Presidency Chart: William Howard Taft (27th) 1909-1913
The Election of 1908
-First president of the “lower 48”
Taft- Republican = winner 
-NM and AZ admitted
Bryan- Democratic
-Retires as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice 
Debs- Socialist
Issue: economy
Major Events in Taft’s Presidency:
Antitrust Cases – 90 suits
American Tobacco Co. (1911)
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Supreme Court rules that Tobacco Co. is in violation of Sherman Anti-trust Act retraining trade
Standard Oil (1911)
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Supreme court rules that Standard Oil Co. is in violation of the Sherman Anti-trust Act
Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909)
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Lowered tariff on a few items but ultimately raised tariffs overall (special interest legislation )
This disappointed the progressives in Taft’s party!!!!!!!!!!!!
Taft chooses the conservative Republicans & party begins to split!!!
NAACP founded (1909)
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civil rights organizations
The NAACP was founded by a diverse group including W.E.B. Du Bois (African American), Ida Wells-Barnett (African American),
Henry Moscowitz (Jewish), Mary White Ovington (White), Oswald Garrison Villard (German-born Caucasian), and William English
Walling (White, and son of a former slave owning family) after meeting in Niagra Falls (Niagra Movement) to work on behalf of the
rights of minorities including Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, as well as Jews.
Conservation:
1. Continuation of TR’s policies
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does more for conservation than TR in setting aside land
Because of Pinchot controversy doesn’t become known for it
2. United States Bureau of Mines
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founded in 1910 to deal with a wave of catastrophic mine disasters
USBM was the primary agency conducting scientific research and disseminating information on the extraction, processing, use, and
conservation of mineral resources.
September of 1995, Congress voted to close the Bureau of Mines and to transfer its functions to other Federal agencies
3. Pinchot-Ballinger controversy
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Sec. of Interior Ballinger offered to sell a million acres of public land that Pinchot had blocked from sale (conserved)
Pinchot protested and Taft sides with Ballinger
Pinchot publishes newspaper articles bashing Ballinger
Taft fires Pinchot and gains a vocal enemy
Speaker “Uncle Joe” Cannon controversy
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Conservative HR leader hated by Progressive GOP. Taft gives in to him and angers progressives.
Mann-Elkins Act (1910)
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Gave ICC the power to set rates, stiffened long- and short- haul regulations, placed telephone and telegraph under ICC control
Pleased progressives 
Created commerce courts
Dollar Diplomacy
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puts businesses of America first: “The business of America is business”
the term used to describe the efforts of the United States—particularly under President Taft—to further its foreign policy aims in
Latin America and East Asia through use of its economic power. The term was originally coined by President Taft, who claimed that U.S.
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operations in Latin America went from 'warlike and political' to 'peaceful and economic.'
Interventions in Latin America: Nicaragua, Mexico, and Cuba
Split with Teddy Roosevelt
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Payne-Aldrich Tariff angers Progressive GOP & TR
Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy angers TR
1910 = Taft actively campaigns against progressive GOP Congressmen running for election & Democrats win control of HR &
Senate
TR feels like Taft has joined conservative GOP and he needs to represent Progressive GOP, this he creates new party = Progressive
Party (“Bull Moose Party”)