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

The true Mason is ever vigilant for subtle traces of character and personality flaws which daily experience brings out.

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.

There is not a subject in which I take a deeper interest than I do in the development of Alaska, and I propose, if Congress will follow by recommendations, to do something in that territory that will make it move on.

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

Politics make me sick.

When the history of this period is written, [William Jennings] Bryan will stand out as one of the most remarkable men of his generation and one of the biggest political men of our country.

I think his greatest fault is his failure to accord credit to anyone for what he may have done. This is a great weakness in any man.

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

The cheerful loser is a sort of winner.

I don’t know the man I admire more than [Charles Evans] Hughes. If ever I have the chance I shall offer him the Chief Justiceship.

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

There are a great many people who are in favor of conservation no matter what it means.

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

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.

The intoxication of power rapidly sobers off in the knowledge of its restrictions and under the prompt reminder of an ever-present and not always considerate press, as well as the kindly suggestions that not infrequently come from Congress.

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.