19 Lincoln Steffens Quotes for You to Enjoy

Lincoln Steffens

American Journalist

Born: Apr 6, 1866

Died: Aug 9, 1936

Father Good Government Me Men People

Related authors: Ambrose Bierce Dave Barry Erma Bombeck Hunter S. Thompson Mignon McLaughlin Walter Cronkite William F. Buckley, Jr. William Lloyd Garrison

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

Life Best Man Corruption Blame Honest Man Crook Live Living Our Worst System Citizens About More Magnificence Magnificent Individual Mere Individuals Feel Longer Up Modern Rewards Modern Life Which Us Much Even Grown Grown-Up Honest

Art is like a border of flowers along the course of civilization. Lincoln Steffens

Art Border Civilization Along Like Course Flowers

You ask men in office to be honest; I ask them to serve the public. Lincoln Steffens

You Men To Be Honest Office Public Them Ask Serve Honest

Power is what men seek and any group that gets it will abuse it. Lincoln Steffens

Will Men Power Group Seek Abuse Gets Any

My father made with me one serious mistake which I see parents about me making. He got himself somehow into the awkward position of an authority; I thought he knew and was right on everything - for a while. Lincoln Steffens

Whenever anything extraordinary is done in American municipal politics, whether for good or for evil, you can trace it almost invariably to one man. The people do not do it. Neither do the 'gangs,' 'combines,' or political parties. Lincoln Steffens

Revolt is not reform, and one revolutionary administration is not good government. Lincoln Steffens

Government Good Administration Revolt Reform Revolutionary Good Government

Morality is only moral when it is voluntary. Lincoln Steffens

Moral Morality Only Voluntary

Boston has carried the practice of hypocrisy to the n-th degree of refinement, grace, and failure. Lincoln Steffens

Failure Grace Degree Hypocrisy Practice Carried Boston Refinement

If we would vote in mass on the more promising ticket, or, if the two are equally bad, would throw out the party that is in, and wait till the next election and then throw out the other party that is in - then, I say, the commercial politician would feel a demand for good government and he would supply it. Lincoln Steffens

Government Good Vote Wait Election Party Politician Other Say Out Bad Promising Would More Throw He Supply Feel Demand Mass Ticket Equally Till Commercial Then Next Next Election Good Government Two

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

Politics Man Business Citizen Big Busy Neglect Typical Bad He Big Business Does Very American American Citizen Oh

It is possible to get an education at a university. It has been done; not often. Lincoln Steffens

Education Possible Has-Been Been Get Done Often University

We need some great failures. Especially we ever-successful Americans - conscious, intelligent, illuminating failures. Lincoln Steffens

Great Some Failures Intelligent American Illuminating Conscious Need

I never heard a Christian sermon preached in a church. Lincoln Steffens

Church Christian Never Heard Preached Sermon

I am really puzzled to understand myself. Lincoln Steffens

Myself Puzzled Understand Am Really

The Russian people, sober, are said to be a gentle people. Lincoln Steffens

People Russian Russian People Gentle Said Sober

My father seemed always to know not only what I was doing, but what I was being. Lincoln Steffens

Father Seemed Only Know Always Doing Being

Lincoln Steffens Quotes

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