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

William Howard Taft

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
A government is for the benefit of all the people.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Benefit Government People Welfare
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

Myself People President Profession Simplicity Talk Tired
I am president now, and tired of being kicked around.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Kick Myself President Tired
If they will play fair I will play fair, but if they won’t then I reserve all my rights to do anything I find myself able to do.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Fair Myself Play Reserve Right
We can’t have a decent government unless those in power exercise self restraint.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Decent Exercise Government Power
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
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
We, as Unitarians, may feel that the world is coming our way.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Feeling Ourselves Way World
We passed the Children’s Bureau bill calculated to prevent children from being employed too early in factories.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Calculation Children Early Factory Pass
The man with the average mentality, but with control, with a definite goal, and a clear conception of how it can be gained, and above all, with the power of application and labor, wins in the end.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Application Average Control Definite End Goal Man Mental
The true Mason never hesitates to use the working tools to correct personal flaws.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Flaw Hesitation Personal Tools Work
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
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
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

Newspaper Sea Truth Worry Yourself
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
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.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Country History Ourselves Period Remark Stand
We are all dependent upon the investment of capital.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Capital Dependent Investment
There is nothing so despicable as a secret society that is based upon religious prejudice and that will attempt to defeat a man because of his religious beliefs. Such a society is like a cockroach – it thrives in the dark. So do those who combine for such an end.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Belief Combination Darkness Land Religious Secret Society
We have a government of limited power under the Constitution, and we have got to work out our problems on the basis of law.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Basis Constitution Government Law Limitation
The true Mason takes full responsibility for the condition of his character and ever strives for its perfection.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Character Condition Perfection Responsibility Strive True
A man never knows exactly how the child of his brain will strike other people.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Brain Children Himself Man People
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 truth is that in my present life I don’t remember that I ever was president.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Life Myself President Remember Truth
Enthusiasm for a cause sometimes warps judgment.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Enthusiasm Judgement Reason
We are all imperfect. We can not expect perfect government.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Expectation Government Perfection
I don’t know whither we are drifting, but I do know where every real thinking patriot will stand in the end, and that’s by the Constitution.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Constitution Drift End Reality Stand Thinking

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

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

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