Helping the Poor

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people'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(incorrectly attributed to President Lincoln), per Alex M. Triantafilou at the Hamilton County Republican Party blog.

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it." -- Benjamin Franklin, On the Price of Corn and Management of the Poor, November 1776 per Dr. Walter E. Williams

When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.-- Benjamin Franklin per Dr. Walter E. Williams

...[T]he government of the United States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like the state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government." -- James Madison per Dr. Walter E. Williams