On the recordJanuary 1, 1900
Unless a man is honest we have no right to keep him in public life, it matters not how brilliant his capacity, it hardly matters how great his power of doing good service on certain lines may be.
Source
gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
From his essay "The Strenuous Life," this passage declares that honesty is an indispensable requirement for public office, superseding talent or effectiveness.
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