William H. Taft ALS: Imminent Departure for Philippines, Unable to Pay Card Game Debt 3pp autograph letter inscribed overall by future 27th U.S. President William H. Taft (1857-1930), then newly appointed Commissioner of the Philippines, and signed by him as "WmHTaft" at the center of the third page. Written in Washington, D.C. on April 3, 1900. On cream blue-ruled stationery with "The Shoreham / John T. Devine" hotel letterhead, complete with a dragon rampant logo. Expected paper folds and light overall toning, else near fine. 5.5" x 8.5". Accompanied by the original transmittal envelope from the Shoreham, also hand-inscribed by Taft. Bearing two cancelled 2 cent George Washington carmine stamps and postmarked from Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati. Letter-opened at top and with expected weathering. The letter reads in part: "My address in San Francisco will be the Palace Hotel and you would better send everything there that will reach there before April 15th - There is a big Poque bill that has not come and which I shall not have money enough to pay. You might go and see them. I enclose a check their favor for $125-00 which you can give them on account - Say that I'll send the rest as soon as I can - …" Taft had resigned his judgeship of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals just two weeks earlier, on March 15, 1900, in order to assume his new presidential appointment of Commissioner (and eventually Civil Governor) of the Philippines. Taft would depart from San Francisco on April 15, 1900 and arrive in the Philippines in early June. The 5-member Taft Commission--chaired by its portly namesake--would mold Filipino politics, economy, and society after its own image. The Taft commission (and its later iterations) served as the sole legislative body of Filipino government between 1900-1907, and as one of two legislative bodies between 1907-1916. Its commissioners issued laws, established infrastructure, organized a civil service, codified public health standards, conformed education, and set up a judicial system--all during the Philippine-American War. Taft himself oversaw the commission between the spring of 1900 and his return to the United States in December 1903. Before departing for the Philippines, Taft would stay at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Established in 1875, The Palace was considered the largest and most sumptuous accommodation in the West. It had modern amenities, like private bathrooms and electric elevators, and a glorious 7-story-high skylighted Palm Court. Although the Palace remained standing after the San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, subsequent fires necessitated its demolition. In Washington, D.C., ex-federal judge Taft stayed at the tony Shoreham Hotel, even though he admitted in his letter to Leonard that he couldn't pay his "big Poque bill". The Shoreham folded in 1927 but was popular in the early twentieth century with Washington politicians. "Poque" is the French spelling for poch, a card game similar to poker that originated in fifteenth-century Germany. Its 3-6 players use either 32-card or 52-card decks and manipulate them around an octagonal board. The winner is determined by both combinations and chance. Taft was able to pay $125, or approximately $3,800 in 2019 currency, to his creditors, though this sum represented only a portion of his debt. (The smaller photo of our catalog cover photo is from the collection of the Library of Congress and shows Taft, Mrs. Taft, and two others playing a card game (but not poque) en route to the Philippines in 1900). Little is known about Taft's correspondent George W. Leonard, except that he too was a lawyer associated with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. During his travels, Taft addressed numerous pieces of correspondence to Leonard--most including copious instructions relating to both work and Taft's personal life--that indicate Leonard performed secretarial and paralegal duties for Taft.