The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-03

gree of B. L. and dividing the first
prize.
In May, 1880. William Howard Taft
was admitted to the bar of the su-
preme court of Ohio. For about a
year he served as law reporter of the
Cincinnati Commercial. Appointed
assistant prosecuting attorney in jan
uary, 1881. Resigned-in March, 1882,
to become collector of internal reve-
nue., first district, Ohio, under Presi-
dent Arthur. Resigned the collector
ship in March, 1888, to enter the
practice till March, 1887, holding in
the meantime, from January, 1885, the
office assistant county solicitor of
Hamilton county. Appointed in March,
1887, judge superior court of Cincin-
natl, to fill a resignation vacancy.
Elected in April. 1888. to succeed
himself for five years. Resigned in
February, 1890, to became 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-of-
ficio member of the circuit court Of
appeals of the sixth district In June,
1898, Yale university honored him
with the degree of LID. In 1896 he
became also professor End dean Of
the law department of the University
of Cincinnati.
Work in the Philippines.
In March, 1900. came the event
which has given the American people
the benefit of the invaluable services
of William Howard Taft along polit-
ical and governmental lines. A great
charge was upon our nation, namely,
to bring order out of chaos in the
Philippines with all the world looking
on ready to criticize every move we
made. The confidence of a people to
win, a confidence hard to secure, be-.
cause 400 years of Spanish oppression
had created an Unborn suspicion of
everything new, and especially of
everything foreign, was essential. To
that great task President Mckinley
called William Howard Taft-called
him from a life of peace and quietness
to life of turbulence and worry as
first president (and organizer) of the
United s-Philippines commission.
The next year, July 4, 1901, by APP
pointment of President Mckinley, Mr..
Taft became the first civil governor
bids 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 No
ness to turn over the office of governor
to Vice Governor Wright. In Decem-
Der, 1901, by order of the secretary of
war, Mr.. Taft came to Washington
to -teSIlIV before the senate committee
on the Philippines and the house COM
mittee on insular affairs. His testi-
| mony before those two committees
| lasted six weeks and was most favor
ably received by the committees, the
| press, and the country. 1t stands to-
day as authoritative on Philippine
matters.
In February, 1902, the University
] of Pennsylvania honored Mr.. Taft by
comforting upon him the degree OF
LII. D. Both Harvard and Miami
| universities did likewise in 1905.
His Conference With the Pope.
On May II. 1902, by order OF
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Root, Mr.. Taft sailed from the United
| States to Rome on a most delicate
misson-to confer with Pope Lee
XIII concerning the purchase by the
United States of the agricultural lands
| belonging to religious orders in the
Philippines. He held conference with
the committee of cardinals over two