Lot 626
Taft, William Howard. 1857-1930, 27th president of the U.S. (1909-13) and 10th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1921-30). Running as Roosevelt's successor in 1908, he defeated William Jennings Bryan and continued Roosevelt's policies, i.e., "trust busting" and, in Latin America, "dollar diplomacy," but he was more conservative than Roosevelt and antagonized the progressive elements in his party. Taft was appointed (1921) chief justice by Pres. Harding; his chief contribution to the court was his administrative efficiency.
Typed Letter Signed ("Wm H Taft"). As President. One page with integral blanks, quarto, Washington, D.C., May 10, 1910. On "The White House Washington" stationery. In black ink. To Henry A. Cooper of the House of Representatives. With one horizontal fold, and a soft fold at lower right which does not affect signature. In very good to fine condition overall.
Providing insight into the process of crafting legislation, here Taft proposes modifications to the Mann-Elkins Act which regulated communications and railroad sleeping car companies, stating: "I find on further examinations as to the point that I asked you to come to talk to me about, that I was told that section 12 of the act could be passed if an amendment proposed by Mr. Good, of Iowa, were adopted. The amendment, as I recollect it, submitted to the Interstate Commerce tribunal the question whether the line in which the stock is acquired is a competing line or not. The part of section 12 I should like to retain is the part which denounces the acquisition of stock of one railway in the competing line; in other words, the first 27 lines in the section. While this may be covered by the Anti-trust law it is a specific denunciation of a particular form of that law which makes prosecution, and proof of it, much more easy than otherwise."
Estimated Value $750 - 950.
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