There is nothing so despicable as a secret society that is based upon religious prejudice and that will attempt to defeat a man because of his religious beliefs. Such a society is like a cockroach - it thrives in the dark. So do those who combine for such an end.
Interpretation
The quote condemns secret societies that exploit religious prejudice to harm individuals.
William Howard Taft highlights the moral repugnance of secret societies that operate on the basis of religious intolerance. He likens these groups to cockroaches, which thrive in darkness and secrecy, suggesting that their cowardly actions are only possible when they hide from the light of truth and integrity.
In practice
This quote can be shared during discussions on discrimination and bigotry.
The President can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power in the Federal Constitution or in an act of Congress passed in pursuance thereof. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest.
The secret of Masonry, like the secret of life, can be known only by those who seek it, serve it, live it. It cannot be uttered; it can only be felt and acted. It is, in fact, an open secret, and each man knows it according to his quest and capacity. Like all things worth knowing, no one can know it for another and no man can know it alone.
The intoxication of power rapidly sobers off in the knowledge of its restrictions and under the prompt reminder of an ever-present and not always considerate press, as well as the kindly suggestions that not infrequently come from Congress.
We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.
I think his greatest fault is his failure to accord credit to anyone for what he may have done. This is a great weakness in any man.
As a people, we have the problem of making our forests outlast this generation, or iron outlast this century, and our coal the next; not merely as a matter of convenience or comfort, but as a matter of stern necessity.
In the infancy of societies, the chiefs of state shape its institutions; later the institutions shape the chiefs of state.
The potential beauty of human life is constantly made ugly by man's ever-recurring song of retaliation.
It is a curious feature of our existance that we come from a planet that is very good at promoting life but even better at extinguishing it.
Let's be clear. The planet is not in jeopardy. We are in jeopardy. We haven't got the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might have the power to save ourselves.
A man who is truthful and does not mean ill even to his adversary will be slow to believe charges even against his foes. He will, however, try to understand the viewpoints of his opponents and will always keep an open mind and seek every opportunity of serving his opponents.
Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; adversity not without many comforts and hopes.
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