William Howard Taft

Birth-Death: (1857 - 1930 ) Term: (1909-1913 )

The election of William Howard Taft united the country. Progressives were pleased with Taft's election. "Roosevelt has cut enough hay," they said, "Taft is the man to put it into the barn." Conservatives were delighted to be rid of Roosevelt, the "mad messiah." Thus Taft spent most of his time compromising between the conservative and progressive views.

Major Events with William Taft

1909 - Payne-Aldrich Tariff

    During the presidential campaign Republicans promised a downward revision of the tariff to the voters. Representative Payne introduced a plan to carry out this plan and a lower tariff passed the House of Representatives. However, when it got to the Senate, Senator Aldrich managed to increase more than 600 rates and make 250 other amendments to the bill. Instead of vetoing this outrageously high tariff, Taft signed it, and a few weeks later made a speech glorifying and praising this tariff.