black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

We can’t have a decent government unless those in power exercise self restraint.

William Howard Taft

What I am anxious to do is to secure my legislation…. What I want to do is to get through that, and if I can point to a record of usefulness of that kind, I am entirely willing to quit office.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Anxious Legislation Office Quit Security Willing
We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Courage Dare Greatness High Realization Sacrifice
I am president now, and tired of being kicked around.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Kick Myself President Tired
We are all imperfect. We can not expect perfect government.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Expectation Government Perfection
Enthusiasm for a cause sometimes warps judgment.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Enthusiasm Judgement Reason
The true Mason never hesitates to use the working tools to correct personal flaws.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Flaw Hesitation Personal Tools Work
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

Country Favor Help Myself Prosperity Value
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.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Deep Development Interest Move On Myself Recommendation Subject
The Masonic system represents a stupendous and beautiful fabric, founded on universal purity, to rule and direct our passions, to have faith and love in God, and charity toward man.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Charity Faith God Love Man Purity Representation System Universal
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.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Kind Knowledge Power Reminder Suggestion
The diplomacy of the present administration has sought to respond to the modern idea of commercial intercourse. This policy has been characterized as substituting dollars for bullets.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Administration Character Commercial Policy Present
We are all dependent upon the investment of capital.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Capital Dependent Investment
Politics, when I am in it, makes me sick.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Feeling Myself Politics Sick
We shall have to begin all over again. [Taft hoped that] the Senators might change their minds, or that the people might change the Senate; instead of which they changed me.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Beginning Change Mindset Myself
Anyone who has taken the oath I have just taken must feel a heavy weight of responsibility. If not, he has no conception of the powers and duties of the office.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Feeling heavy Office Power Promise Responsibility
Well, I have one consolation. No candidate was ever elected ex-president by such a large majority!
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Candidate Majority Myself President
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.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Admire Chief Himself Man Myself Offering
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

Important Live Politics Result Stage Time
The true Mason does not hold or teach the attitude that, I am a Master Mason now and thus I no longer need to be concerned with using the working tools because they were given in the earlier degrees.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Attitude Degree Early Hold Need Teaching
The true Mason is ever vigilant for subtle traces of character and personality flaws which daily experience brings out.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Bring Character Experience Flaw Personality Trace True
Substantial progress toward better things can rarely be taken without developing new evils requiring new remedies.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Better Development Progress Rare Remedy Requirement
A government is for the benefit of all the people.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Benefit Government People Welfare
Anti-Semitism is a noxious weed that should be cut out. It has no place in America.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Country Cut Place
I have come to the conclusion that the major part of the president is to increase the gate receipts of expositions and fairs and bring tourists to town.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Job Myself President Tired Tourists
The President cannot make clouds to rain and cannot make the corn to grow. He cannot make business good, although when these things occur, political parties do claim some credit for the good things that have happened in this way
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Cloud Growth Politics President Rain Way
We are imperfect. We cannot expect perfect government.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Expectation Government Imperfection
The true Mason ever strives to cultivate Masonry in his/her life to the fullest degree possible.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Cultivation Degree Herself Life Possible Strive

We can’t have a decent government unless those in power exercise self restraint.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

We can’t have a decent government unless those in power exercise self restraint.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More William Howard Taft Quotes