The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-11-28
Who TAFT IS
BY WALTER j. BALLARD.

the American people for election as
President in November. 1905, Is VII.
liam Howard Taft. nominally Secretary
OF War but really representatiye,at-
large of Americanism in all Its best
phrases and trusted us fully by the
American people as he is by his CON.
nIanding officer, the President. I
Born at Cincinnati, Ohio, on SEP
tcmber Is, 1857. william Howard
TAFT is n son OF the late AIphonso
TAFT, who was Judge OF the superior
court. Cincinnati. 1866 to 1871: sec,
Rotary of war. l%s75.1s76: attorney gen.
eral. 1~S7G.1sf7: United States Minis.
ter to Russia, 1SS5.1SST.
Passing through all the grades Of
the public schools OF Cincinnati, vii.
linm Howard Taft graduated from the
Woodward High School in 1874. Then
in Yale University for -four years,
graduating in June, 1878, with the de.
gree of Bachelor of Arts; second. or
4 salutatorion in q class OF 121; also
elected US class orator. Entered the
law school OF Cincinnati college IN
1878, graduating in 1850 with the de-
gree OF B. Il. and dividing the first
prize.
In May, 1880. VIM Howard Taft was
admitted to the bar OF the Supreme
Court of Ohio. For about a year he
served as law reporter of the Clncin-
natl Times. and subsequently the Gin
%cinnatl Commercial. Appointed as
sistant prosecuting attorney in jan
nary. 1881. Resigned in March. 1882.
10 become collector of internal rev.
enue, First District, Ohio, under Pres
ldent Arthur. Resigned the collector.
ship in March. 1889. to enter the prac.
ticc Of law. Continued his new prac-
tice III March, 1857, holding in the
meantime. from January. 1885. the Of:
fee of assistant county solicitor Of
Hnmil,on county. Appointed in Marcn
1857, judge Superior Court OF Cincin-
natl. to fill a resignation vacancy.
! Elected in April. 1855. to succeed him
self for Ave years. Resigned In Feb,
rurry, 1890, to become sollcitor-gener-
: pl OF the United States. under Presi.
dent Harrison. This Office Mr.. Taft
rcllnquishad In March. 1892, to become
United States circuit Judge for the
! Sixth judicial circuit and ex,oficio
member OF the circuit court of ap-
pcals OF the Sixth district. In June,
1893. Yale University honored him
with the degree OF LII. D. In 1896 he
became also professor and dean OF
the law department of the University
OF Cincinnati.
IN March, 1900. came the event
which has given the American people
The benefit Of the invaluable services
OF William Howard Taft along pollt-
icnl and governmental lines. a great
charge was upon our nation, namely
to aug order out of chaos In the
Philippines. with all the world look
ing on. ready to criticize every move
we made. The confidence Of the peo-
pie TO win, n confidence hard to Sc
cure. because 400 years of Spanish
oppression had created an Unborn sus-
plcion Of everything new, and especial
" OF everything foreign, WIS essen
tial. To that great task President Me
Khlley called William Howard Taft
called him from a life OF peace and
Tdcmcss to a life OF turbulence and
worry AS first President land organ.
laprl OF the United States Philippine
Commission. The next year. July 4
1901. by appointment OF President
Mckinley. Mr.. TaEt became the first
civil governor OF the Philippine Isl
Sads. Space torbids the gnumera-
ten OF the ahie and loyal serrlpe he
rendered ~ those positions, not only
70 lbs coantry but al5u to the islands
aid their people, until in November,
1901, he was forcetl by Illness to tarn
ever the Office OF governor toEVice
Governor Wright. IN December, 1901.
By order Of the Secretary. OF War; Mr..
,,.Taft came to. Washington 20 testify
"oetorc the Senate Committee on the
Philippines md tlfa Holse COMMITTEES
on Insular Affairs. His testimony be,
Tore those two committees, lasted six
weeks and wns most tavorably re,
: ceiyed by the committees. the press
and the country. 1t stands to-day as
afGtoriative on Philippine matters.
IL February, 1902. the University
Of PENNSYLVANIA honored itself and
Mr.. TAFT by comforting upon him the
degree of IL. D. Both Harvard and
Miami universities did likewise in
1905.
On May Il, 1902, by order OF Pres,
silent Roosevelt and Secretary Root,
Mr.. Taft sailed from the United
States 10 Rome on a most delicate
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