March 2017 Auction Ends Thursday, March 30th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/30/2017
William H. Taft typed letter signed on U.S. Supreme Court stationery. Dated 25 August 1921, just months after his confirmation as Chief Justice, Taft writes to his friend, journalist Gus Karger on a host of subjects including Congressional gossip, President Harding, taxes and a Supreme Court case regarding arbitration. He begins, ''...In respect to the house, Lieutenant-Governor [Alvan] Fuller has been exceedingly agreeable. I think he is glad to sell the house to me and to have me live in it. I get all the contents of the house, including some coal and wood, with the exception of a few things that have been taken out of it by Mrs. Fuller and with the exception of a piano which belongs to Mrs. Walters, who sold the house to the Fullers. The great bulk of everything in the houses passes with it. / I am very much interested in what you say about the work Congress has done. I much regret that the revenue bill was not made applicable to the taxes to be paid on the income for the current year. I don't want to complain, but in this year in which I have made more money than in any year of my life, the present income tax law will make me pay very heavily. I shouldn't wonder if it ran up to $32,000, or $8,000 every quarter. If my income were to continue at the same rate, of course this would not be so bad, but it now falls necessarily to considerably less than half what it was, and it means just a reduction of my principal and my permanent income. However, I am not kicking. / I am interested and troubled by the opposition that is developing among a small band of Republican politicians in the Senate, like Borah and La Follette, to the action of the Administration. Johnson does not seem to make himself prominent in it but of course he is anxious to help in any way to destroy Harding's influence. I am sorry to have the railroad bill go over, and I am rather sorry to have Congress take a recess until the whole work is done...I am sorry to learn that there is any rivalry which may prevent Kelllogg's coming back to the Senate. He professes that he does not wish to come back, but I suppose he would like to. I am a little surprised at what you say about Preuss. I thought he was a strong man and a courageous man...I am working along on my opinion in the arbitration case and am tonight dictating to Misch the last pages of the first draft of it. It will need a good deal of work after that...Affectionately yours, [signed] Wm H Taft''. Two page letter measures 8'' x 10.5''. Written on front sides of two sheets, ideal for framing. Light toning and paperclip impression to upper left, otherwise near fine.
William Taft Letter Signed as Supreme Court Chief Justice -- Taft Talks Politics & Taxes: ''...I don't want to complain, but this year...present income tax law will make me pay very heavily...''
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