WILLIAM HOWABD TAPT 453 the law. Here he showed early in his puhlic career his inde- pendence and his determination to pursue unflinchingly the course he had mapped out for his life. The salary of the col- lector's office was much greater than any sum he could pos- sibly earn at his profession at that time, and the work far easier, but he did not propose to permit money to interfere with the legitimate work of his profession. This is an inci- dent in his life that may well be an example to ambitious American youth. Earnestly as he seemed to wish it, Mr. Taf t could not keep out of pubUc life for any length of time. He had proven his worth in small things, therefore the call to greater. In 1885 he became assistant county solicitor, and in 1887 Governor Foraker appointed him judge of the Superior Court This appointment was a tribute to the worth of the young official, for the governor was the head of a hostile faction of his party. Mr. Taf t was later elected to the same position. Here he began his judicial career, a career that had always been his ambition. But already the fame of the young jurist had gone abroad, and after serving two years of the five for which he was elected. President Harrison persuaded him to become solicitor general of the United States. He was then only thirty-three years old, and doubtless congratulated him- self that he had given up that revenue coUectorship. The office of solicitor general is an important one always, but it seems to have had under Mr. Taft an unusual number of big things demanding attention. Two of the cases conducted by him as solicitor general involved questions of vital impor- tance to the entire country — the seal fisheries dispute with Great Britain, and the legality of the McEanley tariff law. In both cases the victory was won by Mr. Taft. His wide learning, his tremendous power of close application and study of details, his ability to state propositions clearly and to argue oonvincingly, attracted the attention of the entire country. Bis firm resolve to ' * stick to his profession ' ' and to avoid be- ing lured away by side issues proved worth while. After three years of service as solicitor general, during which he proved himself worthy of confidence and deserving
