Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-10-23
WHO TAFT IS.
By WALTER j. BALLARD.

Without doubt the strongest and
most suitable, available man before
the American people for election as
president in November, 1908, is Will
lam Howard Taft, nominally Secre.
tary of War but really representative.
at-large of Americanism in all it's best
phases and trusted as fully by the
American people as he is by his COM
manding officer, the President.
Born at Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sep.
tember 18th, 1857, William Howard
Taft is son of the late Alphonso
Taft, who was Judge of the superior
court. Cincinnati, 1865 to 1871; secre.
tary of war. 1S75-76: attorney gen.
eral, 1876-1S77; United States Minis.
ter to Russia, 1S85-1SS7.
| 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 for four
years, graduating in June. 1878, with
the degree of Bachelor of Arts
second, or salutatorian in class of
12l; also elected as class orator. En-
tered the law school of Cincinnati
fcollege in 1878, graduating in 1880
with the degree of B. l.. and dividing
the first prize.
/
In May, 1880, VIM. Howard Taft
was admitted to the bar of the su-
preme cours of Ohio. For about a
year he served as law reporter of the
Cincinnati Times, and subsequently
the Cincinnati Commercial. Appoin.
ted assistan. prosecuting attorney in
January. 1881. Resigned in March,
1882. to become collector of internal
revenue. First District. Ohio. under
President Arthur. Resigned the COL
lecJorship in March, 1888, to enter the
practice of law. Continued his law
practice till March, 1887, holding in
the meantime, from Janu ary, 1885 the
office of assistant county solicitor of
Hamilton county. Appointed in
March, 1887, judge superior court of
Cincinnati, to fill resignation va.
cancy. Elected in April. 1883, to sue.
ceed himself for five years. Resigned
in February, 1890, to become solicitor
general of the United States, under
President Harrison. This Office Mr..
Taft relinquished in March. 1892, to
become United States circuit. judge
for the Sixth Judicial district and ex-
officio member of the circuit court of
appeals of the Sixth district. In
June, 1898, Yale University honored
him with the degree of LII. ID. In
1896 he became also professor and dean
of the law department OF the Univer-
sity 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 politi-
cal and governmental lines. A great
charge was upon our nation, namely
to bring 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
people to win. a confidence hard to
secure, because 400 years of Spanish
oppression had created an inborn sus-
picion of everything new, and espec-
tally of everything foreign, was es-
sential. To that great task President
Mckinley called William Howard
Taft called him from life OF peace
and quietness to life of turbulence
and worry as first President (and
organizer) of the United States
Philippine Commission. The next
year, July 4, 1901, by appointment OF
President Mckinley. Mr.. Taft became
the first civil governor of the Philip
pine Islands. Space forbids the
enumeration Of the able and loyal SER
vice he rendered in those positions,
not only to his country but also to the
islands and their people. until in No
vember, 1901, he was forced by illness
to turn over the office of governor to
Vice. Governor Wright. In December,
1901, by order of the Secretary OF
War. Mr.. Taft came to Washington TO
testify before the Senate Committee
ON the Philippines and the House
Committee on Insular Affairs. His
testimony before those two commit
tees, lasted six weeks and was most
favorabiy received by the committees.
the press and the country. 1t stands
today as authoritative on Philippine
matters.
In February. 1902, the University
Of Pennsylvania honored itself and
Mr.. Taft by comforting upon him the
degree of LII. d. Both Harvard and
Miami universities did likewise IN
1905.
On May II, 1902, by order of Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Secretary Root,
Mr.. Taft sailed from the United