Author: Bob Proctor

It would appear that profit and wealth are becoming dirty words.  It would also appear that a powerful group is doing all they possibly can to discourage free enterprise.  This is not new.  It is not a movement of modern times.

Over one hundred years ago, Abraham Lincoln spoke out to these misguided souls offering some excellent advice.  Permit me to share with you what the late President said.

Prosperity is the fruit of labor; prosperity is desirable; is a positive good in the world.  That some should be rich shows that other may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise … Let not they who are homeless pull down the house of another, but let them labor diligently to build one for themselves, thus by example assuring that their own shell be safe from violence … I take that is it best for all to leave each person free to acquire property as fast as they can.  Some will get wealth.  I don’t believe in a law to prevent a person from getting rich; it would do more harm than good.

• You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
• You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
• You cannot help a small person by tearing down a big person.
• 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 hatred.
• You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
• You cannot build character and courage by taking away a person’s initiative and independence.
• You cannot help a person permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.