Final answer:
Taft's actions suggest that he favored aggressive antitrust measures against large businesses, even more so than Roosevelt, yet he often aligned with party conservatives. Despite this, Taft lacked Roosevelt's ability to navigate between party factions and use presidential influence effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
William Howard Taft's presidency was marked by a complex approach to antitrust legislation that differed from both his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt, and his successor, Woodrow Wilson. While Taft initiated more antitrust suits than Roosevelt, going after large trusts more vigorously, he did not maintain the same distinction between "good" and "bad" trusts that Roosevelt had.
Taft found it difficult to strike a balance between progressive and conservative elements within the Republican party, unlike Roosevelt, who had managed to unite them through his strong personality and use of the presidential "bully pulpit." Taft's administration witnessed the passage of significant measures such as the Mann-Elkins Act and proposed constitutional amendments for a federal income tax and direct senatorial elections. However, his conservative leanings often led him to side with the Republican establishment over the progressive wing of the party, as exemplified by his actions regarding tariff legislation.