Taft, laughing, "What troubles [brother] Charles is, he is afraid Roosevelt will get the credit of making me President and not him...self." To Charles: "I will agree not to minimize the part you played in making me President if you will agree not to minimize the part Roosevelt played."LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The truth is, the whole administration under Roosevelt was demoralized by the system of dealing directly with subordinates. It was... obviated in the State Department and the War Department under [Secretary of State Elihu] Root and me [Taft was the Secretary of War], because we simply ignored the interference and went on as we chose.... The subordinates gained nothing by his assumption of authority, but it was not so in the other departments.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
We shall have to begin all over again. [Taft hoped that] the Senators might change their minds, or that the people might change th...e Senate; instead of which they changed me.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Taft represented a victory for everything that was least progressive in Roosevelt. The great love which bound the two men, as it h...as been described touchingly and at length by dozens of their friends and aides, contained scarcely a glimmer of common interest relating to reform. It had to do with social standing, political advancement, favors asked and favors given.... The essence of Roosevelt's conservatism was his dependence on party politics; of Taft's his adherence to the law. Roosevelt, that is to say, was a politician; his friend was a lawyer.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that ...we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power we have not interfered and shall not interfere. But with the Governments who have declared their independence and maintain it, and whose independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
What I am anxious to do is to get the best bill possible with the least amount of friction.... I wish to avoid [splitting our part...y]. I shall do all in my power to retain the corporation tax as it is now and also force a reduction of the [tariff] schedules. It is only when all other efforts fail that I'll resort to headlines and force the people into this fight.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The judiciary has fallen to a very low state in this country. I think your part of the country has suffered especially. The federa...l judges of the South are a disgrace to any country, and I'll be damned if I put any man on the bench of whose character and ability there is the least doubt.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
If I am defeated for the next nomination, I think it will be by [Charles Evans] Hughes. And I don't think he will allow his name t...o be used unless he really feels that I have no chance to win. I do not think Theodore Roosevelt will allow his name to come before the convention.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I don't know the man I admire more than [Charles Evans] Hughes. If ever I have the chance I shall offer him the Chief Justiceship.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »