manner and keen sympathy sym-pathy with all classes, qualities which would secure for htm the confidence and affection of any people. And now comes his nomination as presidential candidate by the republican party as a fitting climax to a life already long and useful. Ii the Chicago convention conven-tion he was nominated by Congressman Congress-man Burton of Cleveland, O., to whose artlcls on Taft in the North American Review for May we are greatly Indebted In-debted for the facts of this sketch. |
