Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-06-24
NATIONAL CONVENTION.
Taft and Sherman the Republican
Nominees.

Nominees.
The national convention at Chicago last
week nominated William II. Taft, OF Ohio
for President, and James s. Sherman, OF
New York, for vice-president. Both were
nominated on the first ballot. The vote
for Taft was 702 to 276 for all other candi-
dates, and that for Sherman was SIG to 1853
for all others.
WILLIAM H. TAFT.
William Howard Taft was born in Gin
cinnati, o., on Sept. 10, 1857. He was
sprung from typical New England stock,
His first paternal ancestor in this country
was Robert Taft, housewright, who set
tied in Mention, Mass, in 1863, and from
that time down through the civil war the
Tafts have been prominent in Massachu-
sets.
Young Taft went to Yale, graduating at
the age of twenty as salutatorian OF his
class. He returned to Cincinnati, where
he studied law and also did newspaper
work. His first call to public Office came
by his selection as assistant prosecuting
attorney of Hamilton county, and in 1881
he became collector OF internal revenue
for the first Ohio district.
In 1885 he was appointed judge OF the
superior court. So efficient was his service
on the bench that it attracted attention
outside of the state, and Judge Taft was
invited by President Harrison to accept
the position of solicitor-general Of the
United States. Here again he displayed
eminent abilities, and at the conclusion OF
his term was appointed federal judge in
Ohio.
In March, 1900 he received the appoint
ment as chairman OF the Philippine COM
mission, in which position he first came to
the notice Of the country generally. 1t
was difficult task that confronted Judge
Taft at Manila. The natives did not trust
our government and could not comprehend
that it meant to play fairly with them.
This view was quickly changed under the
administration of Judge Taft, who de-
clared that the Philippines should be for
the Filipinos, and who distributed even
handed justice, ever making allowance for
the racial characteristics of the natives.
At the conclusion of his service in the
Philippines, Judge Taft returned to this
country to succeed Elihu Root as secre-
tary of war, and for the past four years
has efficiently performed the duties at
tached to this portfolio. His work has
been made especially arduous by the fact
that in addition to being q, the head OF
the army, he has been secretary of the
colonies as well. The affairs Of the Philip
pines, of Cuba and of the Panama canal
have been administered by him.
JAMES 8. SHERMAN.
James Schoolcraft Sherman was born in
Utica, N. Y, Oct. "a, 1855; received an
academic and collegiate education, gradu-
ating from Hamilton college in the class
Of 1878; was admitted to the bar in 1880;
is practicing lawyer; also president OF
the Utica Trust & Deposit Co., and
president of the New Hartford Canning
Co.
He has served in these public positions:
Mayor Of Utica, 1884; delegate to the re-
publican national convention in 1892
chairman OF New York state republican
convention in 1885 and again in 1900; was
chairman Of the national republican con-
gressional committee in 1906; was elected
to the 5Oth, 5lst, SD, 54th, 55th, Seth, 57th,
5sth, seth and Goth Congresses.