The trouble with me is that I like to talk too much. William Howard Taft More Quotes by William Howard Taft More Quotes From William Howard Taft My impression about the Panama Canal is that the great revolution it is going to introduce in the trade of the world is in the trade between the east and the west coast of the United States. William Howard Taft united-statesrevolutionwest 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. William Howard Taft charactermencountry A system in which we may have an enforced rest from legislation for two years is not bad. William Howard Taft maytwoyears I prefer an income tax, but the truth is I am afraid of the discussion which will follow and the criticism which will ensue if there is an other division in the Supreme Court on the subject of the income tax. Nothing has injured the prestige of the Supreme Court more than that last decision, and I think that many of the most violent advocates of the income tax will be glad of the substitution in their hearts for the same reasons. I am going to push the Constitutional amendment, which will admit an income tax without questions, but I am afraid of it without such an amendment. William Howard Taft decisionheartthinking 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 politicalmencountry 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 tiredpresidentpeople The truth is that in my present life I don't remember that I ever was president. William Howard Taft truth-ispresidentremember The true Mason is ever vigilant for subtle traces of character and personality flaws which daily experience brings out. William Howard Taft masonicpersonalitycharacter I would like to have an ample fund to spread the light of Republicanism, but I am willing to undergo the disadvantage to make certain that in the future we shall reduce the power of money in politics for unworthy purposes. William Howard Taft money-in-politicslightpurpose The true Mason ever strives to cultivate Masonry in his/her life to the fullest degree possible. William Howard Taft masonicstrivedegrees 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 favorshelpingcountry The game of baseball is a clean, straight game. William Howard Taft cleanbaseballgames 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. William Howard Taft good-mangivingmen As a people, we have the problem of making our forests outlast this generation, or iron outlast this century, and our coal the next; not merely as a matter of convenience or comfort, but as a matter of stern necessity. William Howard Taft ironmatterpeople We have passed the time of ... the laisser-faire [sic] school which believes that the government ought to do nothing but run a police force. William Howard Taft runningbelieveschool Presidents may go to the seashore or to the mountains. Cabinet officers may go about the country explaining how fortunate the country is in having such an administration, but the machinery at Washington continues to operate under the army of faithful non-commissioned officers, and the great mass of governmental business is uninterrupted. William Howard Taft faithfularmycountry 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. William Howard Taft degreesjusticemen Next to the right of liberty, the right of property is the most important individual right guaranteed by the Constitution . . William Howard Taft presidentiallibertyimportant There is only one thing I want to say about Ohio that has a political tinge, and that is that I think a mistake has been made of recent years in Ohio in failing to continue as our representatives the same people term after term. I do not need to tell a Washington audience, among whom there are certainly some who have been interested in legislation, that length of service in the House and in the Senate is what gives influence. William Howard Taft ohiomistakethinking 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. William Howard Taft benchesjudgingmen
