home

[|Taft]
__**Domestic Policy**__

William Howard Taft positioned himself between the conservatives and progressives, creating a bigger void separating the two sides. Taft's inability to chose a definite side of congress caused a major noncooperation within the political parties concerning issues such as the lowering of tariffs, labor unions, and prohibitions. He was viewed by the party and the people as one of the least influential presidents in history, despite his many successful trust reforms.
 * Party Politics**

> Economy > > Public Spending decreased under Taft’s presidency. During his Presidency, more than twice the number of antitrust suits were started (compared to Roosevelt’s presidency.) In 1911, Taft began to back away from taming trusts. He feared that trust-busting could have a negative impact on the economy. During his campaign in 1908, Taft promised Tariff reform. However, he ended up accepting the Payne-Aldrich Tariff. Taft was not as interested in conserving natural resources as much as Roosevelt was. However Taft was able to urge congress to strengthen the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission. During his presidency, Congress worked on preparations for separating the departments of Labor and Commerce; showing that congress was becoming more aware of labor issues. He worked hard to ratify the 16th amendment, which authorized federal income tax. > > **Civil Rights** > Taft states on 1/1/1908 – “The negro, in the 40 years since he was freed from slavery, has made remarkable progress. He is becoming a more and more valuable member of the communities in which he lives. The education of the Negro is being expanded and improved in every way.” Taft recognizes the work done by African Americans and also wants to make sure that they are well educated. Taft also ensures that America enforces the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. During the time the NAACP was formed (2/12/1909) which is a civil rights movement started by W.E.B Du Bois. > **Relations w/ Congress** >** > **Social Issues** - Created the 8 hour work day for government employees -Believed in promoting peace +On March 4, 1909, he said “Our international policy is always to promote peace”**
 * Legislation**
 * Mann-Elkins Act (1910)- placed the telephone, telegraph, radio, cable services, and other communications companies under the control of the Interstate Commerce Commission
 * The Publicity Act (1910)- required political parties to keep track of the money spent on federal campaigns
 * Dollar Dimplomacy- effort to expand overseas trade
 * Parcel Post Reform- postal savings and parcel post accounts were created to aid small business and to provide a way by which the average person could bank money
 * Workers Compensation Reform (1908)-covered workers who had been injured by interstate trade
 * 16th ammendment (1913)-levy an income tax on american ppl
 * 17th ammendment (1913)-chose US senators by popular vote
 * Department of Labor created
 * Childrens bureau created
 * defended the Payne-Aldrich Act which unexpectedly continued high tariff rates.
 * Taft was the only president to finish third in a bid for reelection which shows the dislike others had for Taft, including the Congress. Taft also pushed certain trade agreements through the Congress, including one with Canada. In 1929, Taft successfully argued for the construction of the Supreme Court Building, reasoning that the court needed to distance itself from Congress as a separate branch of government. This also showed how Taft did not have good relations with Congress and that this effected others point of view as a President.
 * Taft pushed towards making America better for the workers and civil servants and creation of a postal service.


 * Due to some of the decisions Taft made for the United States, he became unpopular with the people:

-Tariffs + Tried to get tariffs lowered, but ended up signing a bill that did not change the tariff

+ Thought high tariffs caused monopoly + Many people thought he was purposefully trying to put manufacturers out of business - Did not continue on with Roosevelt’s conservation efforts + Caused more dissatisfaction of the people -Taft supported the idea of collecting income taxes. > > **Public Image** > In general Taft was not very well liked. He had made many progressive reforms, but he was not supported by the progressives due to a falling out after an administrative struggle and a tariff law gone wrong (it was intended to lower tariffs, but unexpectedly raised the tariff instead). People also did not like him and thought he was untrustworthy because he got rid of many of Roosevelt's changes such as the Square Deal and the conservationist movement, in which he promised to keep. Also his using of the republican machinery to screw over Roosevelt in the election of 1912 showed his competitive and unfair side to the general public. > > **Leadership** Taft preferred law to politics. He wanted to be a member of the Supreme Court, but his wife had other plans for him. Taft used techniques while President that others ha never used, and Taft did not believe in the stretching of Presidential powers. Taft alienated many liberal Republicans who later formed the Progressive Party, by defending the Payne-Aldrich Act which unexpectedly continued high tariff rates. Taft also pushed trade agreements with Canada through Congress which showed his use of power to get what he wanted. Though he did not want to be President, and seemed to be unsure of how to be president, Taft created partnership with the people, and was able to use this to his advantage. Through his Presidency, Taft was characterized by trust-busting, strengthening Interstate Commerce Commission, expanding the civil service, establishing a better postal system and promoting world peace. Roosevelt claimed Taft was too reactionary. As President and Chief Justice he helped make the federal courts, especially the Supreme Court, much more powerful in shaping national policy. William Howard Taft remains the only U.S. President to finish third in a bid for reelection. This showed that Taft was not the people's choice for President and he was unable to be re elected by the people. > > **__Foreign Policy__** > > Latin America
 * Signed it because he did not want his party to split into the Old Guard and Insurgents
 * Caused Taft to become unpopular with the people
 * Taft continued foreign policies of Roosevelt but wanted to create more business opportunity abroad
 * Taft saw many Latin American Countries as opportunities for investment and therefore must be protected:
 * He saw that the Monroe Doctrine was defended and abided by
 * He felt that it was the United States duty to help with the financial rehabilitation of Latin American countries in debt
 * He realized the great wealth republics in Central American and the Caribbean possessed in natural resources and aimed to provide these countries with stability in order to promote peace and bring profit to these nations as well as obtain new trading opportunities for the US.
 * Taft also saw these countries as great areas for investment and US expansion
 * He was best known for his policy of Dollar Diplomacy which he applied mostly to Latin American nations
 * A term used to describe a foreign policy adopted by Taft that used the United States economic power to increase American business interests.
 * Resulted in an rise in sales of United States goods
 * In 1912 a revolution broke out in Nicaragua. Taft saw this as an opportunity to increase US influence over yet another Latin American country. He also believed it was the United States duty as a powerful nation to help “barbarian” countries.
 * He sent in 2,000 troops to stabilize the country
 * The United States Sided with the insurgents
 * As a result the United States’ financial influence over the country increase due to flood of US banker to the country
 * He also brought the boundary dispute between Panama and Costa Rica to arbitration
 * Taft’s foreign policies focused most directly on relations between the United States and Latin America. His ideas were much more materialistic then those of Wilson’s and Roosevelt’s. He wanted to increase the United States economy and trade.