Recollections of Full Years

by Helen Herron Taft

RECOLLECTIONS OF FULL YEARS

MRS. WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

MRS. WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Recollections of
Full Years

BY

MRS. WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK

Dodd, Mead & Company

1914

 

Copyright, 1914

By THE BUTTERICK PUBLISHING CO.

Copyright, 1914

By DODD, MEAD & COMPANY

 

FOREWORD

I wish to express my grateful acknowledgment to Eleanor Franklin Egan and to my daughter for their valued assistance in the preparation for publication of these Recollections.

Helen Herron Taft.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
Introductory	1
Cincinnati—City of Birth and Early Memories. Educational and Musical Advantages. Childhood in Large Family on Moderate Income. Meeting Mr. Taft—Political Turmoil. First trip to Washington to visit President and Mrs. Hayes. Social Gaieties and Serious Undertakings. Engagement—Summer in the Adirondacks. Marriage—Trip Abroad. Mr. Taft's Father and Mother. First home—"Satisfactory though Mortgaged."
CHAPTER II
Cincinnati and Washington	21
The Superior Court—First Doubt as to Desirability of Judicial Career. Mr. Taft's Embarrassing Truthfulness. My son Robert. Solicitor General—Move to Washington. Mr. William M. Evarts. Washington Society Twenty-five Years Ago. My Daughter Helen. The Federal Bench. Youngest Child. Tranquil Years. The Cincinnati Orchestra. Spanish-American War—Results to the Taft Family.
CHAPTER III
To the Philippines	39
The Second Philippine Commission. Army Transport Hancock. Honolulu. "Aloha Oe!" Yokohama. Mr. Taft in a Jinrikisha. His Size Interests the Japanese. Audience with the Emperor and Empress of Japan—A Question of Clothes. I Decide to Remain in Japan for the summer. The Hancock to Manila.
CHAPTER IV
In Japan	65
Keeping House in Yokohama—In Quarantine with Measles. A Japanese Menage. Fascinating Oriental Sounds—Alluring Shops. First Letter from Mr. Taft. A bit of Philippine History. Miyanoshita—Japanese Inns—The Darkest Night. A Refugee from China—Boxer Insurrection. Joseph did not Commit Suicide; He was only Learning to Sing. More Letters. Mr. Bryan's Complicating Policy. To Manila.
CHAPTER V
First Impressions of Manila	91
The China Sea. Manila Bay—Strange Scenes and Strange Peoples. First Home in Manila—"Getting Used" to my Environment. Seventy Thousand American Troops. General Arthur MacArthur—Social Coolness. Intrigue—Assassinations—Problems. Progress of Pacification. A Typhoon. American Presidential Campaign. Civil and Military Rule. September first—The Commission begins to Exercise Authority.
CHAPTER VI
A Strange Environment	118
El costumbres del pais—Employes and Parientes. A Pair of Black Ponies—A Runaway—Filipino Coachmen. Charlie's Playmates. Shopping—Saloons. Manila Society. "He may be a brother of William H. Taft, but he ain't no friend of mine!" A Filipino Call. Presents. American Patriotism. Friars and Friars' Lands. A Momentous Decision.
CHAPTER VII
"Days of the Empire	142
Unrest and Uncertainty—Guerilla Warfare. Re-election of Mr. Mckinley. Optimistic in the Face of Chaos. Christmas—Eighty in the Shade. A New Year's Reception—Silk Hats and Frock Coats. The Federal Party and the Peace Movement—Washington's Birthday. First Visit to a Provincial Town. Establishment of Civil Government. Mr. Taft First Civil Governor.
CHAPTER VIII
An Historic Trip	156
Through the Southern Islands. Establishing Provincial Governments. A Test of Endurance—Filipino Bands—Banquetes and Bailes—the Rigodon. Moroland. Aguinaldo—Colonel Frederick Funston of "the Suicide Squad." Zamboanga—Cottabato—the Gulf of Davao—Surigao—A Perilous Journey. Cebu. Sorsogon—A Riot of Hospitality. "The Sacred Torch of Liberty."
CHAPTER IX
The Wild Men's Country	182
Into Northern Luzon—the Wild Men's Country. A Spanish Steamer. General and Mrs. J. Franklin Bell. A Side Trip. Impedimenta and Military Discipline. An Amazing Summit. Where no White Woman ever was before Igorrotes—Human Skulls as House Decorations—Rice Teraces. Down a Long Trail. Baguio—Our $2,500,000 Road. Necessity for Haste.
