Key Difference – Taft vs Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft are the 26th and 27th presidents of the USA. The two Presidents were both Republicans and both were close friends at one point of time. In fact, Taft was a handpicked successor of Roosevelt, but soon there was a rift between them with both calling each other names. Despite following the same Republican policies, there were differences between Taft and Roosevelt that will be outlined in this article.
Who was Taft?
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of USA and took the oath of office in 1909. He served for just one term and had to spend 4 uncomfortable years in the White House. He was the 10th Chief Justice of the country and served in this position for ten years from 1921-1931. Taft happened to be a trusted ally of President Roosevelt who gave him the position of Secretary of War in 1900. It was by 1907 that his candidature for presidency was announced. He was elected as the President in 1908.
Who was Roosevelt?
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the USA who served for two terms from 1901-1909. He is popularly known as Teddy, and the proverbial Teddy bear is named after TR. He was the Vice President when President McKinley was assassinated. He is known for his Square deal phrase that he coined to reassure common people that they would be getting a fair deal under his Presidency. On the international scene, TR adopted an approach of speaking softly while carrying a long stick. TR won the Noble Peace Prize for his efforts in negotiating peace between Russia and Japan. TR openly supported and picked Taft as his successor when he was nearing the end of his 2nd term.
When examining the differences in the ideas of the two presidents some of the key points are as follows. Roosevelt differed with Taft on progressivism and people who were important to Taft. Roosevelt tried to block re-nomination of Taft but failed. Taft was in favor of an independent judiciary which was opposed by TR. There was a schism among the Republicans with Taft being more conservative than Roosevelt who represented the progressive Republicans. Taft was in favor of lower tariffs while TR wanted higher tariffs. Roosevelt was in favor of a national income tax, but Taft did not like the idea. It was the rift between Roosevelt and Taft that led to a schism in the Republican Party. This led to the victory of the Democrat Wilson in the 1912 Presidential election.
What is the Difference Between Taft and Roosevelt?
Definitions of Taft and Roosevelt:
Taft: William Howard Taft was the 27th President of USA.
Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the USA.
Characteristics of Taft and Roosevelt:
Oath of Office:
Taft: William Howard Taft took the oath of office in 1909.
Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt served for two terms from 1901-1909
Independent Judiciary:
Taft: Taft was in favor of an independent judiciary.
Roosevelt: Roosevelt was against this.
Tariff:
Taft: Taft was in favor of lower tariff.
Roosevelt: Roosevelt wanted higher tariff.
Income Tax:
Taft: Taft was against this idea.
Roosevelt: Roosevelt was in favor of a national income tax.
Image Courtesy:
1. “William Howard Taft, Bain bw photo portrait, 1908” by George Grantham Bain; copyright: Moffett Studio [Public Domain] via Commons
2. “President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904” by Pach Brothers – [Public Domain] via Commons