The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-11-08
Secretary Of War Taft

Taft, who as Theodore Roose.
velt's choice for his successor to
the presidency, is today a nation
IL! character of intense interest
to the American people, and the
sketch clearly shows that the big
secretary is a man who does
things:
Without doubt the strongest. and
most suitable, available man before the
American people for election as presi.
! dent in Nov. 1908, is William Howard
| Taft. pominally Secretary OF War but
really representative -at-large OF Amer
icanism in all of it's best phases and
trusted as fully by the American
neonle "A he is by his commanding
| officer, the President.
Born at CINCINNATI, Ohio, on Sep
TENDER Is, 1857, William Howard TAFT
is a son of he late Alphanso TAFT,
who was Judge of the superior court,
| Cincinnati, 1865 to 1871, secretary OF
war, l%S75-ls76: attorney general, 1916
lS77:Tnited states Minister to Russia.
1885 1887.
Passing through all the grades OF
the public schools OF CINCINNATI,
William Howard Taft graduated
from the Woodward High School IN
1874, Then in Yale University Tor
four years, graduating in June, 1878,
with the degree of Bachelor OF ARTS:
second. or salutatorian in q class OF
| l2l: also elected as class orator. En.
tered the law school Of Cincinnati
college in 1878, graduating IN: 1850
| with the ,,epree Of B. l.. and dividing
the first prize.
was admitted to the bar OF the supreme
court of Ohio. For about q year he
served as law reporter of the Cincin-
natl Times, and subsequently the Gin
| cinnati Commercial. Appointed as
| sistant prosecuting attorney IN Janu-
ary. 1881. Resigned in March, 1882,
To become collector of internal
revenue. First District, Ohio, under
! President Arthur. Resigned the col
lectorship in March. 1888, to enter the
Or actice of law. Continued his law
practice till March, 1887, holding in
the meantime, from January. 1883, the
Office of assistant county solicitor OF
Hamilton county. Appointed in
March, 1887, Judge superior court OF
Cincinnati, to fill q resignation va
cancy. Elected in April, 1883. to sue
coed himself for five years. Resigned
in February, 1890. to become -ollcltor'
general OF the United States, under
President Harrison. This office Mr..
Taft relinquished in March, 1917, 10
become United States circuit judge
for the Sixth Judicial district and ex-
oficio member of the circuit court OF
appeals of the Sixth district. In
1893, Yale university honored him
with the degree of LII. d. Il 1896 ne
became also professor and dean OF the
law department of the University o.
Cincinnati. In March, 1900, came the
event which mas given the American
people the benefit of the invaluable
services of William Howard Tar
along political and governmentalll lines
A great charge was upon our natlon
namely to bring order out or chaos
ia the PHILIPPINES, with allethe world
looking on, ready 10 crilc1Ze ever!
move we made. The confidence OF the
people to win. a confidence hard tt
secure, because 400 year of Spanish
oppression had created an INFORM sus'
picion of everything new, and especial
v of everything foreign, was essential
TO that great task President Mckln-
lev called William Howard Taft-call
ed him from a life of peace and quiet
ness TO a life Of turbulence and worr,
as first President and organlzer) O
the United States Philippine Commits
sion. The neAL year. Jul. 4, 1901, oy
appointment of President Mckinley
Mr.. Taft became the first civil govern
or of the PHILIPPINE Islands. Space
fOrbids the enumeration OF the able
and lOyal service he rendered in those
positions, not only to his country but
also to the islands and their people
until in November, 1901, he was forced
by illness to TURF over the Office o.
governor to Vice-Governor Wright
In December, 1901, by order OF the
Secretary of War, Mr.. Taft came &c
w ashington to testify before the Sen
ate committee on the Philippines anG
the House Committee on Insular AT
fairs. His testimony before those two
committees lasted six weeks and was
most favorably received by the com
mittees, the press and the country. i
stands today as authoritative on Phil
ippine matters.
In February, 1902, the University O
Pennsylvania honoreG itself and Mr.
Taft by comforting upon him the de
gree of LII. D. Both harvard ant
Miami universities did likewise IL
1906.
On May Is, 1902, by order OF Presi
dent Roosevelt and Secretary Root
Mr.. Taft sailed from the United
States TO Rome m q most delicat
mission-to confer with Pope Leo XII
concerning the purchase by the Unitet
States of the agricultural lands be-
longing to religious orders in tn
Philippines. He held conference will
the committee of cardinals over two
months-June and July-snd reaches
u general basis of agreement. The i'm
portance of this succ sssful and com
pleted negotiation is obvious, tellins
for all time In our holding n I'd
ministration of those valuable ant
necessary possessions. This piece o
work alone proves conclusively tina
William Howard Taft has all th'
high diplomatic qualities necessar.
to make . successful president. O
his executive ability there is no ques
ton. 1t has been shown in q hundre,
ways In the Philippines, in the vs.
Department aud in the several Office
he held prior to entrance into politi
) cal life.