历届美国总统简介：威廉·霍华德·塔夫脱（在线收听）

威廉·霍华德·塔夫脱是美国第二十七任总统，他在总统任期内虽然政绩平平，但一直勤勤恳恳，做了不少工作，如：逐步采取年度预算，建立邮政储蓄体系，鼓励保护自然资源，大力推行反托拉斯法等等。塔夫脱还曾任过律师、地方检察官、州高级法院法官、司法部副部长、法庭庭长、法学教授、美国第一任菲律宾总督等职位。

William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States, serving between 1909 and 1913. He was also the tenth Chief Justice of the United States and the only person to have served in both offices. He was born in 1857, the son of a distinguished judge. He graduated from Yale and practiced law in Cincinnati. He quickly rose in politics via judiciary appointments made by the Republicans.

Taft was appointed a federal circuit judge at 34. From 1901 to 1903, he served as the first civilian Governor-General of the Philippines. While in this opposition he turned down the offer of a seat on the Supreme Court. In 1904, President Roosevelt appointed Taft as Secretary of War, which meant he could remain involved in the Philippines. He also dealt with a revolt in Cuba in 1906.

In 1908, the Republican Convention nominated him as their presidential candidate. He won the first election of his career by a comfortable margin. As President, he initiated 80 anti-trust suits; amendments for a federal income tax; the direct election of senators; and a postal savings system. He also pursued "Dollar Diplomacy" in the less-developed nations of Latin America and Asia.

Despite Taft’s hard work, he alienated many in his party. He defended an act which continued high tariffs; a trade agreement with Canada failed, and his team was accused of failing to carry out Roosevelt's conservation policies. He lost the next election and became Chief Justice of the USA. He was so happy with this post that just before he died in 1930, he wrote: "I don't remember that I ever was President."