The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-19

William Howard Tart, the twenty
seventh President of the United
States. was born in Cincinnati on
September Is, 1857. He comes of a
family distinguished in the law and
the public service.
The first American Tafts came of
the English yeomanry. transplsnted
across the Atlantic by the great -
heaval that peopled New England
with its sturdy stock. In this country
they turned to the study and practice
Of law
Peter Taft, the Presidents grand
father, was born a maker and an in
terpreter of laws. having served as
member of the Vermont Legislature,
and afterwards as a Judge.
Alphonso Taft, son of Peter. was
graduated from Yale college and then
went out to the Western Reserve to
practice law. He settled in Cincinnati
where William Howard Taft was born.
Alphonso Taft, himself a Judge of
the superior bench, earned distinction
through the service of city, state and
ration. During his later years he serv-
cd under President Grant as Attorney
General to the Department of Justice,
and finally entered the diplomatic ser
vice as minister first to Austria and
then to Russia.
The Presidents mother, Mrs. Lou
ise NJ. Torrey Taft was also Of old
New England stock, holding strictly
to those rigid religious tenets handed
Gown by her Puritan ancestors. She
was a woman of great strength of char
acter and brilliancy of mind one ably
qualified through natures gifts to
shape the destinies of her three sons,
Charles P, Peter and William Howard.
Through Alphonso Taft the scholar,
diplomat and judge and Mrs. Louise
Torrey Taft, the loving mother and
guardian of the ethical and physical
welfare of the three Taft boys, an at
lnosphere Of culture, refinement and
ms piration was maintained we'll calcu-
lated to produce fine specimens of
American manhood. The career of
each of the boys gives ample evil
dence of the influence of this environ
ment.
Alphonso Taft was the first alumnus
OF Yale college elected to the corpora
ton, and retained throughout his life
time an affection for his alma mater
that amounted almost to passion.
Therefore, each of his boys was des-
tired to pursue his studies in that col
lege. Charles P. Taft, the eldest son
graduated with highest honors, the Sec
ond son, Peter, graduated two years
later than Charles. His standing was
higher all points considered than that
of any other graduate of the college
taking into account all the classes
from the beginning. A brilliant career
seemed to open before him, but his
health was impaired and he died after
few years In invalidism.
In the case Of William Howard Taft
cation was mapped out. He attended
first the public schools of Cincinnati,
graduating from the Woodward High
School in 1874 and later entering Yale
! from which University he graduated
ir 1878, being the salutorian of his
class. Following the graduation exer'
cises young Taft returned to Cincin.
natl, where he began the study of law
| in his fathers Office, at the same time
doing court reporting for the newspa
per owned by his brother, Charles P
Taft His salary at frst was $500 a
week So we'll did young Taft perform
his duties, however, that Murat Hal
stead, editor of the Cincinnati Com
mercial Gazette employed the young
man to work for that paper at an in
creased salary of $500 a week.
Taft, always independent, greeted
the raise as recognition of his talent
and, though he was in no way in need
Of financial aid, he was highly elated
His new job brought to him duties
that held him to a rigid regime. Des
rite these duties, however, he still
Lurs sued the law, taking course al
the Cincinnati law school where
Champ Clark and many other promi
nent men received their sheepskins
He graduated in 1880, dividing frs
honors with another student, and was
admitted to the bar soon afterwards.
That Big Bill'' Taft's physical pow
ers were in no way impaired by hi.
studious pursuits is evidenced by al
Incident that took place about thi:
stage of his career. His father. Judge
Alphonso Taft, was the defeated can
6idate for the Governor of Ohio anC
lad been most scandalously slanderet
by a Cincinnati newspaper, owned b!
a man named Rose.
Rose had the reputation of running
a black mailing sheet, deriving hi
chief income from blood money ex
tracted fro mhis victims. According II
the chronicles of the time he was al
ex-prize fighter, a bully and the asso
ciate of rowdies, who was in the habi
OF pacing Cincinnati thoroughfares &C
companied by a band of roughs OIL
whom he could depend for both por
lection and assault.
big Bill Taft, stirred to the verg,
of frenzy by the attacks upon his faith
er's character decided to put an enC
to the cabals. But instead of having re
course to the processes of the law, h
cast aside his judicial training ant
marched into the sanctum of edito
Rose with fire in his eye.
Taft demanded retraction of tn,
s,anderous statements printed il
Roses paper. Rose refused Ho
words passed and Big Bill and editor
Rose engaged in a personal encuonter
Both were men of great physica
strength and determination. The.