Global Presidents: William Howard Taft in the Philippines
William Howard Taft was the son of Alonzo Taft, who had served as a judge, an ambassador and in the cabinet, as War Secretary and Attorney General in the cabinet of President Ulysses S. Grant. William Howard Taft proved to be an excellent lawyer himself and in 1890, President Benjamin Harrison appointed him Solicitor General of the United States. Taft was a successful Solicitor General, winning 15 of the 18 cases he argued before the Supreme Court. In March 1891, the United States Congress created a new judgeship for each of the United States Courts of Appeal and Harrison appointed Taft as a Judge of the Sixth Circuit, based in Cincinnati. In March 1892, Taft resigned as Solicitor General to resume his judicial career.
Taft's federal judgeship was a lifetime appointment, and he hoped that it would lead to a promotion to the Supreme Court. His circuit included Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky. These were happy years for Taft. As a judge, he supported the right of labor to organize and strike, and he ruled against employers in several negligence cases. In 1896, Taft became dean and Professor of Property at his alma mater, the Cincinnati Law School. As a federal judge, Taft could not involve himself with politics, but still followed it closely, remaining a Republican supporter. Initially, Taft was not a strong supporter of Ohio Governor William McKinley, who was building a campaign for the presidency. Taft wrote about McKinley, stating: "I cannot find anybody in Washington who wants him". But as Taft realized that McKinley would likely be nominated, he supported his fellow Ohioan for President. McKinley was elected as president in November 1896, and when a place on the Supreme Court opened in 1898, Taft hoped for the post, but McKinley appointed Joseph McKenna instead.
In January 1900, Taft was called to Washington for a meeting with McKinley. He hoped that it was to discuss his appointment to the Supreme Court, but McKinley had other plans. By this time, the United States had acquired the Philippines in the Spanish-American War. McKinley wanted to appoint Taft to the commission to organize a civilian government in the Philippines. The appointment would require Taft's resignation from the bench, but McKinley assured him that if he took the job, he would be appointed to fill the next vacancy on the Supreme Court. Taft accepted on condition he was made head of the commission, and McKinley agreed. Taft sailed for the Philippines in April of 1900.
The American takeover of the Philippines occurred as the Philippine Revolution was occurring. The Filipinos had been fighting with the Spanish for their independence prior to the island being transferred to the Americans in the Spanish-American War, and they continued that fight after that transition. U.S. forces on the island were led by military governor General Arthur MacArthur, Jr., father of Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur felt that the commission was a nuisance, and he was critical of the commission's mission, which was to to impose self-government on a people that MacArthur considered to be unready for it. MacArthur was forced to co-operate with Taft, because McKinley had given the commission control over the islands' military budget. The commission took executive power in the Philippines on September 1, 1900. On July 4, 1901, Taft became civilian governor. MacArthur was relieved of his post as military governor, and General Adna Chaffee was designated only in the role of commander of the American forces.
Taft wanted to make the Filipinos partners in the goal of bringing about their self-government. He saw independence as something that would come in time, but as something that the Filipinos were not ready for yet. Many Americans in the Philippines viewed the locals as racial inferiors. Taft wrote, "we propose to banish this idea from their minds". Taft did not impose racial segregation at official events, and he treated the Filipinos as social equals to Americans. Nellie Taft supported her husband's position. She wrote "neither politics nor race should influence our hospitality in any way".
McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. He was succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt. Taft and Roosevelt were old friends. They had become friends while Taft was Solicitor General and Roosevelt was a member of the Civil Service Commission. Taft had lobbied for the appointment of Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and had supported Roosevelt as his political star rose from war hero to Governor of New York, and then to Vice President of the United States. The two had resumed their friendship when Taft went to Washington in January 1902 from an infection that he had suffered. While back in Washington, Taft testified before the Senate Committee on the Philippines. Taft wanted Filipino farmers to have a right of land ownership, but much of the arable land was held by Catholic religious orders, made up of mostly Spanish priests. To remedy this problem, Roosevelt sent Taft to Rome to negotiate with Pope Leo XIII, to purchase the lands and to arrange the withdrawal of the Spanish priests, and replacing them with Americans and with locally-trained clergy. Taft was not able to resolve these issues on his visit to Rome, but an agreement was ultimately reached in 1903.
In late 1902, Taft had heard from Roosevelt that there would soon be a vacancy on the Supreme Court, with the resignation of Justice George Shiras. Roosevelt wanted Taft to fill the vacancy. But this time if was Taft who prevent his own appointment to the Court. He told Roosevelt that he felt that his work as governor of the Philippines was not yet done. The Philippine Organic Act was approved on July 1, 1902. The act established a legislature for the islands composed of a popularly elected lower house, the Philippine Assembly, and an upper house consisting of the Philippine Commission. The act also provided for extending the United States Bill of Rights to Filipinos. On July 2, the United States Secretary of War telegraphed that since the insurrection against the United States had ended and provincial civil governments had been established throughout most of the Philippine archipelago, the office of military governor was terminated. On July 4, President Roosevelt declared an amnesty to those who had participated in the conflict.
