WHPortrait comingOfficial portrait of William Howard Taft
27th president of the United States · 1909–1913

William Howard Taft

RepublicanVice president: James S. Sherman (died October 1912)Lost re-election in 1912, finishing third

This presidency falls in the realignment era (1896–1932), when the two parties were trading positions and both had progressive and conservative wings.

Theodore Roosevelt's hand-picked successor. He brought about 80 antitrust suits, more than Roosevelt, including the case that broke up Standard Oil, and backed the 16th Amendment (income tax) and the 17th (direct election of senators). A tariff fight and the Ballinger–Pinchot affair split his party, and Roosevelt ran against him in 1912. He later became chief justice, the only person to hold both jobs.

Debt added
+$241.57million
$2.63 billion → $2.87 billion (+9%)
Debt-to-GDP, latest
7.6%
FY1908: 8.5% → FY1912: 7.6%
Unemployment
5.2%
1909: 5.2% → 1912: 5.2%
Average inflation
1.3%a year
1908–1912: 1.3% a year
Executive orders
724
About 181 a year in office
Pardons & commutations
744
383 pardons · 361 commutations
Impeached
No
No · Convicted of a crime: No

The economy, first day to last

Shaded areas show the years in office, with a few years before and after for comparison. Budget years ran July to June until 1976 (now October to September), so each year's figures cover parts of two calendar years.

National debt

June 30, 1908 (end of fiscal 1908): $2.63 billion → June 30, 1912 (end of fiscal 1912): $2.87 billion

Daily debt figures don't exist before 1993, so Taft's numbers use the fiscal years closest to his term, the same rule as every other page.

Debt compared with the economy

Debt as a share of GDP. Above 100% means the debt is bigger than a year of everything the country produces.

Deficits and surpluses

Money borrowed each budget year (below the line) or paid down (above).

DeficitSurplus

Unemployment

1909: 5.2% → 1912: 5.2%. Yearly averages; monthly figures begin in 1948. Estimates by economist Stanley Lebergott.

Inflation

How much prices rose each year (consumer price index).

Cost of living

What everyday prices and paychecks did while in office.

What cost $100 in 1908$105.38 in 1912

Prices use the consumer price index (MeasuringWorth). The minimum wage is the federal rate set by Congress.

Executive orders

724 orders. Count from the American Presidency Project. Many withdrew public land from sale.

Orders signed each year

Yearly counts aren't reliable for this era. Orders were not numbered until 1907, when the State Department numbered the ones already in its files, and many orders were never numbered at all, so only the total is shown.

Source: American Presidency Project: executive orders (full list of every order).

Notable orders

Withdrawing oil landsOrderSeptember 27, 1909

Pulled about 3 million acres of oil land in California and Wyoming from private claims, without specific authority from Congress. The Supreme Court upheld it in 1915.

Federal Register
Civil service for postmastersOrderOctober 15, 1912

Put about 36,000 fourth-class postmasters under civil service protection, ending them as patronage jobs.

Federal Register
Every executive order we have 75Search, filter by topic or year, and open any order's full text

Incomplete: orders before 1929 were not numbered or collected consistently. This archive has 75 of the roughly 724 orders counted for this president.