CHAPTER X
Governor Taft	206
The Inauguration of Governor Taft. Two Thousand Guests. Moving to Malacañan Palace—Social Activities. The Governor's Working Day. General Chaffee—Continued Differences of Opinion. General Corbin. The Assassination of President McKinley—Dark Days. Mr. Taft and President Roosevelt. Balangiga. A Trip to China—Mr. Taft Ill— Hurried Return. Ordered Home on Leave—An Earthquake. We Sail on Christmas Eve.
CHAPTER XI
A Trip to Rome	233
Some Unhappy Memories. Business in Washington—The Friar Lands Question. A Mission to Rome. Left Behind but Follow Shortly. Position and Character of Commission—Complications and Embarrassments. Cardinal Rampolla. Pope Leo XIII. A Brilliant Society. Vatican Politics. An Audience with the Pope. Vallombrosa. Gifts from the Pope. Unfinished Negotiations—Mr. Taft to Manila. Switzerland.
CHAPTER XII
Last Days in the Philippines	251
A Great Demonstration. Cholera—Rinderpest—Famine—Turmoil. The Church Schism—Aglipay. Archbishop Guidi. Ladrones and Assassins. Taft declines the Supreme Bench—Mr. Roosevelt Insists—Popular Protest. A Letter from Mr. Roosevelt. Called to Washington as Secretary of War. A Farewell Fête—The Doge of Venice and his Lady—Regretful Good-byes.
CHAPTER XIII
Secretary of War	274
Contrasted Attitudes—Guests of a Nation and "Just Nobody." Settling down in Washington—Difficulties in living up to an Exalted Office—Life of a "Cabinet Lady." The Panama Canal—Trip to Panama. Mr. Taft, a Congressional Party and Miss Alice Roosevelt. Summer in England. Intervention in Cuba—"Those Awful Twenty Days."
CHAPTER XIV
Busy Years	302
"The Three Musketeers." A Political Campaign—the Rush of Life. The Supreme Bench again. A Presidential "Boom." Mr. Taft not Interested. I misunderstand Mr. Roosevelt. Athos and Porthos. "Sitting on the Lid." Agitated Days. Growing Enthusiasm. Murray Bay. Starting Around the World—Yellowstone Park—A Sunday game of Bridge. A Taste of Campaign Work.
CHAPTER XV
A Hurried Trip Around the World	313
Japan—Shanghai—Manila. Opening of the first Philippine Assembly. Trips and Entertainments. Vladivostok. Across Siberia. Moscow—St. Petersburg—Berlin. A Shopping Expedition and a Perilous Night. The Steamship President Grant. Return to the United States. Nomination for the Presidency—Political Campaign—Election.
CHAPTER XVI
President of the United States	324
The Evening of March Third, 1909. A Dinner Party at the White House. A Stormy Night. Washington Ice-bound and Isolated. "I always said it would be a cold day when I got to be President of the United States." The Inauguration. At Home in the White House—A Brief Inspection—The McKim Restoration. The Inaugural Ball—A Brilliant Scene. "Aunt Delia." The End of the Greatest Day.
CHAPTER XVII
The White House	347
Mistress of the White House—Domestic Responsibilities—Some Innovations. The White House staff—Furniture and Porcelains. The President's Hospitality. A Diplomatic Tea. Forms and Precedents. My First Dinner Party. Various Entertainments. Potomac Drive. Delightful Spring Evenings. The Charm of the Home of Presidents. A Passing Glimpse of Mental Pictures.
CHAPTER XVIII
Some White House Formalities	365
A Long Illness. Garden Parties—The First Disappointment— Subsequent Success. The Nation's Summer Capital— A Question of Privacy—The Secret Service Men. The Washington Social Season. State Dinners and Receptions. First Cabinet Dinner. The New Year's Reception. "Behind the line." Cutting down the Lists. The Diplomatic Reception and Dinner. Serving Refreshments. Various Demands.
CHAPTER XIX
Conclusion	382
Mr. Roosevelt Returns from Africa—Calls at Beverly—An Agreeable Meeting. A Cruise on the Mayflower. The President of Chili. A "Whirlwind" Existence. A Cabinet House Party. Fitting Charlie out in Long Trousers. Helen's Début. Our Silver Wedding. Renomination. Plans for a Quiet Future. An Expression from Mr. Taft.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Mrs. William Howard Taft	Frontispiece
