Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-04
Of English Descent, and
Born of a Race
of Lawyers.
Has Been Long in the
Public Service in
High Places.

IN William Howard Taft the -Ameri-
can people have elected to the presi-
dency man exceliently well equipped
not only by nature and training, but
by environment. experience and
achievement to perform the duties of
that high Office.
The first American Tafts came of
the English yeomanry and their de-
sccndants in this country turned to the
study and to the practice of the law.
Peter Taft was both a maker and in
terDreter of laws, having served as a
member of the Vermont legislature and
afterward as a judge. and Alphonso Taft.
son OF Peter. graduated from Yale and
then went out TO the western reserve 10
practice law. He settled in Cincinnati
and it was at Mount Alban, a suburb of
that city. September ID. 1857, that his
son. William Howard Taft, first became u
presidential possibility.
The boy grew up in atmosphere of re-
card for public duty unusually earnest.
His father earned distinction in the
service OF the city, the state and the
nation, going from the superior bench to
Grants cabinet as Secretary of War.
then as Attorney General and finally into
the diplomatic service as minister nrst
TO Austria and then to Russia His
mother. who was Miss Louise Nj. Torrey,
also came OF that stanch New England
stock with whom conscience is the arbiter
OF action and duty performed the goal of
service.
William H. Taft graduated from Yale
as salutatortan of the class of IS when
not quite twenty-one and went back to
cincinnati to begin the study Of law I'm
MS fathers office, at the same time doing
courtroom reporting for the newspaper
owned by his half brother, Charles p.
>Ian Later he was employed by the
Cincinnati Commercial-Gazette, mean
while keeping up his studies at the Gin
cinnau Law School. graduating in 1880,
dividing first honor with another student
and soon afterward being admitted to
the bar
Long in the Public Service.
Mr.. Taft was hardly out of his boy
hood when he was called to public Office
and in most of the years since then he
has devoted himself TO the public service.
First. he was assistant prosecuting at.or-
ney OF Hamilton county and helped 10
drive out the old Campbell ring whose in
huence had long dominated the Cincin-
natl courthouse In 1881 ne became a col
lector of internal revenue for the first
ONO district. resigning that Office q year
later and returning 10 the practice of law
with II. P. Floyd. his fathers old part
ner In 1883 he became assistant county
solicitor and two years later Gov For
aker appointed him judge OF the superior
court TO succeed Judson Harmon who
mad resigned 10 enter President Cleve-
In 1856 Judge Taft married Miss Helen
HERON. daughter OF John w. Heron of
Cincinnatti. and they have three children
Robert Alphonso. student at Yale;
Helen. student at Bryn Mawr and
Charles Phelps %, who attends the Taft
school In New England.
Mr.. Tafts appointment as Judge of the
superior court was the beginning OF the
Judicial career which was his ambition
and he made such an excellent record that
al the close OF his appointed term he wa
elected for another term. He had served
had been elected when President Harri-
son appointed him solicitor general CT the
United States.
Two Famous Cases Won.
Two OF the cases which he conducted
while holding this ONCE were of great
Importance. The first grew out of the
seal fisheries controversy with Great Brit
which the law was attacked on the
quorum VIXEN the bill passed the House.
nent counsel.
Tie record Of Mr. Taft as solicitor gen.
eral proved his fitness for the bench and
after three years in Washington he was
sent back to Ohio as judge of the sixth
federal circuit. and II was during his
seven years on the federal bench that he
became we'll known throughout the coun-
try being called upon then to decide some
of the most important cases that have
ever been tried in the federal courts. IN