Who said “The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able…”?

Verified

Theodore Roosevelt. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSpeech at New York (11 November 1902)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight.”
VerifiedSpeech at New York (11 November 1902) · evidenceDuty
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Speech at New York (11 November 1902).

APA

Roosevelt, T. (n.d.). The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/14099-the-first-requisite-of-a-good-citizen-in/

MLA

Roosevelt, Theodore. “The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/14099-the-first-requisite-of-a-good-citizen-in/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Roosevelt, Theodore. “The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/14099-the-first-requisite-of-a-good-citizen-in/.