PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT - CIVIL APPOINTMENT SIGNED 04/05/1910 CO-SIGNED BY: FRANK H. HITCHCOCK - HFSID 43185

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT
Appointment of a Postmaster for Red Cloud, Nebraska, also signed by Postmaster General Hitchcock
Civil Appointment signed: "Wm H Taft" as President, "Frank H. Hitchcock" as Postmaster General, 21x16. Washington, D.C., 1910 April 5. Appointment of Theodore G. Hacker as Postmaster at Red Cloud, Nebraska, retroactive to March 11. WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930), the only man to serve as both U.S. President (1909-1913) and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1921-1930), was handpicked by Theodore Roosevelt to be his successor. Unhappy in the White House, Roosevelt's former Secretary of War nevertheless proved to be a better "trust buster" than his mentor. Taft attempted to reduce Republican-supported tariffs and empowered the Interstate Commerce Commission to end railroad abuses. He started the process leading to a federal budget, sponsored a bill requiring candidates to reveal campaign expenses and initiated the postal savings system. Taft's decisions, reflecting the conservative rather than progressive Republican platform, led to a parting with Roosevelt, and Taft lost his bid for a second term, finishing third behind Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson and Roosevelt. Reaching the pinnacle of his career as Chief Justice, Taft supported the Judiciary Act of 1925, which gave the overburdened Court greater ability to determine the number and type of cases it would hear. He was also instrumental in obtaining congressional funds for a new Supreme Court building. FRANK HARRIS HITCHCOCK (1867-1935) headed the Republican National Committee before becoming President Taft's Postmaster General (1909-1913). As US Postmaster he introduced parcel post to compete with private express companies, established the first air mail service, and cracked down on mail fraud. Lightly creased. Slightly soiled. Otherwise, fine condition.