PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 03/01/1900 - HFSID 57252

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT
Preparing to head the Philippine Commission, he asks his brother Henry to interview two prospective bilingual stenographers in New York
Typed Letter signed: "Wm H Taft", 2 pages (front and verso), 11x13½. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1900 March 1. On letterhead of the Sixth US Circuit Court to Henry W. Taft, New York, N.Y. In full: "I have learned the names of two men who are reported to me to be competent as English and Spanish stenographers: One is George North of 88 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn and the other is Harry R. Craig of 323 East 55th St., New York. I have asked each one should he desire the place to call on you and I should like you to talk to them about the prospect of going. The Secretaries of the last Commission received $150.00 a month and $5.00 a day while they were out of the country for their expenses, in addition to their being given free transportation on the transport to and from San Francisco. I doubt the wisdom of advertising because I am afraid of the horde of people that would settle down on me. Affectionately your brother". William Howard Taft (1857-1930) was Governor of the Philippines (1901-1904), Secretary of War (1904-1909), 27th of the United States (1909-1913) and Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court (1921-1930). His bruising convention battle with former ally and patron Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 split the Republican Party, allowing the election of Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Taft as President was caught in the middle between progressives and conservatives and constrained by a more limited view of Presidential powers than TR had possessed, but historians tend to view his term of office more positively than did most of his contemporaries. His skills as Chief Justice are widely recognized. In the years between his Presidency and his appointment as chief justice, Taft taught at Yale Law School. When he wrote this letter to his brother Henry Waters Taft (1859-1945), a New York lawyer, the future President was preparing to lead the Second Philippine Commission, better known as the Taft Commission. This body, formally established by President McKinley on March 16, 1900, functioned as the Philippine legislature until 1902, and retained some legislative power until 1916. Taft headed the Commission until September 1, 1904, serving concurrently from 1901 as Civil Governor of the Philippines. Lightly toned around edges. Pencil notes (unknown hand) at lower edge. Otherwise, fine condition.