William Howard Taft Quotes

A collection of quotes by William Howard Taft.

William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913. Born in 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Taft had a distinguished career as a lawyer and jurist before being appointed Secretary of War by President Theodore Roosevelt. Taft's presidency focused on trust-busting and enhancing international trade, but he faced challenges within his own Republican Party. After his presidency, Taft became a professor of law and later Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, making him the only person to have served in both positions. He died in 1930.

Don't write so that you can be understood, write so that you

Don't write so that you can be understood, write so that you can't be misunderstood.

William Howard Taft

As the Republican platforms says, the welfare of the farmer

As the Republican platforms says, the welfare of the farmer is vital to that of the whole country.

William Howard Taft

Politics makes me sick.

Politics makes me sick.

William Howard Taft

Don't worry over what the newspapers say. I don't. Why shoul

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

Truth Worry Newspapers

No tendency is quite so strong in human nature as the desire

No tendency is quite so strong in human nature as the desire to lay down rules of conduct for other people.

William Howard Taft

Failure to accord credit to anyone for what he may have done

Failure to accord credit to anyone for what he may have done is a great weakness in any man.

William Howard Taft

If this humor be the safety of our race, then it is due larg

If this humor be the safety of our race, then it is due largely to the infusion into the American people of the Irish brain.

William Howard Taft

In the public interest, therefore, it is better that we lose

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

Now, I am opposed to the franchise in the District of Columb

Now, I am opposed to the franchise in the District of Columbia; I am opposed, and not because I yield to any one in my support and belief in the principles of self-government; but principles are applicable generally, and then, unless you make exceptions to the application of these principles, you will find that they will carry you to very illogical and absurd results. This was taken out of the application of the principle of self-government in the very Constitution that was intended to put that in force in every other part of the country, and it was done because it was intended to have the representatives of all the people in the country control this one city, and to prevent its being controlled by the parochial spirit that would necessarily govern men who did not look beyond the city to the grandeur of the nation, and this as the representative of that nation.

William Howard Taft

It is important, of course, that controversies be settled ri

It is important, of course, that controversies be settled right, but there are many civil questions which arise between individuals in which it is not so important the controversy be settled one way or another as that it be settled. Of course a settlement of a controversy on a fundamentally wrong principle of law is greatly to be deplored, but there must of necessity be many rules governing the relations between members of the same society that are more important in that their establishment creates a known rule of action than that they proceed on one principle or another. Delay works always for the man with the longest purse.

William Howard Taft

There is only one thing I wast to say about Ohio that has a

There is only one thing I wast 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

The President can exercise no power which cannot be fairly a

The President can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power in the Federal Constitution or in an act of Congress passed in pursuance thereof. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest.

William Howard Taft

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

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

William Howard Taft

The trouble with me is that I like to talk too much.

The trouble with me is that I like to talk too much.

William Howard Taft

Speeches (oratory)

George Washington intended this to be a Federal city, and it

George Washington intended this to be a Federal city, and it is a Federal city, and it tingles down to the feet of every man, whether he comes from Washington State, or Los Angeles, or Texas, when he comes and walks these city streets and begins to feel that this is my city; I own a part of this Capital, and I envy for the time being those who are able to spend their time here. I quite admit that there are defects in the system of government by which Congress is bound to look after the government of the District of Columbia. It could not be otherwise under such a system, but I submit to the judgment of history that the result vindicates the foresight of the fathers.

William Howard Taft

Politics, when I am in it, it makes me sick.

Politics, when I am in it, it makes me sick.

William Howard Taft

Next to the right of liberty, the right of property is the m

Next to the right of liberty, the right of property is the most important individual right guaranteed by the Constitution and the one which, united with that of personal liberty, has contributed more to the growth of civilization than any other institution established by the human race.

William Howard Taft

Socialism proposes no adequate substitute for the motive of

Socialism proposes no adequate substitute for the motive of enlightened selfishness that to-day is at the basis of all human labor and effort, enterprise and new activity.

William Howard Taft

I do not know much about politics, but I am trying to do the

I do not know much about politics, but I am trying to do the best I can with this administration until the time shall come for me to turn it over to somebody else.

William Howard Taft

We live in a stage of politics, where legislators seem to re

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