The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-05-13
WEDNESDAY, MAY IL, 1908.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.

II the claims of the Taft campaign
managers are correct, his nomination
for president by the republican ma
tional convention at Chicago on June
Is is assured. The convention will
consist of $50 delegates, requiring 491
votes to nominate, and the friends OF
the genial and popular secretary OF
war predict that more than the neces.
sary number of votes will be cast in
his behalf.
A brief biographical sketch OF the
prospective republican presidential
nominee says his whole career until q
few years ago was judicial. Bis father
before him was a Judge, and he had
no sooner graduated in law from Gin
cinnati college in 1880 than he was
admitted to the bar of the supreme
court in Ohio. The year following be
was appointed assistant prosecuting
attorney, but resigned q year later to
become collector of internal revenue
il Ohio under President Arthur.
Soon, however, be voluntarily gave
up this post to return to the practice
of law, in which vocation his heart
had been all along.
By an odd coincidence it was Joseph
B. Foraker, nowl'Taft's bitterest op-
ponent, who in 1887, while serving as
governor, gave Taft his first big pc.
sition-that of Judge Of the superior
court OF Cincinnati. Taft resigned
three years later to become solicitor
general of the United States under
appointment of President Harrison.
The latter position he resigned in
1892 to become United States circuit
Judge of the Sixth judicial district,
and four years later he became pro.
fessor and dean of the law depart.
ment of the University of Cincinnati.
The ~dawning year Of the new cen
fury found Taft called to q larger
sphere Of influence, for 1t was in 1900
that President Mckinley selected him
for president of the United States
Philippine commission, and q year
later be became by appointment of the
president, the first civil governor OF
the Philippines. From that day his
work became of International impor.
lance and interest-sO much so that
many persons are accustomed to state
as gospel truth that Taft "won his
spurs" in the Philippines, quite
ignoring the notable and creditable
judicial career that preceded his dis
play of executive ability in the Far
East.
No man, with the possible exception
Of President Roosevelt, has been more
co~nspicuously in the public eye dur.
ing the past half decade than the
present secretary of war. Taft 10 a
big man physically, and he has been
q man for big tasks. The intricate
problems of the establishment Of civil
government in the Philippines; the
reorganization OF the United States
army; the u%nraveling Of the tangle OF
Cuban affairs: the digging of the
Panama canal, and now the presi-
dency-all these the tactful Taft has
faced with never o ripple of his equa.
nimity.
OF the personality of Secretary Taft
there can be naught but praise. He Is
one of the best-natured men in the
world, and best OF all his sunny dis.
position is not a mere political ex.
pedient-an affected affability to be
dropped as soon as the votes are safe.
ly captured. His whole instinct under
all circumstances is that of kindness
OF heart and his Observation-Disclosures
and democracy are, likewise. contri'
butory to his genius in winning and
holding friends.