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1、美国总统26威廉霍华德塔夫脱WilliamTaft:HeavyByVOA27August,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodayWearetalkingaboutWilliamHowardTaft,whotookofficein1909.Roosevelt(left)andTaftz1909Insomeways,thestoryofTaftspresidencyisalsoastoryaboutTheodoreRooseveltspresidency.Roosevelthadbeenpresidentfortheeighty
2、earsbeforeTaft.Thetwomenwerefriends;RooseveltwasevenamentortoTaft.Butthetwomenwereverydifferent.Rooseveltwasenergetic,bothinhisphysicalabilitiesandinhisuseofexecutivepower.Hisvisionforthecountrywasprogressive.Incontrast,Taftwasamoreconservative,heavymanwhofellasleepinmeetings,andwhodidnotmakedecisio
3、nsquickly.InfactzAmericansoftenrememberTaftbecauseofhissize.Hisweightchangedfrequently,butaspresidentTaftusuallyweighedabout135kilograms.OnepopularstoryclaimsthatTaftgotstuckinaWhiteHousebathtub.Thisstoryisnottrue.However,itistruethatTafthadaspecialbathtubmadeforhim.Severalmencouldsitcomfortablyinit
4、.Aspresident,TaftdidcontinuesomeofRooseveltsreforms,butinamoreorderlyway.HealsotooksomeactionsthatcontradictedRooseveltswishes.Infouryears,thetwomenhadgonefrompoliticalalliestocompetitorsfortheWhiteHouse.EarlylifeTaftwasanotherpresidentwhowasborninthestateofOhio.HegrewupinthecityofCincinnati,alongwi
5、thfivesiblings.Taftsfatherwasawell-knownlawyer,publicofficialanddiplomat.HewasanadvisortoPresidentUlyssesGrant.Hismotherwasanintelligent,independentwomanwhoalsoworkedforthepublicgood.TheTaftshadhighexpectationsfortheirson.Hebecameanexcellentstudent,whowentontostudyatYaleandthentheUniversityofCincinn
6、atiLawSchool.TaftsoughtacareerpaththathehopedwouldleadhimonedaytotheU.S.SupremeCourt.Heworkedasalawyer,andthenasajudgeinOhio.Alongtheway,hemetTheodoreRoosevelt.RoosevelthelpedTaftadvancehiscareerasajudge.Butonepersonwasnothappyaboutthecareermove:Taftswife.Tafthadmarriedanintelligent,independentwoman
7、namedHelenHerronzknownasNellie.Shehadalwayswantedtobefirstlady,andsheurgedherhusbandtofollowapathtowardtheWhiteHouse.Intime,NellieTafthadherwish.In1900PresidentWilliamMcKinleyofferedTaftapositioninthePhilippines.TheislandshadcomeunderthecontroloftheUnitedStatesaftertheSpanish-AmericanWar.McKinleywan
8、tedTafttohelppreparethePhilippinestoberuledbycivilians,insteadofbysoldiers.Taftworriedhewouldnotlikethejob;however,heknewthatitwasagoodchancetobuildapoliticalcareer.Taftwasrightaboutthat.Buthewaswrongaboutdislikingthejob.HeenjoyeditsomuchthatheturneddowntwoofferstoreturntotheU.S.andserveontheSupreme
9、Court.InthePhilippines,Taftsuccessfullyestablishedcourts,schools,atransportationnetwork,andahealthcaresystem.Taftdidhavepejorativeviewsaboutthepeoplewholivedthere-hedidnotthinktheywereyetcapableofgoverningthemselves.Butheperformedhisjobasgovernorgeneraleffectively.TaftmighthaveevenstayedinthePhilipp
10、inesifitwerenotforhisfriendTheodoreRoosevelt.In1901zRooseveltbecamepresident.HeaskedTafttobecomehissecretaryofwar.Taftagreed,partlysohecouldcontinuetosupervisethePhilippines.Butthejobalsoputhiminapositiontobecomepresidenthimself.PresidencyWilliamTaftdidnotreallywanttobepresident.ButTheodoreRoosevelt
11、andNellieTaftwantedhimtobe.Duringtheelectionof1908zTaftpermittedRoosevelttodomostofthecampaigningforhim.Hespentalotoftimegolfing.Taftwasthefirstpresidenttobestronglylinked-sotospeak-tothesportofgolfing.(Anotherwordforgolfcourseislinks.)YetvotersapprovedofTaft.Theylikelyhopedhewouldcontinuethereforms
12、ofRoosevelt.Hewontheelectioneasily.OnceintheWhiteHouse,however,TaftdidseveralthingsthatreversedRooseveltspositions.First,Taftsignedabillthatdidnotreducetariffsasmuchasmanyprogressiveactivistswanted.Then,TaftremovedoneofRooseveltsfriendsfromagovermentposition.Taftbelievedhewascorrectinmakingthemove,b
13、utRooseveltandmanyotherRepublicanswerefurious.SomehistorianssaytheydidnotgiveTaftenoughcreditforthemanyreformshedidmake.Hisgovernmentpursuedalargenumberofanti-trustsuitsagainstbigbusiness.ItalsoadvancedtwoConstitutionalamendments-onetoestablishafederalincometax,andanothertopermitvoterstoelectsenator
14、sdirectly.AstheendofTaftstermintheWhiteHousecamenear,theRepublicanPartywasdivided.Attheir1912convention,amajorityofdelegatesnominatedTaftforpresidentagain.Butanumberleftthemeetinginanger.Theycreatedanewgroup,calledtheProgressiveParty,andnominatedastheircandidateTheodoreRoosevelt.TaftandRooseveltzalo
15、ngwiththeDemocraticPartycandidate,foughtabittercampaignduring1912.Ofthethree,Taftcameinlast.Rooseveltcameinsecond.ThedividedRepublicanshadgivencontroloftheWhiteHousetotheDemocraticcandidateWoodrowWilson.1.egacyHappilyforhim,Taftsstorydoesnotendthere.TafttaughtatYaleUniversityLawSchoolforawhile.Then,
16、whenaRepublicantooktheWhiteHouseagainzPresidentWarrenHardingappointedTaftaschiefjusticeoftheSupremeCourt.HeistheonlypersontoleadboththeexecutiveandjudicialbranchesoftheU.S.government.Taftwasclearaboutwhichonehefavored:Hewasmuchmorecomfortableasajusticethanhewasaspresident.OnejournalistatthetimedescribedChiefJusticeTaftasasmilingBuddhazplacid,wise,gentle,sweet.Heevenlostweight.mK
