* You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
* You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
* You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
* You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
* You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
* You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
* You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
* You cannot build character and courage by destroying men’s initiative and independence.
* And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.
According to Wikipedia - which often gets it wrong - this quote is from William John Henry Boetcker, a Presbyterian minister, and not Lincoln.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._H._Boetcker
But very wise words, whoever said it.
Incisive and awesomely clear-minded quotation!