Description:

William Taft
Washington, D.C., March 16, 1909
William Taft TLS From Second Week in Office Re: Tariffs & Inaugural Address
TLS
A typed letter signed "Wm. H. Taft" in his second week as President to journalist Robert Underwood Johnson of Century Magazine. 1p on White House letterhead, 7" x 8.75", Washington, D.C., March 16, 1909. Headed "Personal" at the letter's opening, Taft writes to Johnson on his recent inauguration and the potential for tariffs. Accompanied by its original White House mailing envelope. In very good to fine condition, with light edge creasing and minor blurring to the type and signature.

In full:

"I have your letter of March 12th and thank you for your approval of my inaugural address. I have not thought it wise to go into any particular schedules in the tariff, so therefore I could not refer to the question of free art. Whatever I can do I shall be glad to do in that direction, however."

The same day that this letter was written, Taft sent a letter to the House and Senate regarding tariff legislation, concluding: "I venture to suggest that the vital business interests of the country require that the attention of the Congress in this session be chiefly devoted to the consideration of the new tariff bill, and that the less time given to other subjects of legislation in this session, the better for the country."

Three days later on March 19, the New York Times reported on the "new Tariff bill admitting duty free all works of art twenty years old or more," speculating that the measure would lead to the repatriation of some of the world's finest art collections, including those of J. Pierpont Morgan, then kept in London, and Isabella Stewart Gardner, whose collection of early Italian paintings was in France.

Taft campaigned on a platform of lowering tariffs, a staple of the progressive agenda. When the Payne Bill was passed, which lowered rates on imported manufactured goods, the Senate proposed an alternative bill. The Aldrich Bill made fewer cuts and increased many rates. Amid cries of betrayal from the progressive wing of Taft's party, the President signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff, a compromise that only moderated the high rates of the Aldrich Bill. This angered the progressives who believed Taft abandoned them, and ultimately made things worse in attempting to defend the tariff.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • 7" x 8.75"
  • Artist Name:
  • William Taft
  • Medium:
  • TLS

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