The Taft Presidency

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) The Progressive Movement 1890-1920 The Taft Presidency Taft had a lot of shoes to fill as Roosevelt's heir, despite being over 340 pounds and standing six feet tall. Both the general people and Roosevelt himself, who closely monitored Taft's presidency, had high expectations for the person he personally selected to succeed him. The new president appeared to be a capable administrator based on his credentials. Prior to this, he had been Roosevelt's Secretary of War from 1904 to 1908, had a prominent legal career, and had been the governor of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War. But following Roosevelt's exit, Republican leaders were keen to regain more rigid control over the party, so they gave Taft little leeway. By signing the Mann-Elkins Act of 1910, which increased the Interstate Commerce Commission's jurisdiction over telephones and telegraphs, he continued the policies of his predecessor. Congress also suggested amending the constitution during his administration to allow a federal income tax and require direct election of U.S. senators. Although Taft filed twice as many antitrust lawsuits against large corporations as Roosevelt did, he lacked Roosevelt's political acumen and commitment to the public interest. Taft's predecessor felt deceived when he sued J.P. Morgan's U.S. Steel Corporation for an acquisition for which Roosevelt had assured Morgan would not be prosecuted. Taft's presidential authority was exposed by political infighting within his own party, particularly with regard to the protective tariff issue. Following the passage of a bill by House Republicans that dramatically reduced taxes on a number of imported commodities, Taft supported the Senate version of the bill that increased tariff rates on over eight hundred products and became known as the Payne-Aldrich Act of 1909. When Taft established the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1912, many saw it as an attempt to counterbalance the labor union movement's increasing power at the time, which infuriated Progressives within his own party. When the president backed candidates from the conservative party for the 1910 House and Senate elections, the division between Taft and the Progressives within his party grew. Taft's greatest political error concerned the preservation of land. Over the protests of Gifford Pinchot, Taft's Secretary of the Interior, Richard Ballinger, approved in 1909 the sale of millions of acres of public land to a business he had previously worked for. Pinchot openly denounced the secretary for transgressing the conservation principle and for having a conflict of interest; in the public discourse, this criticism also applied to the president. Taft's decision to terminate Pinchot increased the distance between himself and the outgoing president. Roosevelt looked ready to launch an offensive after his return from Africa. He declared his plan to "throw my hat in the ring for the 1912 presidential election," calling the current president a "fathead" and a "puzzlewit." Between 1890 and 1920, the Progressive Movement brought about a great deal of change in American politics and culture, one of which was the presidency of William Howard Taft. Even though Taft weighed more than 340 pounds and was six feet tall, he had a lot of pressure to live up to the energetic Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt, along with the American people, had great expectations for Taft's chosen successor and had been closely observing Taft's leadership. Taft had a number of noteworthy posts, including governor of the Philippines and Secretary of War under Roosevelt, which gave his CV some promise. But once Roosevelt left, Republican leaders fought to take back the party, giving Taft little discretionary power. Taft carried out several of Roosevelt's initiatives, such as the Mann-Elkins Act of 1910, which increased the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Significant legislative initiatives that he wrestled with included direct election of U.S. senators and constitutional modifications pertaining to a federal income tax. Though Taft filed twice as many antitrust lawsuits as Roosevelt, he lacked the political acumen and commitment to public interests of his predecessor. Despite Roosevelt's promises to J.P. Morgan that Taft would not pursue antitrust charges against Morgan's U.S. Steel Corporation, Roosevelt felt particularly deceived. Taft's administration was further marred by internal party strife, especially in relation to protective tariffs. Taft angered progressive Republicans by supporting the PayneAldrich Act of 1909, which increased tariffs on hundreds of items. Tensions within his party increased when he founded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1912, which was perceived as an attempt to challenge the labor unions' growing influence. Taft's enmity with progressive Republicans deepened after he endorsed conservative candidates in the 1910 elections. Taft made a number of infamous mistakes when it came to land protection. His Secretary of the Interior, Gifford Pinchot, objected, but Taft's acceptance of the sale of millions of acres of public property to a former employer caused a stir. Pinchot's outspoken criticism of Taft's choice strained ties between Taft and Roosevelt, Taft's nominee, and brought attention to conservation ideals. A pivotal moment occurred when Roosevelt declared his decision to run against Taft in the 1912 presidential contest upon his return from Africa. Derogatorily calling Taft a "fathead" and a "puzzlewit," Roosevelt hinted at a savage internal party conflict. Roosevelt's creation of the Progressive Party and a divide within the Republican Party resulted from the growing distance between Taft and Roosevelt. In conclusion, Taft's efforts to preserve progressive principles, strike a balance between party politics, and carry on his predecessor's legacy characterized his administration during the Progressive Era. Taft's leadership ultimately caused the Republican Party to fall apart, despite his best attempts to carry out Roosevelt's reforms, and this opened the door for Roosevelt to return to politics.