If he is not thoroughly manly, then they will not respect him, and his good qualities will count for but little; while, of course, if he is mean, cruel, or wicked, then his physical strength and force of mind merely make him so much the more objectionable a member of society.
In an essay discussing the importance of character, this quote asserts that without manliness and virtue, other strengths become liabilities, making an individual more objectionable.
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More from Teddy Roosevelt
I care for the great deeds of the past chiefly as spurs to drive us onward in the present.
Like all other good citizens, I accept the result with entire good humor and contentment.
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