"Carrots of Wisdom" by Wm. J.H. Boetcker, 1914

William John Henry Boetcker lived until 1962. He was an influential Presbyterian Minister and a charismatic public speaker. In 1914, he published a small pamphlet that became widely quoted, often being mis-attributed to Abraham Lincoln instead of Boetcker. The famous Jeweler Louis Tiffany, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan all quoted his work, while attributing it, incorrectly, to Lincoln. Here are Boetcker's "Carrots of Wisdom":

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

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 further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.

You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away a person's initiative and independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

~~ William J. H. Boetcker, 1914