No, the only things which do not bother me are the elements. I can overcome them without a fight. All one has to do to get the best of the elements is to stand pat and one will win.

Meaning of the quote

The quote suggests that President Taft did not find the forces of nature, like weather or natural disasters, to be a problem for him. He believed that by simply standing firm and not fighting against them, he could overcome the challenges posed by the elements. In other words, he felt that the best way to deal with the power of nature was to not actively resist it, but to accept it and let it run its course.

About William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft was the 27th president of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913. He was also the only person to have held both the office of president and the office of chief justice of the Supreme Court, serving from 1921 to 1930. Taft had a long and distinguished career in public service, including serving as a judge, solicitor general, and secretary of war.

More about the author

More quotes from William Howard Taft

Politics makes me sick.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Don’t worry over what the newspapers say. I don’t. Why should anyone else? I told the truth to the newspaper correspondents – but when you tell the truth to them they are at sea.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Enthusiasm for a cause sometimes warps judgment.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

As the Republican platforms says, the welfare of the farmer is vital to that of the whole country.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

If this humor be the safety of our race, then it is due largely to the infusion into the American people of the Irish brain.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I am afraid I am a constant disappointment to my party. The fact of the matter is, the longer I am president the less of a party man I seem to become.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

No, the only things which do not bother me are the elements. I can overcome them without a fight. All one has to do to get the best of the elements is to stand pat and one will win.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I do not know much about politics, but I am trying to do the best I can with this administration until the time shall come for me to turn it over to somebody else.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Failure to accord credit to anyone for what he may have done is a great weakness in any man.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I have come to the conclusion that the major part of the work of a President is to increase the gate receipts of expositions and fairs and bring tourists to town.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

A system in which we may have an enforced rest from legislation for two years is not bad.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I love judges, and I love courts. They are my ideals, that typify on earth what we shall meet hereafter in heaven under a just God.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Action for which I become responsible, or for which my administration becomes responsible, shall be within the law.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

No tendency is quite so strong in human nature as the desire to lay down rules of conduct for other people.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I do not believe in the divinity of Christ, and there are many other of the postulates of the orthodox creed to which I cannot subscribe.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

We are all imperfect. We can not expect perfect government.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

A government is for the benefit of all the people.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I am president now, and tired of being kicked around.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Anti-Semitism is a noxious weed that should be cut out. It has no place in America.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Presidents come and go, but the Supreme Court goes on forever.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

The world is not going to be saved by legislation.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

We live in a stage of politics, where legislators seem to regard the passage of laws as much more important than the results of their enforcement.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I’ll be damned if I am not getting tired of this. It seems to be the profession of a President simply to hear other people talk.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Socialism proposes no adequate substitute for the motive of enlightened selfishness that today is at the basis of all human labor and effort, enterprise and new activity.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I am in favor of helping the prosperity of all countries because, when we are all prosperous, the trade with each becomes more valuable to the other.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

The trouble with me is that I like to talk too much.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Substantial progress toward better things can rarely be taken without developing new evils requiring new remedies.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913

I think I might as well give up being a candidate. There are so many people in the country who don’t like me.

William Howard Taft

president of the United States from 1909 to 1913