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William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft Quotes

27th U.S. President

William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913. Born on September 15, 1857, and passing away on March 8, 1930, Taft was known for his dedication to maintaining law and order and for pushing for various reforms during his presidency. After leaving office, he remained active in politics and law, serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

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Famous William Howard Taft Quotes

“The development of the doctrine of international arbitration, considered from the standpoint of its ultimate benefits to the human race, is the most vital movement of modern times. In its relation to the well-being of the men and women of this and ensuing generations, it exceeds in importance the proper solution of various economic problems which are constant themes of legislative discussion and enactment.”

“Rules of conduct which govern men in their relations to one another are being applied in an ever-increasing degree to nations. The battlefield as a place of settlement of disputes is gradually yielding to arbitral courts of justice.”

Men World Nations Justice Degrees Relation Court Disputes Battlefields Settlement

Author:William Howard Taft

“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.”

Men Ends Winning Goal Clear He Man Labor Average Conception Application Mentality Definite

Author:William Howard Taft

“People run away from the name subsidy. It is a subsidy. I am not afraid to call it so. It is paid for the purpose of giving a merchant marine to the whole country so that the trade of the whole country will be benefitted thereby, and the men running the ships will of course make a reasonable profit.... Unless we have a merchant marine, our navy if called upon for offensive or defensive work is going to be most defective.”

“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.”

Men Country Political Written Generations Periods Our Country Remarkable Standing Out Bryan

Author:William Howard Taft

“Take away from the courts, if it could be taken away, the power to issue injunctions in labor disputes, and it would create a privileged class among the laborers and save the lawless among their number from a most needful remedy available to all men for the protection of their business interests against unlawful invasion.... The secondary boycott is an instrument of tyranny, and ought not to be made legitimate.”

Ifs Men Made Interest Numbers Class Issues Taken Ought Labor Instruments Court Available Protection Tyranny Remedy Privileged Disputes Invasion Laborers Boycott Unlawful

Author:William Howard Taft

“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.”

Ifs Knows Men Chance He Man Offers Admire Chiefs

Author:William Howard Taft

“The judiciary has fallen to a very low state in this country. I think your part of the country has suffered especially. The federal judges of the South are a disgrace to any country, and I'll be damned if I put any man on the bench of whose character and ability there is the least doubt.”

Ifs Thinking Men Country States Character Ability Doubt Judging Lows South Fallen Disgrace Benches Judiciary Federal Judges

Author:William Howard Taft

“The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand him, asks only equality before the law. Class legislation and unequal privilege, though expressly in his favor, will in the end work no benefit to him or to society.”

Ifs Men Ends Law Asks Class Benefits Trade Privilege Favors Legislation

Author:William Howard Taft

“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.”

Men May Done Weakness Credit Accord

Author:William Howard Taft

“Golf in the interest of good health and good manners. It promotes self-restraint and affords a chance to play the man and act the gentleman.”

Men Self Play Interest Chance He Man Golf Manners Gentleman Good Man Restraint Good Health Good Manners Self Restraint

Author:William Howard Taft

“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.”

Men Ends States Belief Church Religious Dark Secret Atheism Prejudice Defeat Presidential Thrive Religious Belief Despicable Cockroaches Secret Society Religious Prejudice

Author:William Howard Taft

“Unless education promotes character making, unless it helps men to be more moral, more just to their fellows, more law abiding, more discriminatingly patriotic and public spirited, it is not worth the trouble taken to furnish it.”

Men Character Helping Law Moral Taken Trouble Fellows Help Me Patriotic Abiding Spirited Homeschooling

Author:William Howard Taft

“A man never knows exactly how the child of his brain will strike other people.”

People Knows Men Children Brain Strikes

Author:William Howard Taft

“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.”

Men Matter Facts Seems President Party Constant Disappointment

Author:William Howard Taft

“Masonry aims at the promotion of morality and higher living by the cultivation of the social side of man, the rousing in him of the instincts of charity and love of his kind. It rests surely on the foundation of the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God.”

Men Kind Social Sides Higher Morality And Love Aim Foundation Instinct Charity Brotherhood Fatherhood Promotion Cultivation Masonic Masonry Brotherhood Of Man Charity And Love

Author:William Howard Taft

“The Masonic Fraternity is one of the most helpful mediating and conserving organizations among men, and I have never wavered from that childhood impression, but it has stood steadfastly with me through the busy, vast hurrying years.”

Men Years Childhood Organization Busy Impression Helpful Fraternity Hurrying Masonic Conserving

Author:William Howard Taft

“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.”

Men Beautiful Passion Direct And Love Universal Charity Purity Have Faith Fabric Masonic Faith And Love

Author:William Howard Taft

“The real secrets of Masonry are never told, not even from mouth to ear. For the real secret of Masonry is spoken to your heart and from it to the heart of your brother. Never the language made for tongue may speak it, it is uttered only in the eye in those manifestations of that love which a man has for his friend, which passeth all other loves.”

“The secret of Masonry, like the secret of life, can be known only by those who seek it, serve it, live it. It cannot be uttered; it can only be felt and acted. It is, in fact, an open secret, and each man knows it according to his quest and capacity. Like all things worth knowing, no one can know it for another and no man can know it alone.”

Knows Men Facts Felt Secret Known Knowing Capacity All Things Service Dedication Quests Secret Life Masons Masonic Lodges Masonry

Author:William Howard Taft

“The secrecy of Masonry is an honorable secrecy; any good man may ask for her secrets; those who are worthy will receive them. To give them to those who do not seek, or who are not worthy, would but impoverish the Fraternity and enrich not those who received them.”

Men Giving May Asks Secret Worthy Good Man Honorable Secrecy Fraternity Masonic Masonry Not Worthy

Author:William Howard Taft

“The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays the conduct which is pleasing and acceptable to God. The doctrines and examples which distinguish the Order are obvious, and suited to every capacity. It is impossible for the most fastidious Mason to misunderstand, however he might slight or neglect them. It is impossible for the most superficial brother to say that he is unable to comprehend the plain precepts and the unanswerable arguments which are furnished by Freemasonry.”

“The underlying principle of Masonry is the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. In this war we are engaging in upholding these principles and our enemies are attacking them.”

Men War Enemy Principles Brotherhood Fatherhood Engaging Attacking Masonic Masonry Brotherhood Of Man

Author:William Howard Taft

“In the public interest, therefore, it is better that we lose the services of the exceptions who are good Judges after they are seventy and avoid the presence on the Bench of men who are not able to keep up with the work, or to perform it satisfactorily.”

Men Able Interest Loses Judging Exception Seventies Benches Public Interest Good Judges

Book:Popular Government: Its Essence, Its Permanence and Its Perils

Source: Popular Government: Its Essence, Its Permanence and Its Perils