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

Caught in intense battles between Progressives and Conservatives. Conservatives supported Taft, while progressive reformers supported Roosevelt in the election of 1912 He allowed Old Republican Guard Leaders to control his lines to congress Failed to be reelected in 1912 because he lost the progressive vote to Roosevelt who ran on the Bulls Moose Ticket Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty. "Willaim Howard Taft." The Reader's Companion to American History 1 Dec. 1991. __SIRS Knowledge__. 21 Nov. 2007.
 * Party Politics - Nick**

- Mann-Elkins Act of 1910 - Gave the Interstate Commerce Commission the power to raise rates on railroads and set it to a standard rate. http://millercenter.virginia.edu/academic/americanpresident/taft/essays/biography/4 - Established a Postal Savings Bank. http://millercenter.virginia.edu/academic/americanpresident/taft/essays/biography/4 - Supported the 17th amendment that allowed senators to be elected directly by the people, whereas before senators were elected by state legislatures. http://millercenter.virginia.edu/academic/americanpresident/taft/essays/biography/4 - Payne-Aldrich Act - Created a committee to review tariffs. http://www.usahistory.com/presidents/wi-ho-ta.htm - Broke up the Sugar Trust that rigged prices on sugar. http://millercenter.virginia.edu/academic/americanpresident/taft/essays/biography/4 - Biggest antitrust cases under Taft were the break up of the American Tobacco trust and the Standard Oil Company trust. http://millercenter.virginia.edu/academic/americanpresident/taft/essays/biography/4 - Advocate for the fight against trusts
 * Legislation - Drew**
 * Economy - Drew**

-** Alienated many liberal republicans who eventually formed the progressive party by supporting the Payne-Aldrich Act - Little attention was paid to the fact that his administration began 80 antitrust suits and that Congress submitted to the states amendments for a federal income tax and the direct election of Senators - Progressives became upset with Taft because he was accused of failing to carry out Roosevelt's conservation policies
 * Relations w/ Congress - Justin

Taft didn’t do that much concerning social issues. However, he did divided the Department of Commerce and Labor into two departments and established within the Labor Department a federal Children’s Bureau to fight against child labor. He also set up a Bureau of Mines to help reduce mine accidents and fatalities. Aside from that, he signed bills to introduce railroad safety devices, compensation for injured workers, and the “eight-hour” day on federal work projects. He had a lot of good ideas, but he didn't really follow up on any of his plans.
 * Social Issues - Briana**

Conflict developed between Taft's secretary of the interior, Richard A. Ballinger, and the chief forester, Gifford Pinchot. It was viewed by the public as a Move against conservation effort begun by Roosevelt. Compromise on tariff viewed negatively by people.
 * Public Image - Nick**


 * __Foreign Policy__**

Taft was actually surprisingly active in Latin American affairs. -When the Philippines were put under American control, Taft went in and tried to help them. He was sympathetic towards the Filipinos, and he tried to prepare them for independence. He went into the Philippines and helped to improve the economy. Taft built roads, schools, and other public buildings. He also tried to give the Filipinos some say in the government. - Throughout Latin America, William Taft implemented the “dollar diplomacy” to improve and quicken the economic development of the less developed nations of Latin America. It was also useful in advancing and protecting American businesses in other countries. - Taft stopped Nicaragua from building a canal and helped them take care of their debts with other countries. He sent in marines to stop a Nicaraguan rebellion against the United States, and stopped them from building a canal in their country. This would have interfered with the canal the United States was trying to build in Panama.
 * Latin America - Briana**