Taft's success in the Philippines had not gone unnoticed in the American media. In 1903 Roosevelt asked Taft to become Secretary of War. As the War Department was responsible for the Philippines, Taft would remain responsible for the islands. Secretary of War Elihu Root postponed his resignation until 1904, allowing Taft time to wrap up his work in Manila. After consulting with his family, Taft agreed, and sailed home for the United States in December 1903.
Taft's federal judgeship was a lifetime appointment, and he hoped that it would lead to a promotion to the Supreme Court. His circuit included Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky. These were happy years for Taft. As a judge, he supported the right of labor to organize and strike, and he ruled against employers in several negligence cases. In 1896, Taft became dean and Professor of Property at his alma mater, the Cincinnati Law School. As a federal judge, Taft could not involve himself with politics, but still followed it closely, remaining a Republican supporter. Initially, Taft was not a strong supporter of Ohio Governor William McKinley, who was building a campaign for the presidency. Taft wrote about McKinley, stating: "I cannot find anybody in Washington who wants him". But as Taft realized that McKinley would likely be nominated, he supported his fellow Ohioan for President. McKinley was elected as president in November 1896, and when a place on the Supreme Court opened in 1898, Taft hoped for the post, but McKinley appointed Joseph McKenna instead.
In January 1900, Taft was called to Washington for a meeting with McKinley. He hoped that it was to discuss his appointment to the Supreme Court, but McKinley had other plans. By this time, the United States had acquired the Philippines in the Spanish-American War. McKinley wanted to appoint Taft to the commission to organize a civilian government in the Philippines. The appointment would require Taft's resignation from the bench, but McKinley assured him that if he took the job, he would be appointed to fill the next vacancy on the Supreme Court. Taft accepted on condition he was made head of the commission, and McKinley agreed. Taft sailed for the Philippines in April of 1900.
The American takeover of the Philippines occurred as the Philippine Revolution was occurring. The Filipinos had been fighting with the Spanish for their independence prior to the island being transferred to the Americans in the Spanish-American War, and they continued that fight after that transition. U.S. forces on the island were led by military governor General Arthur MacArthur, Jr., father of Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur felt that the commission was a nuisance, and he was critical of the commission's mission, which was to to impose self-government on a people that MacArthur considered to be unready for it. MacArthur was forced to co-operate with Taft, because McKinley had given the commission control over the islands' military budget. The commission took executive power in the Philippines on September 1, 1900. On July 4, 1901, Taft became civilian governor. MacArthur was relieved of his post as military governor, and General Adna Chaffee was designated only in the role of commander of the American forces.
Taft wanted to make the Filipinos partners in the goal of bringing about their self-government. He saw independence as something that would come in time, but as something that the Filipinos were not ready for yet. Many Americans in the Philippines viewed the locals as racial inferiors. Taft wrote, "we propose to banish this idea from their minds". Taft did not impose racial segregation at official events, and he treated the Filipinos as social equals to Americans. Nellie Taft supported her husband's position. She wrote "neither politics nor race should influence our hospitality in any way".
McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. He was succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt. Taft and Roosevelt were old friends. They had become friends while Taft was Solicitor General and Roosevelt was a member of the Civil Service Commission. Taft had lobbied for the appointment of Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and had supported Roosevelt as his political star rose from war hero to Governor of New York, and then to Vice President of the United States. The two had resumed their friendship when Taft went to Washington in January 1902 from an infection that he had suffered. While back in Washington, Taft testified before the Senate Committee on the Philippines. Taft wanted Filipino farmers to have a right of land ownership, but much of the arable land was held by Catholic religious orders, made up of mostly Spanish priests. To remedy this problem, Roosevelt sent Taft to Rome to negotiate with Pope Leo XIII, to purchase the lands and to arrange the withdrawal of the Spanish priests, and replacing them with Americans and with locally-trained clergy. Taft was not able to resolve these issues on his visit to Rome, but an agreement was ultimately reached in 1903.
In late 1902, Taft had heard from Roosevelt that there would soon be a vacancy on the Supreme Court, with the resignation of Justice George Shiras. Roosevelt wanted Taft to fill the vacancy. But this time if was Taft who prevent his own appointment to the Court. He told Roosevelt that he felt that his work as governor of the Philippines was not yet done. The Philippine Organic Act was approved on July 1, 1902. The act established a legislature for the islands composed of a popularly elected lower house, the Philippine Assembly, and an upper house consisting of the Philippine Commission. The act also provided for extending the United States Bill of Rights to Filipinos. On July 2, the United States Secretary of War telegraphed that since the insurrection against the United States had ended and provincial civil governments had been established throughout most of the Philippine archipelago, the office of military governor was terminated. On July 4, President Roosevelt declared an amnesty to those who had participated in the conflict.
Taft's success in the Philippines had not gone unnoticed in the American media. In 1903 Roosevelt asked Taft to become Secretary of War. As the War Department was responsible for the Philippines, Taft would remain responsible for the islands. Secretary of War Elihu Root postponed his resignation until 1904, allowing Taft time to wrap up his work in Manila. After consulting with his family, Taft agreed, and sailed home for the United States in December 1903.