Great Throughts Treasury

"Our financial ills will never be settled till you fix it so every man will pay an income tax on what he earns, be it a farm, grocery store or municipal or government bonds."

"Our foreign policy is an open book: a checkbook."

"Our investigations have always contributed more to our amusement than they have to knowledge."

"Our president delivered his State of the Union message to Congress. That is one of the things his contract calls for -- to tell congress the condition of the country. This message, as I say, is to Congress. The rest of the people know the condition of the country, for they live in it, but Congress has no idea what is going on in America, so the president has to tell 'em."

"Our public men are speaking every day on something, but they ain't saying anything."

"Our Public men take themselves so serious. It just looks like they are stoop-shouldered from carrying our Country on their backs."

"Our whole Depression was brought on by gambling, not in the stock market alone but in expanding and borrowing and going in debt, all just to make some money quick."

"Out here I had been putting what little money I had in Ocean Frontage, for the sole reason that there was only so much of it and no more, and that they wasn’t making any more."

"Outside of traffic, there is nothing that has held this country back as much as committees."

"Pain is such an uncomfortable feeling that even a tiny amount of it is enough to ruin every enjoyment."

"Papers say: “Congress is deadlocked and can’t act.” I think that is the greatest blessing that could befall this country."

"Parades should be classed as a nuisance and participants should be subject to a term in prison. Even the people in them hate them."

"Party politics is the most narrow-minded occupation in the World."

"People are getting smarter nowadays; they are letting lawyers, instead of their conscience, be their guide."

"People are marvelous in their generosity if they just know the cause is there."

"People don't change under governments. Governments change. People remain the same."

"People love high ideals, but they got to be about 33-percent plausible."

"People talk peace but men give their life’s work to war. It won’t stop ‘til there is as much brains and scientific study put to aid peace as there is to promote war."

"People want just taxes more than they want lower taxes. They want to know that every man is paying his proportionate share according to his wealth."

"People's minds are changed through observation and not through argument."

"Personally I don’t think you can make a lawyer honest by an act of the Legislature. You’ve got to work on his conscience. And his lack of a conscience is what makes him a lawyer."

"Personally, I have always felt that the best doctor in the world is the Veterinarian. He can't ask his patients what is the matter...he's just got to know."

"Plans get you into things, but you got to work your way out."

"Politics ain't worrying this country one-tenth as much as where to find a parking space."

"Politics are receiving a lot of attention because we have nothing else to interest us. No nation in the history of the world was ever sitting as pretty. If we want anything, all we have to do is go and buy it on credit. So that leaves us without any economic problem whatever, except perhaps someday to have to pay for them. But we are certainly not thinking about that this early."

"Politics has got so expensive that it takes lots of money to even get beat with."

"Politics is applesauce."

"Politics is not worrying this country one-tenth as much as where to find a parking space."

"Politics is the best show in America. I love animals and I love politicians and I love to watch both of 'em play either back home in their native state or after they have been captured and sent to the zoo or to Washington."

"Politics is the only sporting event in the world where they don’t pay off for second money; a man to run second in any other event in the world it’s an honor. But any time he runs second for President it’s not an honor. It’s a pity."

"Politics is the ruination of the country. Elect me for life, then they won't have to cater to any interest. If you elect one party to power, why the other party don't do any useful work for the next 4 years, only try to work some scheme to get back in. But if they were elected for life they wouldn't have to worry. The minute a man knows he can't get a political job, he may turn to something useful. A business that's doing well don't change people every 4 years. A man don't no more than get into the White House and learn where the Ice Box is than he has to get out again, then he is never any good for hard work again."

"Politics pretty quiet over the week-end. Democrats are attacking and the Republicans are defending. All the Democrats have to do is promise what they would do if they got in. But the Republicans have to promise what they would do and then explain why they haven't already done it."

"Polo, racing and horse shows all are doing great work to help the farmer and rancher to raise better horses."

"Popularity is the easiest thing in the world to gain and it is the hardest thing to hold."

"President Coolidge said, 'I don't want the Government to go into business.' Well, if I was Mr. Coolidge I wouldn't worry over that. The Government never has been accused of being a business man."

"Prohibition is better than no liquor at all."

"Prosperity this Winter is going to be enjoyed by everybody that is fortunate enough to get into the poor farm."

"Put a good tax on beer and that would take care of the unemployment fund."

"Remember, write to your Congressman. Even if he can’t read, write to him."

"Republicans have always been the party of big business. The Democrats of small business. So you just take your pick. The Democrats have their eye on a dime and the Republicans on a dollar."

"Republicans take care of big money, for big money takes care of them."

"Republicans want a man that can lend dignity to the office. Democrats want a man that will lend some money."

"Rotation of crops and less automobiles will relieve the farmers whenever they decide to try it."

"Rumor travels faster but it don’t stay put as long as truth."

"Rumor travels faster, but it don’t stay as long as truth."

"Run onto more old friends down there that I hadn’t seen for years. The gathering was about as much political as it was legal, if not more so. It looked like a reunion of the Republican Old Guard."

"Say did you read in the papers about a bunch of Women up in British Columbia as a protest against high taxes, sit out in the open naked, and they wouldent put their clothes on? The authorities finally turned a Sprayer that you use on trees, on 'em. That may lead into quite a thing. Woman comes into the tax office nude, saying I won't pay. Well they can't search her and get anything. It sounds great. How far is it to British Columbia?"

"Say, did you read what this writer just dug up in George Washington's diary? I was so ashamed I sat up all night reading it."

"Say, this new home building idea of (President) Hoover's sounds good. They are working out a lot of beneficial things. The only thing is it took 'em so long (2 years) to think of any of 'em. We ought to have plans in case of depression, just like we do in case of fire, 'Walk, don't run, to the nearest exit.'"

"Say, wait a minute. This heat out here is just about as tough as it is anywhere. Went down and spoke at some lawyers' meeting last night. They didn't think much of my little squib yesterday about driving the shysters out of their profession. They seemed to kinder doubt just who would have to leave. Pretty serious, some of `em. But the big percentage are regular guys. Had three ex-Cabinet members there from three different Presidents, Hurley, Secretary of War under Mr. Hoover; Wilbur, Secretary of Navy under Mr. Coolidge; and Will Hays, who served under Mr. Harding."