The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-07-16
OUR CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENT
HIS WORK AS JUDGE AND
IN EXECUTIVE POSI-
TIONS MAKE HIM
ONE OF WORLDS
GREATEST
MEN.

Der 10, 1887. HIS father, Judge
Alphonso Taft, was a lifelong
abolitionist, was one of the earl
lest leaders of the Republican
party, and as his son has done
after him, heId many offices. The
elder Taft was minister to Rus
STA, minister to Austria, attorney
general and secretary of war in
President Grants cabinet. The |
Taft ancestors came early to
America, some of them being vet
Grams of the Revolutionary war.
William II. Taft was graduated
from the Woodward High School
in Cincinnati in 1874, and then
went to Yale College, receiving
the degree of bachelor of arts
years later.
AS a boy in high school he
was conspicuous as student.
He was salutatorian of his gradu-
ating class, being second among
l21 members, and class orator.
After leaving Yale, Taft entered
the Cincinnati College Law
School. He graduated there in
1880, winning half the first prize.
He was admitted to the Ohio bar
the same year. He remained in
his home city, and while building
up law practice became law
reporter for the Cincinnati
Times and later for the Cincin-
natl Commercial.
One year after being admitted
to the bar Mr.. Taft was made as
sistant prosecuting attorney for
Hamilton County, Ohio. He
practiced law in Cincinnati from
1883 to 1887. the last two years
being assistant county solicitor.
In 1887 vacancy occurred on
the superior court bench of Ohio,
and Governor Foraker appointed
Mr. Taft to that position. When
his term expired, Mr.. Taft
sought his first honors from the
people at the ballot box. He
asked for reelection as Judge
and was victorious by a majority
of five thousand.
Subsequently Mr.. Taft con-
tinued to fill high positions of
trust and honor, but each one
was appointive. President Ben
jamin Harrison called him to
Washington in 1890, n'aking him
solicitor-general of the United
States. He returned to Cincin-
natl and served as dean of the
law department of the Univer-
sity of Cincinnati from 1896 to
1900.
In 1892 Mr.. Taft was a second
time elevated to the bench, be-
ing appointed United States cir
cult judge of the sixth circuit,
serving in that capacity for eight
years. As Judge he was fear
less but just Some of his de-
cisions offended organized labor,
but he was among the first jur-
lists To- insist upon justice to both
capital and labor.
On March IS, 1900, Mr.. Taft
was appointed president of the
Philippines Commission. July 4,
1901, he was made the first civil
governor Of the Philippine Is
lands. He held this post until
1898. when he was made secre-
tary of war by President Roose-
vclt. I
His various missions, with
successful, EXAMINATIONS, since he
has been secretary of war have
brought upon him the title OF
secretary OF peace" In 1902 he
was sent al the request of the
Pope to Rome by President
Roosevelt to confer with Pope
Leo XIII, concerning the pur-
chase of the agricultural lands
of the religious orders in the
Philippines. In this delicate
task he made clear to the Pope
the intention of the American
people to mairtain even in the
Philippines the complete separa-
ton of Church and state. His
negotiations with the Vatican
were confined wholly to business
affairs. President Roosevelt
sent him to Cuba in 1906 to adj
just the instruction there, and
heacted for short time as pro-
visional governor. In 1907 he
visited Panama, Cuba, and Porto
Rico by direction of the Presi-
dent, and later visited Japan and
the Philippine Islands, returning
to America by the way of Rus
STA.
While Mr.. Taft has had no ex-
perience as a member OF the ma
tional Legislature, his training
on the bench and in executive
positions, especially those having
worldwide relations, have fitted
him for the duties OF the presi-
dency as few men have been. He
is statesman of the first rank,
and in his world vision has no
American equal except President
Roosevelt.
The position of peacemaker,
which position Mr.. Taft has been
called upon to fill as no other
man has been in all the history of
the nation is not an easy one.
In disputes of all kinds, each side
usually assumes that it alone is
right, and if defeated claims to
have been unjustly dealt with.
Such has heep Mr. Taft'c SLi11 ~, |