Despotism has forever had a powerful hold upon the world. Autocratic government, not self-government, has been the prevailing state of mankind. The record of past history is the record, not of the success of republics, but of their failure.
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.
The two great political parties of the nation have existed for the purpose, each in accordance with its own principles, of undertaking to serve the interests of the whole nation. Their members of the Congress are chosen with that great end in view.
Men do not make laws. They do but discover them.
Eat it up, make it do, wear it out.
What we need is not more Federal government, but better local government.
Changing a college curriculum is like moving a graveyard-you never know how many friends the dead have until you try to move them!
In a republic the first rule for the guidance of the citizen is obedience of the law.
What we need in appointive positions is men of knowledge and experience who have sufficient character to resist temptations.
It would be difficult to conceive a finer example of true sport.
Baseball is our national game.
American ideals do not require to be changed so much as they require to be understood and applied.
No method of procedure has ever been devised by which liberty could be divorced from local self-government. No plan of centralization has ever been adopted which did not result in bureaucracy, tyranny, inflexibility, reaction, and decline.
In other periods of depression, it has always been possible to see some things which were solid and upon which you could base hope, but as I look about, I now see nothing to give ground to hope-nothing of man.
The country is not in good condition.
Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind.
There’s more, much more, to Christmas Than candlelight and cheer; It’s the spirit of sweet friendship That brightens all year. It’s thoughtfulness and kindness, It’s hope reborn again, For peace, for understanding, And for goodwill to men!
Government price-fixing once started, has alike no justice and no end. It is an economic folly from which this country has every right to be spared.
Industry cannot flourish if labor languish.
Why don’t we just buy one airplane and let the pilots take turns flying it.