Our New President.—William Howard Taft,
whose portrait appears on our first page, was inaugurated as the 27th President of the United States, the fourth inst. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 15, 1857; graduated at the high school in that city 1874; received his degree of B.A. in Yale 1878, second in a class of 121; received his degree of LL.B. at the Cincinnati College of Law in 1880; LL.D., in the University of Pennsylvania 1902, and of Yale 1903. He was married to Helen Herron, of Cincinnati, 1886. In 1880 he was admitted to the Ohio bar, became judge of the superior court of Ohio in 1887; solicitor-general of the United States in 1890; served as United States circuit judge in 1892-1900; 1896 professor and dean in law department of the University of Cincinnati. These positions he resigned and became President of the United States Philippine Commission on March 16, 1900, in which position he served till 1904; was appointed first civic governor of the Philippine Islands 1901; United States Secretary of War in 1903, taking office on Feb. 1, 1904. He was sent by President Roosevelt to Rome in 1902 to confer with Pope Leo XIII concerning the purchase of agricultural lands of religious orders in the Philippines. He was made President of the American National Red Cross Society in 1905. He is taking office under auspicious circumstances, with the hearty enthusiasm of the Republican party, and a decided friendliness on the part of Democrats. The testing is yet to come. For his success all Christians will truly pray.