  1. EO 1052March 23, 1909Amending Civil Service Rules in Relation to Proposed Employee Transfers
  2. EO 1060April 7, 1909Admission of Deaf-Mutes to Examinations for Civil Service
  3. EO 1061April 8, 1909Ordering Solicitor General to Report to President on Branding Requirements for Whisky
  4. EO 1062April 14, 1909Directing Heads of Departments to Comply with Congressional Resolutions Requesting Information When in the Public Interest
  5. EO 1065April 21, 1909Allowing Incidental Assignment of Laborers to Classified Work
  6. EO 1071May 13, 1909General Supply Committee Created to Systematize Purchases of Common Supplies for Departments
  7. EO 1072May 14, 1909Modifying Civil Service Restrictions on Political Activity in Navy Yards
  8. EO 1077May 25, 1909Communications and Reports Relative to Certain Territories and Possessions to be Transmitted through the Interior Department
  9. EO 1083June 7, 1909Tariff of Consular Fees Amended
  10. EO 1085June 11, 1909Amending Executive Order Providing that Railroad Cars in Canal Zone Be Equipped With Safety Appliances
  11. EO 1090June 17, 1909Restoring to Public Domain Certain Lands in Arizona Which Were Reserved for Papago Indians
  12. EO 1092June 19, 1909Assistant Attorney General for Interior Department Designated to Act as Interior Secretary During Absence of Secretary and First Secretary
  13. EO 1110July 15, 1909Placing Government of Porto Rico Under the War Department
  14. EO 1113July 20, 1909Amending Paragraphs 114, 115, 120, and 129 of Consular Regulations of 1896, Regarding Communications
  15. EO 1115July 30, 1909Amending Section 149 of the Laws of the Canal Zone, Concerning Penalties for Murder in the First Degree
  16. EO 1116July 30, 1909Providing for Diminution of Time from Sentences of Certain Convicts in the Canal Zone
  17. EO 1120August 6, 1909Time Limit for Completion of the Work of the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission Extended to March 2, 1910
  18. EO 1121August 6, 1909Amending Civil Service Rules to Except More General Land Office Special Agents from Examination
  19. EO 1135November 11, 1909Restoring to the Public Domain Certain Lands in the State of Washington
  20. EO 1142November 26, 1909Influencing Legislation by Employees of the United States or Military Officers Stationed in Washington
  21. EO 1143November 26, 1909Regulations Governing Appointments and Promotions in Diplomatic Service and for the Improvement of the Personnel of the Department of State
  22. EO 1172March 1, 1910Restoring to Public Domain Certain Lands in Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation
  23. EO 1216June 23, 1910Reserving Certain Described Lands in Montana for the Protection of the Big Hole Battlefield National Monument
  24. EO 1220July 1, 1910Adding Lands to Duck Valley Indian Reservation
  25. EO 1221July 1, 1910Reserving Lands in New Mexico as Reservation for Pueblo Indians Belonging to Pueblo Laguna
  26. EO 1224July 7, 1910Partially Revoking Executive Order of August 25, 1877 which Reserved Lands in California for Indian Use
  27. EO 1256October 20, 1910Adding Lands to the Salt River Indian Reservation
  28. EO 1267December 1, 1910Fort Mojave Indian Reservation
  29. EO 1271December 13, 1910Adding Lands to the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho
  30. EO 1284January 16, 1911Restoring to Public Domain Certain Lands in Navajo Indian Reservation
  31. EO 1296February 1, 1911Fort Mojave Indian Reservation
  32. EO 1299February 16, 1911Ordering Lands Ceded by Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians No Longer Held as Indian Land
  33. EO 1300February 16, 1911Authorizing Sales of Liquor on Lands Ceded by Red Lake and Pembina Bands of Chippewa Indians
  34. EO 1301February 16, 1911Authorizing Sales of Liquor on Lands Ceded by Chippewa Indians of Lake Superior
  35. EO 1322March 22, 1911Pima and Maricopa Indian Reservation
  36. EO 1349May 8, 1911Gila River Reservation
  37. EO 1359May 24, 1911Reserving Land in New Mexico for Indian Purposes
  38. EO 1368June 2, 1911Reserving Land in Arizona for Use of Walapai Indians
  39. EO 1374June 16, 1911Reserving Lands for Benefit of Papago Indians
  40. EO 1379June 28, 1911Reserving Lands in Southern Florida as Reservation for Seminole Indians
  41. EO 1387July 31, 1911Gila Indian Reservation, Arizona
  42. EO 1406September 1, 1911Amending Executive Order Reserving Lands in New Mexico for Use by Indians of Jemez Pueblo
  43. EO 1416September 28, 1911Reserving Additional Land for Use of Pima and Maricopa Indians
  44. EO 1426October 23, 1911Reserving Additional Land in Arizona for Use of Pima and Maricopa Indians
  45. EO 1447December 16, 1911Withdrawing Lands Near Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona, From Settlement
  46. EO 1465January 17, 1912Reserving Land in Utah for School, Agency, and Other Uses for Benefit of Indians
  47. EO 1475February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to White Mountain and San Carlos Reservation
  48. EO 1476February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation
  49. EO 1477February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to White Mountain Indian Reservation
  50. EO 1478February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to Tule River Indian Reservation
  51. EO 1479February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to White Mountain Indian Reservation
  52. EO 1480February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation
  53. EO 1481February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation
  54. EO 1482February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to Zuni and Navajo Indian Reservations
  55. EO 1483February 17, 1912Restoring Lands to the Navajo Indians
  56. EO 1485February 20, 1912Restoring to Public Domain Lands in California Which Were Reserved for Indian Purposes
  57. EO 1495March 11, 1912Reserving Hunter's Rock or Prince Island in Pacific Ocean for Use of Smith River Indians
  58. EO 1496March 11, 1912Reserving for Indian Purposes Certain Lands in the State of California
  59. EO 1517April 13, 1912Reserving for Indian Purposes Certain Lands in the State of California
  60. EO 1518April 13, 1912Withdrawing Lands from Flathead or Jocko Reservation for Examination and Classification
  61. EO 1522April 24, 1912Reserving for Indian Purposes Certain Lands in the State of California
  62. EO 1529May 9, 1912Reserving Lands in California Pending Investigation as to Suitableness for Paiute or Other Indian Use
  63. EO 1558July 6, 1912Reserving Land in South Dakota for Indian School and Administrative Purposes
  64. EO 1579August 19, 1912Transferring Certain Lands from Fort Duschesne Military Reservation to Interior Department
  65. EO 1598September 2, 1912Eliminating Certain Lands from Reservation of Papago Indians
  66. EO 1603September 7, 1912Reserving Lands in California Pending Investigation as to Suitableness for Paiute or Other Indian Use
  67. EO 1606September 16, 1912Reserving Land in Nevada for Indian Allotment Purposes
  68. EO 1621October 8, 1912Altering Lands Composing Reservation of Papago Indians
  69. EO 1632October 28, 1912Addition of Lands to the Moapa River Indian Reservation
  70. EO 1649November 26, 1912Altering Lands Composing the Moapa River Indian Reservation
  71. EO 1655December 5, 1912Altering Lands Composing Reservation of Papago Indians
  72. EO 1681January 14, 1913Reserving Lands in Nevada for Use of the Paiute and Shoshoni Indians
  73. EO 1682January 14, 1913Setting Aside Lands in Montana for Administrative Purposes in Connection with Flathead Indians
  74. EO 1699February 10, 1913Reserving Lands in Arizona for Use of the Navajo Indians
  75. EO 1700February 10, 1913Reserving Lands in New Mexico for Use of the Navajo Indians

