The 10 Cannots
By William J. H. Boetcker
(wrongfully attributed to Abraham Lincoln)
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.
(wrongfully attributed to Abraham Lincoln)
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.
posted by NBHPhoto at Wednesday, November 05, 2008
2 Comments:
How interesting that Rev. Boetcker published these in 1916 before we had experienced the Great Depression, World War II, the Patriot Act, and the selling of our National Debt to China... hmmmm... some of them don't exactly resonate the same in the light of history (or the Beatitudes, for that matter!)
Interesting piece of history, though. I can see why Reagan like em!
I think he posted them just because he found them interesting too.
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