	FACING PAGE
Mrs. Taft's childhood home on Pike Street, in Cincinnati	4
Mr. and Mrs. John Williamson Herron, Mrs. Taft's father and mother	8
Members of the salon. Mr. Taft in the centre with the author at his right	12
Mr. and Mrs. William Howard Taft at the time of their marriage	16
Mrs. Taft with Robert and Helen, when Mr. Taft was Solicitor-General	26
Charlie Taft when he went to the Philippines	36
Nikko. An ancient cryptomeria avenue and a glimpse of the famous temples	52
Entrance to the Imperial Palace gardens in Tokyo	56
The State Dining-Room of the White House, showing tapestry presented to Mrs. Taft by the Empress of Japan	62
Helen Taft in Japanese costume	76
Mrs. Taft in formal Filipina costume	90
A carved Nara or Philippine mahogany bed, now in Mr. Taft's room at New Haven	98
A typical Philippine river scene and some Filipino laundry work	104
(Left to right) General Wright, Mr. Taft and Judge Ide, as Philippine Commissioners	118
A typical Filipino menu and place card	148
Triumphal arch at Bataan	152
Filipino members of the organising party enjoying afternoon repose on the deck of the Sumner	158
The Sultan of Sulu boarding the Sumner, followed by Mr. Arthur Fergusson, Spanish secretary to the Commission	166
A Morn datu with his retinue, and the favourite wife of a datu with her maids-in-waiting	170
Picturesque bead bedecked Bogoboa of the Davao country	176
Philippine non-Christians: A Bontoc Igorrote (top left), a Mora and two Kalinga chiefs (with shields)	182
On the long trail in Northern Luzon. Mrs. Taft second from the left	186
Mr. Taft and Charlie enjoying their favourite exercise	186
An Igorrote Head Dance and a company of cargodores with their dogs which are to he killed for food	190
Views of the extraordinary Igorrote rice terraces. Practically all of the wild men's country is cultivated in this manner	192
Igorrote chief proudly displaying his house decorations of human skulls and carabao horns	196
Bontoc Igorrotes with ganzas showing handles made of human jaw bones	196
Benguet Road before and after completion. Not the most thrilling curve on this spectacular highway	200
The Zigzag. How the Benguet Road climbs to an altitude of over 5,000 feet in six miles	204
Mr. Taft taking the oath of office as first American Governor of the Philippine Islands	208
Two views of Malacañan Palace. The first picture shows the wide, roofless veranda over the Pasig River	214
Scenes attending Governor Taft's arrival in Manila after his first absence	250
Arch erected by the Partido Federal representing Filipina offering another star to the American flag	258
Mr. and Mrs. Taft with members of their family and staff including Major Noble, aide (at left), and Mr. Fred C. Carpenter, private secretary (right), in costumes worn at the Venetian Carnival	270
Mr. Taft and Colonel Goethals, in Panama	290
(From left to right) Mrs. Jaime de Veyra, Mrs. Taft, Governor Smith, Mrs. Smith, Mr. Taft, Mr. Sergio Osmena, Speaker of the Philippine Assembly, and members of the Assembly in the Ayuntamiento, Manila	312
The White House as it looked on the evening of the Fourth of March, 1909	324
Mr. and Mrs. Taft returning to the White House after Mr. Taft's inauguration	330
The private dining-room of the White House, and the family sitting-room at the end of the long upstairs corridor	334
Two White House bedrooms showing fine old colonial beds	338
Two corners of the White House kitchen	350
The East Room	356
Mrs. Taft on the Potomac Drive	360
The south Portico from the end of the garden	364
The White House garden and Washington's Monument from the south Portico	368
The Taft cottage at Beverly, Massachusetts	372
The crescent table in the State Dining-Room arranged for the Diplomatic Dinner	376
Mrs. Taft's own picture of the White House	380
The long eastern corridor through which guests arrive for state functions	388
The main stairway leading to the President's private apartments	388

RECOLLECTIONS OF FULL YEARS