1. The Taft Presidency Ms. Jerome

2. Progressive Presidents

3. Theodore Roosevelt Believed a president should take an active role as an arbiter between the demands of laborers and profit-driven businesses

4. Taft When Roosevelt’s second term ended, he endorsed his confidant William Howard Taft as his successor.

5. A divide in the Republican Party Four issues eventually divided the Republican party: –The Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909) –The Ballinger-Pinchot controversy (1910) –Taft’s antitrust suit against U.S. Steel (1911)

6. Taft The Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909)—Supported a high protective tariff which benefits big business Fired TR’s longtime friend and chief forester Gifford Pinchot 1907—U.S. Steel illegally purchased the bankrupt Tennessee Coal and Iron company –Roosevelt had personally approved this trust –Believed it was necessary to prevent a financial collapse on Wall Street –Taft attacked the U.S. Steel corporation –Indirect attack on Roosevelt

7. The Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909) What is a tariff? Would big-business support a tariff? Why or why not? Lamely supported a high protective tariff (40% tax on imports) Conservative decision

8. The Ballinger-Pinchot controversy (1910) Taft named Richard Ballinger as Secretary of the Interior Ballinger was convinced that TR used too much power to put land into reserves Ballinger began the process of opening some tracts of land to commercial users. He butted heads with the Chief Forester and long term friend of TR, Gifford Pinchot Taft fired Pinchot—enraged TR

9. Firing of Pinchot Left impression that Taft was not interested in conservation HOWEVER… Pinchot’s successor as chief forester expanded conservation project Firing Pinchot…damage was done.

10. Taft’s antitrust suit against U.S. Steel 1907—U.S. Steel illegally purchased the bankrupt Tennessee Coal and Iron company Roosevelt had personally approved this trust Believed it was necessary to prevent a financial collapse on Wall Street Taft attacked the U.S. Steel corporation Indirect attack on Roosevelt

11. Teddy Roosevelt Thought Taft couldn’t distinguish a good trust form a bad trust.