President Roosevelt supported conservation because he believed in preserving natural resources for future generations and recognizing the importance of nature for the well-being of the American people. He saw conservation as a way to protect the environment and promote sustainable economic growth. He also believed that the government had a responsibility to manage natural resources and prevent private interests from exploiting them for short-term profit.
President Taft, on the other hand, was more focused on economic growth and business interests. He believed that natural resources should be used to promote industrial and economic development, and he was more willing to allow private interests to exploit these resources for profit. He was also less concerned with conservation as a moral or ethical imperative, and instead saw it more as a practical consideration to prevent overuse or depletion of resources that were necessary for economic growth.
It's also worth noting that Roosevelt and Taft had different personalities and governing styles, which may have influenced their positions on conservation. Roosevelt was more of a "man of action" who enjoyed being in the outdoors and had a strong sense of personal responsibility to protect the environment. Taft, on the other hand, was more of a "judicial" president who relied on legal and institutional mechanisms to achieve his goals, and may have been less personally invested in environmental issues.