The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-19
CAREER OF SECRETARY !
NAMED FOR PRESIDENT
Brief Sketch Of the Life Of Taft and Something About
His Personal Traits and Love of @
Sport.

William Howard Taft, the Republican
the half-century mark. He will be
fifty-one years old In September next.
The son of Alphonso Taft and born in
Cincinnati September 10, 1857, he was
graduated from Yale in 1878. and after
a course at the law school of Gin
c!nnati College. began the practice of
his profession in that city. He was
chosen prosecuting attorney for Ham
ilton county In 1881. and tho next year
was made collector of internal revenue.
He served as judge of the Superior
Court of Ohio from 1887 to 1890. and
in the latter year became SOLICITOR
general of the United States. He
served in this Office for two years, and
from 1892 to 1900 was Judge Of the
United States Circuit Court.
Mr.. Taft was appointed by President
Mckinley In 1900 as chairman of the
commission to organize civil govern
ment In the Philippines. and In June,
l19O1. he became the first civil governor
of the islands Besides proving him
| self an efficient administrator, Governor
| Taft achieved results of vast impor-
lance in the work of conciliation. To-
ward the end of 1903 he was recalled
to succeed E,lihu Root as Secretary OF
| War in President Roosevelts Cabinet,
and entered upon his duties January l.,
1908. During his four years In the
| war secretaryship he has had much to
do with affairs in Cuba. Panama and
| the Philippines, and has become known
as the Secretary of Peace.
His Record.
The writer of quite an extended
ne tyNy AL ~
!. the Brooklyn Times, says:
4 Mr.. Taft has been so prominently be-
i fore the American people since our
i late unpleasantness with Spain as
i president of the Philippine Commission
Il civil governor of the Philippines and
Secretary OF War. and candidate for the
/ presidency that folk are somewhat apt
to forget or ignore his record before
i 1900 He was judge of the Ohio SUI
perior Court away back In 1885, Wheh
I he was only thirty years old, and So
i licitor- General of the United States In
l 1890. He comes of legal stock. His
4 father .Alphonso Taft, was Attorney
y General of the United States In 1870
1877.
On one occasion when the present
Secretary of War was seated on the
! Ohio bench he showed his broud-mlnd-
edness by openly acknowledging the
commission u an GU u IL c
on a case. The matter is well known
in Ohio and is often cited in Mr.. Tafts
, native Stae in his praise. In deciding
the case of the town OF Hartwel
; a gainst a railroad company Judge Taft
/. took occasion to criticize severely the
action Of the mayor OF the town, who
had defied the courts Injunction by
) turning the hose on the roads work
men. In a letter to Judge Taft the
mayor declared tn the court had ne
" ght to turn aside from the main fact:
Of the case to criticize him personally
He expected to be cited before thu
court for contempt, and his surprise
, was great to receive from Judge TAT
letter admitting the courts errol
i and apologizing for 1t.
!, Now Taft is hard worker, will
: but little time to gallivant, but hi
:. hardness Is of a sort far from ad
j amantine. 1t is the hardness OF
1 well-trained athlete, and he is a maj
who, in this connection, can be siren
!, uous, let it be said, without ben!
!, bumptious. In the summer he COLTS
ana carries on his own business. Il
the winter he goes to banquets-an,
carries on his war business. He is on
u of those men--there have becn man,
millions OF them since the mornin!