Source: Executive Orders Archive, compiled from the American Presidency Project and the Federal Register. Topics are the archive's automated tags; "Revoked" and similar labels come from the Federal Register's records.

Pardons and commutations

A pardon wipes out the punishment for a federal crime; a commutation shortens a sentence but leaves the conviction. Counts are by federal fiscal year (July to June). The Justice Department counts fiscal 1909, including Taft's first four months, under Roosevelt, and all of fiscal 1913, including Wilson's first four months, under Taft.

Granted each year

PardonsCommutations

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, clemency statistics, which lists every recipient with the crime and sentence.

Notable grants: tap to see the crime

Charles W. MorseCommutation1912-01

The crime: Misusing funds of the Bank of North America (convicted 1908)

Sentence: 15 years; served about two

Why it drew attention: The shipping magnate was freed after Army doctors said he was dying. Reports later said he had faked the illness; he lived until 1933.

Source

Controversies and scandals

What happened, what was proven, and how it ended.

Proven convicted, admitted or confirmed by a court or official investigationCharged indicted or impeached (outcome stated)Disputed facts established, whether it was wrong is debatedAlleged reported but never established
The Ballinger–Pinchot affairDisputed1909–1910

Taft fired the chief forester after he accused the interior secretary of helping private interests take Alaska coal lands. Hearings revealed that a memo Taft cited to clear Ballinger had been written after the fact and dated earlier; Taft acknowledged it.

Outcome: A committee majority cleared Ballinger. The fight split Republicans and helped drive Roosevelt's 1912 challenge.

Source
The Payne–Aldrich tariffDisputed1909

Taft promised to lower tariffs but signed a bill that cut them only slightly, then called it the best tariff bill his party ever passed.

Outcome: Progressive Republicans turned against him; Democrats won the House in 1910.

Source
Marines to NicaraguaProven1912

Taft sent about 2,000 Marines to prop up a government friendly to U.S. banks, part of his 'dollar diplomacy'.

Outcome: U.S. forces stayed, with one short break, until 1933.

Source
Suing U.S. SteelDisputed1911

His antitrust suit against U.S. Steel cited its 1907 purchase of a rival, which Roosevelt had approved, and Roosevelt took it as a personal attack.

Outcome: The Supreme Court ruled for U.S. Steel in 1920; the break with Roosevelt became permanent.

Source

In their own words

Widely quoted remarks, with the context they were said in.

I think the Payne bill is the best bill that the Republican party ever passed.

September 17, 1909 · Speech in Winona, Minnesota, defending the tariff. Source

Even a rat in a corner will fight.

April 1912 · Answering Theodore Roosevelt's attacks during the Republican primaries. Source
How this page is made. Every president gets the same sections and the same checklist. A controversy is listed if it led to an investigation by Congress, an inspector general, a special or independent counsel or a court, or was a sustained national story covered across the political spectrum. Labels follow the strongest official finding, not media coverage. Debt figures come from the U.S. Treasury; deficits and GDP from the White House budget office and the Commerce Department; unemployment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (before 1948, yearly estimates by Stanley Lebergott via NBER and the Census Bureau's Historical Statistics); prices from MeasuringWorth; executive orders from the Federal Register and National Archives; clemency from the Justice Department.