There are many rich poor men,” while there are many others, honest and devout men and women, who have never possessed so much money as some rich pers… - P. T. Barnum

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There are many rich poor men,” while there are many others, honest and devout men and women, who have never possessed so much money as some rich persons squander in a week, but who are nevertheless really richer and happier than any man can ever be while he is a transgressor of the higher laws of his being.

The inordinate love of money, no doubt, may be and is “the root of all evil,” but money itself, when properly used, is not only a “handy thing to have in the house,” but affords the gratification of blessing our race by enabling its possessor to enlarge the scope of human happiness and human influence. The desire for wealth is nearly universal, and none can say it is not laudable, provided the possessor of it accepts its responsibilities, and uses it as a friend to humanity.

The history of money-getting, which is commerce, is a history of civilization, and wherever trade has flourished most, there, too, have art and science produced the noblest fruits.

English
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About P. T. Barnum

Phineas Taylor Barnum (5 July 1810 – 7 April 1891) was an American showman who is remembered for founding the circus that eventually became Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He is also known for his entertaining hoaxes.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Birth Name: Phineas Taylor Barnum.
Native Name: Phineas Barnum
Alternative Names: Phineas Taylor Barnum PT Barnum P.T. Barnum Barnum
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Shorter versions of this quote

The inordinate love of money, no doubt, may be and is the root of all evil, but money itself, when properly used, is not only a handy thing to have in the house, but affords the gratification of blessing our race by enabling its possessor to enlarge the scope of human happiness and human influence.

Additional quotes by P. T. Barnum

Exposing an illusion is not the same as revealing a truth

Politics and government are certainly among the most important of practical human interests. Now it was a diplomatist — that is, a practical manager of one kind of government matters — who invented that wonderful phrase — a whole world full of humbug in half-a-dozen words — that “Language was given to us to conceal our thoughts.” It was another diplomatist, who said “An ambassador is a gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.” But need I explain to my own beloved countrymen that there is humbug in politics? Does anybody go into a political campaign without it? are no exaggerations of our candidate’s merits to be allowed? no depreciations of the other candidate? Shall we no longer prove that the success of the party opposed to us will overwhelm the land in ruin? Let me see. Leaving out the two elections of General Washington, eighteen times that very fact has been proved by the party that was beaten, and immediately we have not been ruined, notwithstanding that the dreadful fatal fellows on the other side got their hands on the offices and their fingers into the treasury.

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