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William Taft's Presidency: Promises and Controversies

Explore the presidency of William Taft, including his campaign promises, the Payne-Aldrich Tariff, and controversies surrounding conservation and the Republican Party split. Discover interesting facts about Taft's time in office.

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William Taft's Presidency: Promises and Controversies

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 17.4-5 Notes

  2. Taft is President • After election of 1904, TR said he wouldn’t run again, suggest his Sect. of War, Taft run (which was a BIG boost for Taft’s campaign) • Election of 1908 William Taft(Rep) beats William Jennings Bryan (Dem) • “Vote for Taft this time, You can vote for Bryan any time” was Taft’s campaign slogan • Top Trust-Buster (90 in four years) • Progressive President Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  3. Fun Facts about Taft • 10 Interesting Facts About William Taft • 10. Play ball! • Taft was the first president to throw the first ball of baseball season, beginning a tradition that continues today. The game was a 1910 game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics. The Senators won 3-0. • 9. Tone deaf • Taft was tone deaf and had to be nudged whenever the national anthem was played. • 8. First to own a car • Taft was the first president to own a car. He converted the stables into a garage. • 7. Last to have a cow • Taft was the last president to keep a cow at the White House to provide fresh milk. Her name was Pauline. • 6. The loneliest place • Once, when commenting about the White House, Taft called it “the loneliest place in the world”. • 5. A new courthouse • Taft successfully argued for the construction of the U.S. Supreme Court building. He felt that the Supreme Court should distance itself from Congress since it was a separate branch of the government. Prior to then, the Supreme Court heard cases in the Capitol building. • 4. A big man • At over 330 pounds, Taft was the heaviest president. Once, he got stuck in the White House bath tub and required six aides to pull him free. The tub was replaced with a new one large enough to hold four men. • 3. First in Arlington • William Taft was the first president to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. President John Kennedy is the only other president to be buried there. • 2. Chief Justice Taft • Taft is the only president to ever serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, making him the only person to have ever lead both the Executive and Judicial branches of the United States government. Taft considered his time as Chief Justice to be the highest point of his career, higher than that of being president. • 1. The only president to swear • Taft is the only former president to ever have sworn in a president. While serving as Chief Justice, Taft administered the Oath of Office to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925 and President Herbert Hoover in 1929. Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  4. Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  5. Payne-Aldrich Tariff • Taft runs on campaign promise to lower tariff but…. • House passes Payne Bill which lowers tariff (tax on imports) on manufactured goods • Senate passes Aldrich Bill which was an altered version of Payne Bill which increased many tariffs and made fewer cuts • Compromise is Payne-Aldrich Tariff, which only got rid of high trade rates and didn’t adjust those tariffs that had been raised • It lowered 650 tariff schedules, raised 220, and left 1,150 unchanged • Taft sign bill and angers many who say he broke his campaign promise • Taft makes things worse by saying it was the best bill ever passed, rumored that he never even really read it. Oops! Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  6. Taft and Conservation • Favors Conservation but… • Hires Richard Ballinger as Sec of Interior, makes a lot of people mad because Ballinger was a wealthy lawyer who disagrees with conservation of western lands • To make it worse Ballinger takes 1 million acres of land that had been on the reserve list (it could NOT be developed) and returns to public domain, meaning it can be developed bye-bye trees  • Ballinger gets a lot of bad press after a muckraking article is written about him by a former employee (that he had fired). Exposes Ballinger’s nasty secrets. • Because Ballinger was hired by Taft it makes Taft look bad • At a government hearing on Ballinger’s actions, the Chief of Forestry, Gifford Pinchot, accuses Ballinger of exploiting natural resources for $$$ • Taft sides with Ballinger and fires Pinchot • PROBLEM: Pinchot is VERY popular and Taft looks bad, again. Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  7. Republican Party Splits • Republican Party is having internal problems, those that want change (Progressives) and those that like things the way they are (Old Guard) can’t get along or agree on what the Party should do. • Party was already split over Payne-Aldrich Tariff, firing over Pinchot, and final straw was… • Controversy over Speaker of the House Joe Cannon. Cannon would not push through Progressive backed laws which made them mad. He was supported by Taft. • Progressive Republican Representatives got together with Democrats and passed a rule that stripped Cannon of his power. Now he is no longer in their way • Split in party causes them to lose a lot of Congressional seats in 1910 elections, now Democrats are in control Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  8. Election of 1912 • Democrats first real chance at Presidency in 16 years, due to split in Republican Party • Woodrow Wilson (WINNER) • “New Freedom” • Progressive Party • Teddy Roosevelt • “New Nationalism” • Republicans • William Taft • “Dollar Diplomacy” Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  9. Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  10. Woodrow Wilson • Won Election of 1912 helped by Republican party split • Southern Sympathizer • Not good at compromises • 1st goal was to deal with tariff • Underwood Tariff of 1913 • Reduce import fees • Graduated income tax (16th amendment paves the way) Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  11. Wilson vs Banks • Fix Banks, Civil War Banking Act not good as shown by Panic of 1907 • Congress decides to fix banks by • Recommend 3rd bank of US • US financial problems all due to banking issues (leading theory) • 1913 Federal Reserve Act • Creates Federal Reserve Board Free template from www.brainybetty.com

  12. Wilson vs Trusts • 1914 Federal Trade Commission Act • President Appointed position • Investigate activities of trusts • Stop and uncover unfair trade practices • Clayton Anti-Trust Act • Lengthened Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Lists of unacceptable practices Free template from www.brainybetty.com

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