I let my boy go and do and say pretty much as he likes, as, and perhaps because, my father kept no string on me. Lincoln Steffens More Quotes by Lincoln Steffens More Quotes From Lincoln Steffens The doctrine of Jesus is the most revolutionary propaganda that I have ever encountered. Lincoln Steffens doctrine revolutionary jesus In science, probably ninety-nine percent of the knowable has to be discovered. We know only a few streaks about astronomy. We are only beginning to imagine the force and composition of the atom. Physics has not yet found any indivisible matter, or psychology a sensible soul. Lincoln Steffens ninety-nine science knowledge I never heard a Christian sermon preached in a church. Lincoln Steffens church christian heard Chicago will give you a chance. The sporting spirit is the spirit of Chicago. Lincoln Steffens chicago cities giving Boston has carried the practice of hypocrisy to the n-th degree of refinement, grace, and failure. Lincoln Steffens boston hypocrisy practice My father was slower, but he was severer than my mother, who was quick but light and irregular in discipline. Lincoln Steffens light mother father My mother would thump me sharply on the head with a thimble or a spoon if I became too noisy with the whistle when I was playing I was a steamboat captain. She had no sense of the dignity of command. Lincoln Steffens spoons captains mother If my father could watch my son for a while, he might realize his own immortality. Lincoln Steffens watches father son My father required me to honor my father and my mother too much to put up games on them. I did on occasion. Lincoln Steffens mother games father I am really puzzled to understand myself. Lincoln Steffens puzzled One improvement I have learned from my childhood experience with my father: I do not threaten punishment in the morning. That was awful. Late into the night I would lie awake tossing and wondering what he was going to do to me. Usually he did nothing. A quiet, impressive 'talking to' was all I got. Lincoln Steffens morning father lying The longer I live, the more I feel that the individual is not so much to blame - not even the worst individuals, not even the 'best' citizens - as the system of corruption which has grown up about us, and which rewards an honest man with a mere living and a crook with all the magnificence of our magnificent modern life. Lincoln Steffens best man corruption life If our political leaders are to be always a lot of political merchants, they will supply any demand we may create. All we have to do is to establish a steady demand for good government. Lincoln Steffens will good political government Most men think graft a sporadic evil, breaking out here and there, with no connection between outbreaks. I shared the same opinion, but very soon I discovered that the graft in the cities always leads to the graft in the State. Lincoln Steffens think opinion evil men Nothing fails like success. Lincoln Steffens fails nothing like success The typical American citizen is the business man. The typical business man is a bad citizen; he is busy. If he is a 'big business man' and very busy, he does not neglect; he is busy with politics, oh, very busy and very businesslike. Lincoln Steffens man politics business busy
