The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-14
JUDGE TAFT TO BE APPOINTED
To BE Named Civil Governor of
the PhiIippner.

the Philippines.
Judge w. II. Taft will be appointed Civil
Governor of the Philippines as soon as the
.Spooner amendment to the Army bill is
adopted giving the President the power
to establish a civil government In the
islands. The President allowed the fact to
be publicly known at the time Judge Taft
was appointed Chairman of the Philip
pine Commission that he would be the
first Governor of the islands and the unoff-
cial announcement now Is due merely to
the belief that the Spooner amendment
will be adopted. There is little doubt that
the appointment will be announced soon
after the Army bill with the Spooner
amendment becomes law.
The appointment of other civil officers
will also be made. Judge Cooper, OF
Texas. has been selected to be one of
the Justices of the Supreme Court at Ma
Mia. He has accepted. but his nomi-
nation cannot be made until the Spo0ner
amendment becomes a law. A telegram
from st. Johnsbury. VT. says that ex-
Lieutenant Governor Bates. of that State,
has also accepted one of the appoint
ments.
1t is conceded that even with the es-
the appointment CT civil Governor and
other officials. the presence of a large
military organization in the islands will
be necessary and there Is little doubt
but that General Macarthur will continue
for some time at least in command of the
troops in the Philippines
There is. however. some talk OF sending
General Chaffee there after time. 1t is
possible that Judge Taft may return home
as anticipated. but it is regarded as hard
ly probable that he will The report of
the Commission has been very complete,
butSif the President desires conference
with Judge Taft and wishes to outline a
policy to him personally he will come to
Washington.
Judge William Howard Taft Is a son
of the late Attorney Genera! Alphonso
Taft. was born in Cincinnati on Septem-
Der IL. 1857, and after graduation from the
Woodward High School, entered Yale Uni
versity. where he was graduated with the
class of '7S. He took up the study of
law at once In connection with newspaper
work for the Cincinnati Commercial"
In 1880 he was graduated from the Gin
cinnati law school. and began the prac-
tice of his profession. The next year he
was appointed assistant prosecuting at
torney for Hamilton County serving with
ability and taking on himself the main
burden of work connected with the office
In 1882 he resigned to accept from Presi-
dent Arthur an appointment as Collector
of Internal Revenue for the First district
of Ohio. The duties of this place, how
ever. proved distasteful to him, and at the
end of one year he resigned and resumed
the practice of law.
In 1885 he was made assistant county
solicitor, and few months later when
Judge Judson Harmon resigned his place
on the bench of the Superior Court of
Cincinnati to become Attorney General OF
the United States. Governor Foraker ap-
pointed Mr.. Taft to fill the uLexpired
term. In 1888 he was elected to succeed
himself, but before completing tie FIVE
years term President Harrison appointed
him Solicitor General OF the United States.
In 1892 he was appointed judge of the
United States Circuit Court for ;he Sixth
District, and on the creation of the Court
of Appeals he was assigned to that bench.
His work on the bench was vigorous and
thorough, and he was held in high esteem
by members of the bar. He is a man OF
fine physique, was an athlete in his early
days, and still shows the effects of that
training in his capacity for work. From
1886 until his appointment on the Philip
pine Commission he was dean and pro-
lessor in the law department OF the Uni
versity of Cincinnati He Is brother of
Charles p. Taft, ex-Congressman from
the First Ohio District. and son-in-law
of ex-United States District Attorney John
w. Heron, whose daughte: Helen he mar
ried in 1856. They have two children.