ARCHIBALD BUTT

The President’s (William Howard Taft’s) wife was a college graduate and an ardent feminist who had played an active part in her husband’s affairs both as an advisor, and reviewer of speeches and other drafts as well as a public role {638463} especially in the Philippines where she was loved and admired by the populace and the elites. Shortly after her husband assumed the presidency, she had a very serious and debilitating stroke and never again served as a political advisor and confidant. There are many who correlate this with Taft’s presidency which was not very successful compared to his brilliant success at every other public position. The Tafts—unusual for the time—had always worked closely as a team, and then that ended, Taft’s public performance suffered.

The President’s (William Howard Taft’s) wife was a college graduate and an ardent feminist who had played an active part in her husband’s affairs both as an advisor, and reviewer of speeches and other drafts as well as a public role {638463} especially in the Philippines where she was loved and admired by the populace and the elites. Shortly after her husband assumed the presidency, she had a very serious and debilitating stroke and never again served as a political advisor and confidant. There are many who correlate this with Taft’s presidency which was not very successful compared to his brilliant success at every other public position. The Tafts—unusual for the time—had always worked closely as a team, and then that ended, Taft’s public performance suffered.